Derry into another Ulster final after Monaghan victory!

Derry 1-21 (24)

Monaghan 2-10 (16)

Derry are headed back to Clones to defend their Ulster title after a dogged display against Monaghan at Healy Park.

Rory Gallagher’s team had to work hard against a Monaghan opponent who just would not go away, with big blocks needed late in the game from Conor Glass and Benny Heron to deny Conor Leonard and Kieran Hughes as Monaghan searched desperately for the goals they needed.

Derry were the better team in the first half and went into the half-time break with a seven-point advantage, and that was ultimately too much for Monaghan to claw back despite a valiant effort to do so.

The Oakleafers started well and had five points to their name by the 15th minutes, with Conor Glass, Paul Cassidy (2), Shane McGuigan and Paudie McGrogan all scoring, while two frees from Rory Beggan kept Monaghan on Derry’s tail at 0-5, 0-2.

Ethan Doherty extended that lead slightly, but the first goal of the game went to Monaghan shortly afterwards when Karl O’Connell struck for a goal to reduce the gap to a single point at 0-6, 1-2.

Derry’s response to that goal was good with a point from Niall Toner and two from Shane McGuigan, with an Oakleaf goal following soon after when Conor McCluskey worked his way through a poor defence to hammer the ball into the net from close range to make it 1-9, 1-4.

McGuigan, Conor Doherty and Odhran Lynch all scored before half time give Derry a 7-point lead at the break at 1-12, 1-5.

It all seemed to be going Derry’s way early in the second half with two further scores from McGuigan and one from McGrogan, but a second Monaghan goal changed the picture again with Karl Gallagher finding the net as the gap was reduced to just five points.

Conor Glass came up with a big point just when Derry needed it to make it 1-16, 2-7 and an Ethan Doherty score left Derry six ahead heading into the last 10 minutes.

Monaghan tried hard in the closing stages and Glass and Heron needed sone big blocks at big moments to keep Derry out of touch.  

Deep in added time Brendan Rogers put the seal on the victory when he sprinted won the right and clipped the ball over the crossbar to put the finishing touch on another big day for Rory Gallagher and his players.