Beggan the Monaghan hero with last gasp winner to sink Derry

Ulster SFC semi-final
Monaghan 1-30 Derry 3-23 AET

Once again Rory Beggan was the Monaghan hero with his two point-free to book their Ulster final ticket with the last kick of a pulsating semi-final.

Seconds earlier, Sean Kearney looked to have won the game for Derry with a point with his first touch.

It was looking bleak in normal time. Eoin McEvoy’s point opened an 11-point margin after 51 minutes, 3-14 to 0-13.

Substitute Jack McCarron’s free left two between the sides before the drama ramped up again.

“You just cannot give up at any stage” – Ward relieved after Monaghan’s dramatic win over Derry

When referee Noel Mooney blew his final whistle, Derry were two points ahead but the Cavan official overturned his decision.

After restarting the game, Jack McCarron nailed a sideline outside the 40-metre arc to take the game to extra-time.

First-half goals from Eoin McEvoy and Niall Loughlin helped the Derry to a 10-point interval lead with the breeze at their back, 2-10 to 0-6.

Derry won the throw-in but Monaghan started the second half with a Beggan two point free after Derry carried possession into a Dessie Ward tackle.

Bannigan had a goal chance at the other end but pulled it across goal and Derry stayed 2-12 to 0-8 ahead.

Monaghan won two kick-outs with McCarville and Woods kicking two pointers at the end of the moves to shoot them back into contention.

Loughlin palmed in a third Derry goal and the Oaks were 10 points clear after 50 minutes.

Save

A McCarthy two-pointer was followed up by a Bobby McCaul goal chance brilliantly flicked over by McGuckin’s trailing leg.

Monaghan then turned the game with a Bannigan goal after Beggan won a Derry kick-out and it was game on with five minutes to go.

There was another goal scare in the Derry defence a Monaghan smelt blood. Jack McCarron kicked a free to leave just two points between the teams.

Referee Mooney then blew the final whistle before calling back for McCarron to kick the dramatic two-point sideline.

Murray (two-pointer), Bannigan and Ward all kicked scores and it was level again after 75 minutes with Conor Doherty edging Derry ahead.

A Toner point made it a two-point lead at half-time in extra-time as Ryan McAnespie came in.

McGuigan and Oisin McGorman shared points before Ward levelled matters again with a two-pointer.

Sean Kearney looked to have won the game before Beggan won the game with a late two-pointer.

Monaghan play the winners of Armagh and Down who lock horns on Sunday in the other semi-final in Clones.

Derry: S McGuckin; D Baker, R Forbes, C McCluskey; C Doherty (0-1), G McKinless, P McGrogan; E McEvoy (1-2), B Rogers; E Doherty (0-2), C Glass (0-1), P Cassidy (0-1); N Loughlin (2-1), S McGuigan (0-7, 1f), L Murray (0-6, 1tp)
Subs: S Downey for Loughlin (61), N Toner (0-1) for Cassidy (61), P McGurk for C Doherty (67), N Loughlin, C Doherty (all started ET), S Kearney (0-1) for Loughlin (88), P McGurk for C Doherty (88)

Monaghan: R Beggan (0-6, 3tp); K Lavelle, R O’Toole, D Byrne; C Dowd, D Ward (0-3, 1tp), A Carey; M McCarville (0-3, 1tp); L Kelly; K Gallagher (0-1), M Bannigan (1-5, 2f), S O’Hanlon; C McCarthy (0-2tp), A Woods (0-3, 1tp), S Mooney (0-1)
Subs: B McCaul (0-1) for Kelly (HT), D Garland (0-1) for Mooney (45), O McGorman (0-1) for Carey (51), J McCarron (0-3, 1tps, 1f) for Woods (55), D McElearney for Lavelle (FT), R Hanratty for Gallagher (75), R McAnespie for O’Hanlon (HT ET), S Hanratty for Dowd (88)

Referee: N Mooney (Cavan)