REPORT: Monaghan masterclass sees them through at Clones

Monaghan 1-20 Roscommon 0-14

Monaghan gave a masterclass in game management as they knocked Roscommon out of the 2026 championship and booked their place in the All-Ireland quarter-finals.

Gabriel Bannigan’s men were five-points clear at half time and playing against the breeze in the second period, they played with patience and control, keeping the ball for long periods.

Roscommon failed to show any fight in a first ever championship meeting between the pair and the Farney County were full value for their seven-point win.

The sides swapped scores early on, with Dessie Ward and Stephen Mooney cancelling out Diarmuid Murtagh and Dylan Ruane’s efforts. Daire Cregg grabbed his first of the day to restore Roscommon’s led.

Monaghan could have rattled the net but Stephen O’Hanlon’s effort was blocked and Roscommon’s rapid counter-attack ended with a second score from Cregg.

Murtagh notched another to make it a four-point game but Monaghan, led by Jack McCarron, powered back into contention. The Scotstown sharpshooter soared over a two-pointer and followed it up with a single.

Conor McCarthy chipped in with a point and Monaghan took got their noses ahead for the first time when Mooney, a lot callup to the starting team, found the bottom corner.

Darragh Heneghan and McCarthy pointed at either end while Conor Carroll denied Mooney a second major. Rory Beggan worked a short kick from the resulting 45, with McCarron lacing over another two-pointer to give the hosts a 1-9 to 0-6 half time advantage.

Roscommon notched a two-pointer from Murtagh and a single from Ruane as they threatened to close the gap. But in truth, that was as good as it got for Mark Dowd’s Connacht champions.

The impressive wing backs, McCarthy and Ward, continued to raise white flags while Oisin McGorman, David Garland and Andrew Woods got on the scoresheet as well.

McCarron was superb on the day and his right footed effort was a huge scores. Ryan McAnespie also came off the bench to fittingly land the final score of the afternoon.

Monaghan: Rory Beggan, Ryan Wylie, Killian Lavelle, Dylan Byrne, Dessie Ward 0-3, Ryan O’Toole, Conor McCarthy 0-3, Mícheál McCarville 0-1, Karl Gallagher, Stephen O’Hanlon, Mícheál Bannigan 0-1, Oisin McGorman 0-1, Jack McCarron 0-7 (2tp, 1f), Andrew Woods 0-1, Stephen Mooney 1-1. Subs: David Garland 0-1 for S. Mooney (blood sub), Max Maguire for O. McGorman, Ryan McAnespie 0-1 for A. Woods, Darragh McElarney for S. O’Hanlon.

Roscommon: Conor Carroll, Brian Stack, Caelim Keogh, Eoin McCormack, Eoin Ward, Ronan Daly, Senan Lambe, Keith Doyle, Conor Ryan, Dylan Ruane 0-3, Daire Cregg 0-3, Colm Neary, Diarmuid Murtagh 0-4 (1tp), Darragh Heneghan 0-1, Robert Heneghan. Subs: Shane Cunnane for C. Ryan (blood sub), Jack Duggan 0-1 for C. Ryan, Conor Hand 0-1 for R. Heneghan, Shane Cunnane for K. Doyle, Cian McKeon 0-1 for D. Cregg, Enda Smith for C Keogh.