Gaelic Games

Derry claim sixth All-Ireland minor football title in all-Ulster clash with Monaghan

Derry’s defence holds firm after Cahir Spiers dismissed on a straight red card after 41 minutes

Derry celebrate with the Tom Markham Cup after victory over Monaghan in the Electric Ireland All-Ireland Minor Championship Final at Box-It Athletic Grounds in Armagh. Photograph: Tom Maher/Inpho

Francis Mooney at the Athletic Grounds
Sun Jul 9 2023 - 15:48
All-Ireland MFC Final: Derry 1-13 Monaghan 0-9

Derry’s mix of flair and maturity powered them to a sixth All-Ireland minor football title in this all-Ulster decider at the Athletic Grounds on Sunday.

Expert game management when reduced to 14 players for the closing 20 minutes helped them frustrate their opponents and protect a hard-earned lead.

Monaghan, appearing in the final for the first time since 1939, were always chasing the game, and couldn’t find a way through a cordon of solid Oak in a frustrating final quarter.

In front of a crowd of 13,754 at the Armagh venue, Derry got the better of their Ulster rivals for the fourth time this season, despite the 41st-minute dismissal of wing back Cahir Spiers after he was dismissed on a straight red card.

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Johnny McGuckin and Conall Higgins were constant threats up front for the Oak Leafers, who eased ahead by 0-6 to 0-2 with scores from Ger Dillon, Eamon Young and Higgins.

Monaghan's Luke McKenna tackles Johnny McGuckian of Derry at the Athletic Grounds. Photograph: Tom Maher/Inpho

They could have had a goal, but for Jamie Mooney’s excellent save from James Sargent, and a relieved Monaghan side closed the gap with scores from Max McGinnity and Matthew Finn, along with a superb Sean Óg McElwain effort.

Monaghan struggled to break free of a Derry defence in which skipper Fionn McEldowney and Finbarr Murray tackled ferociously, and they trailed by 0-8 to 0-6 at the break.

Derry stretched the advantage through Dillon and Higgins, and although the loss of Spiers looked like a setback, they regrouped to defend en masse. Breaking with pace, they outscored their opponents by 1-3 to 0-2 in the remainder of the game, with Sargent grabbing the only goal on 48 minutes, palming to the net from Oisín Doherty’s assist.

Monaghan risked being caught on the breakaway as they threw everything into attack, but they ran into a mass of bodies. Forced to shoot from distance, they saw a string of efforts drift wide.

Goalkeeper Karl Campbell took command under the high ball as the Farney went route one, and as they committed all 15 players forward. They were almost caught on the counterattack with an unguarded goal on a couple of occasions, but Donnachadh Connolly and Tommy Mallen scrambled back to cut out the danger.

Derry were content to knock over a couple of scores on the break through Higgins and Dillon as they saw the game out with the guile of veterans to win a second title in four seasons.

DERRY: K Campbell; F McEldowney, F Murray, L Grant; C Spiers (0-1), J Sargent (1-0), O Campbell; T Rodgers, C McKaigue; E Young (0-1), G Dillon (0-6, six frees), J McGuckin; R Small, C Higgins (0-3), O Doherty (0-2).

Subs: K Mullan for Doherty (55 mins), J Boyle for Higgins (57), D McGuckin for Rogers (61).

MONAGHAN: J Mooney; D Connolly (0-1), C Greenan, C Meehan; A Stuart, T Mallen, J Lynch; M Carolan, S O’Connell; C Jones, M McGinnity (0-3, three frees), S Óg McElwain (0-1); T Quinn, M Finn (0-4, one free), L McKenna.

Subs: C Clerkin for Lynch (16 mins), C Murphy for O’Connell (40), E McCaffrey for Stuart (49), M Maguire for Jones (49), J McCaughey for McGinnity (61).

Referee: S Lonergan (Tipperary).

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