Roscommon’s winning run comes to an end in Clones

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Allianz Football League Division 1

Monaghan 0-14 Roscommon 0-11

By Colm Shalavey at Clones

Monaghan made it back-to-back wins in the Allianz NFL when they turned over table-toppers Roscommon in Clones. Monaghan had nine scorers and although this was nowhere near as free-flowing as the second half of their win over Donegal, it was enough to climb out of the relegation zone for the first time this season. Roscommon took a lengthy unbeaten league record to St. Tiarnach’s Park after winning their first three games since returning to Division One, but they trailed for most of this game, only once managing to inch ahead via a sixth-minute opener by Diarmuid Murtagh.

For the second weekend ina row, Monaghan responded with four unanswered points through Jack McCarron, Karl Gallagher and a Mícheál Bannigan brace, before Richard Hughes ended Roscommon’s 15-minute scoring drought. Gary Mohan added his name to the scoresheet for Monaghan, but Hughes and the Murtagh brothers briefly brought the visitors level.

McCarron and Bannigan replied to give Monaghan a 0-7 to 0-5 lead at the end of a lacklustre first half, before the tempo gradually raised during the second half. A Dessie Ward point was cancelled out by Ben O’Carroll, before an incisive move by the Rossies was thwarted by a goal-line clearance by Thomas McPhillips. Monaghan had a couple of goal chances of their own, which saw Seán Jones fire one over the bar and another inches wide, but points from McCarron, Ryan Wylie, Rory Beggan and Conor McCarthy kept the league leaders at bay.

Enda Smith, Brian Stack, sub Niall Kilroy and O’Carroll kept Roscommon breathing down Monaghan’s neck, but they weren’t helped by having Diarmuid Murtagh and O’Carroll black-carded during the final quarter. Monaghan played with fire at times during the closing stages as they kept possession, but Roscommon couldn’t engineer a chance of an equalising goal.

Monaghan travel to Galway next Sunday, while Roscommon host Donegal .

Scorers for Monaghan: Jack McCarron 0-4 (2f); Mícheál Bannigan 0-3 (1f); Karl Gallagher 0-1; Rory Beggan 0-1f; Seán Jones 0-1; Gary Mohan 0-1; Dessie Ward 0-1; Ryan Wylie 0-1; Conor McCarthy 0-1.

Scorers for Roscommon: Diarmuid Murtagh 0-2 (1f); Richard Hughes 0-2; Ciaráin Murtagh 0-2 (1f); Ben O’Carroll 0-2; Niall Kilroy 0-1; Enda Smith 0-1; Brian Stack 0-1.

Monaghan: Rory Beggan; Thomas McPhillips, Kieran Duffy (Capt.), Ryan O’Toole; Conor Boyle, Dessie Ward, Ryan Wylie; Darren Hughes, Gary Mohan; Karl Gallagher, Mícheál Bannigan, Stephen O’Hanlon; Shane Carey; Conor McCarthy, Jack McCarron. Subs: Karl O’Connell for Mohan (44); Seán Jones for Carey (47); Conor McManus for Gallagher (57); Fintan Kelly for McCarron (67).

Roscommon: Conor Carroll; Conor Daly, Dylan Ruane; David Murray; Richard Hughes, Brian Stack (Capt.), Niall Daly; Tadhg O’Rourke, Keith Doyle; Robbie Dolan, Diarmuid Murtagh, Ciarán Lennon; Ben O’Carroll, Enda Smith, Ciaráin Murtagh. Subs: Dáire Cregg for Doyle (41); Niall Kilroy for Ruane (47); Dónie Smith for Hughes (56); Ruaidhrí Fallon for Lennon (62); Conor Cox for D Murtagh (64).

Referee: Niall Cullen (Fermanagh).