Congratulations are in order for the Monaghan U21 team on winning the Shamrock Cup beating Derry on a score line of 2-15 to 2-09 in Cremartin this afternoon.
Monaghan started well with James Wilson getting the opening point and then following that up with a goal to put them 1-01 to no score up. Derry then opened their account before James Wilson got his second point of the afternoon. On the 11th minute of the afternoon Conor Doherty goaled for Derry to make it 1-02 apiece. Ruairí McElwee scored the next two points for Derry before Francis Maguire and James Wilson restored parity. on 25 minutes Monaghan were three points clear thanks to another three points from the boots of James Wilson. It was 1-07 to 1-04. McGrogan and Hanratty swapped points before Wilson popped up with the final point of the half to make it Monaghan 1-09 Derry 1-05 at the break. Wilson carried on his impressive form with the opening score of the second half before Francis Maguire nabbed a goal in the 35th minute to leave it Monaghan 2-10 Derry 1-05. James Wilson and Barry Grant then exchanged scores. Ruairí McElwee converted a free to put seven between them.
with a 11 minutes to go Monaghan led by 9 points at 2-13 to 1-07 following scores from Francis Maguire and Padraig Finnan. The next spell was Derrys as Barry Grant got two points and a goal came courtesy of Cormac Quigley leaving it 2-13 to 2-09. Monaghan nerves were settled in the 57th minute with a point through Barry McGinn. Ronan McDonald followed that up with another point for the Farney army in injury time.
The final score was Monaghan 2-15 Derry 2-09 and their Shamrock Cup victory shows that the future is bright for Monaghan football.
