By Mike Fitzpatrick
Monaghan 1-12, Stamford 1-8
Monaghan stormed into the final of the Junior B Championship with a deserved win over their out of state rivals Stamford at Gaelic Park last Sunday.
In what was a day of double disappointment for the Stamford faithful, with their senior counterparts succumbing to rivals Leitrim, the Connecticut squad went home extremely disappointed.
Monaghan will face Kerry in an enticing Junior B Final in a couple of weeks.
The game itself was a strange affair, in that Monaghan really entered the tie as underdogs. Stamford’s firepower was generally expected to lift them past their Ulster rivals. It was not to be. That dogged Monaghan spirit prevailed on the day, with a number of players justifiably proud of their performances.
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Monaghan attacked throughout the first half, moving into a two, three, then a four-point lead, thanks in no small part to the accuracy of Paul McGlynn’s shooting.
Marshall McAdoo opened the scoring early in the half, followed by McGlynn’s first of the afternoon, then Enda Bennett and Bernie McEntee got onto the scoresheet. Stamford fought back with Kevin McQuillan, and Eric McDonald bringing them to within a point, but McGlynn again, and a Kieran Clerkin goal, settled matters for the first half with Monaghan leading by 1-6, to 0-5.
As the second half wore on, Stamford were to lose their main attacking hope, Kevin McQuillan, and a number of opportunities went slipping by as their attackers failed to convert. Paul McGlynn had no such problem however, sailing a number of points over to move Monaghan further ahead.
A second half goal from Stamford’s Brian Martin gave the Greens a little hope, but it was too late.
Monaghan march on to face Kerry in the final.
Monaghan: Ronan McCarron, Barry Duggan, Stephen Rushe, David Hughes, Willie Dempsey, Bernie McEntee (0-1), Gerry Coleman, Kieran Clerkin (1-0), Rory O’Neill, Davie Gannon, Enda Bennett (0-1), Niall McKenna, Sean Carbin (0-1) Marshall McAdoo (0-1), Paul McGlynn (0-7). Subs: Carl Campbell, PJ Rogers, Mickey McEntee (0-1)
Stamford: Paddy Coyle, Paul Rafter, Fergal O’Hanlon, Enda Cox, Danny Fay, Tom McDonagh, Jason Williams, Brendan Brady, Terry McDermott, David Williams (0-1), Eric McDonald (0-2), Tommy Williams, Brian Martin (1-0), Kevin McQuillan (0-4), Terry McCann (0-1). Subs: Gary Conlon, Oliver O’Neill, Cyril Carroll.