Derry 0-14 Monaghan 0-14
Karl O’Connell salvaged a deserved draw for Monaghan right at the death to deny Derry a comeback win at Celtic Park.
Lacklustre Derry were so so flat after their epic Ulster final penalty shootout win over Armagh – and almost paid the price in this All-Ireland series opener.
They trailed by three points, 0-13 to 0-10, with less than 10 minutes to go with Monaghan the side in control.
READ MORE: Derry 0-14 Monaghan 0-14 score recap and result
Monaghan had even shrugged off the blow of a Gary Mohan black card in the second half to actually extend their lead from a point to two points in his absence.
But the class of star Derry forward Shane McGuigan shone through and he showed leadership with three of their last four points while Ethan Doherty scored the equalising point.
McGuigan’s monster free in the third minute of stoppage time looked like it might be the winner with Monaghan suddenly doubting themselves.
But Karl O’Connell had been outstanding all night and stepped up with a long-range score to claim a deserved draw for the visitors.
It could have been more for Monaghan, who next host Clare in round two.
Meanwhile Derry have to go to north-west rivals Donegal next, and will know they’ll have to recapture the sort of form that crowned them back-to-back Ulster champions if they want to stay in control of their All-Ireland destiny.
Derry were strangely out of sorts in the first half here, and may have been relieved to have only been a point down, 0-7 to 0-6, at the break.
It was certainly a different ball game compared to the opening 35 minutes of the recent Ulster semi-final between the two, when Derry coasted to a seven-point lead at half time.
This time Monaghan – who started without powerhouses Jack McCarron, Conor McManus as well as Darren and Kieran Hughes - brought the energy and played with purpose and landed some superb long-range scores.
It was tit for tat in the early exchanges with Gary Mohan and Dessie Ward nailing scores while Ciaran McFaul – in his first start for Derry since the summer of 2021 – scoring their first point from play.
Shane McGuigan was an influential as ever for Derry and hit three points in a row, with a free, a mark and a point.
The sides were level six times and one of Derry’s best moments came when youngster Eoin McEvoy intercepted a threatening Monaghan move and the play was finished at the other end by a Niall Toner point.
Derry were a shadow the side that has bossed Ulster and bossed Monaghan in recent meetings, but they showed character to claw their way back into the game.
Lachlann Murray is tipped for a big future and he showed a glimpse of why when he tipped over a point within seconds of coming on.
Ryan O’Toole, the matchwinner against Tyrone last month, could not repeat his goal-scoring heroics and his shot was blocked and when a ball bounced over Karl O’Connell’s head and out for a Derry sideline, the momentum shifted just a little.
It was enough for Derry to seize the moment and McGuigan was to the fore as they reeled Monaghan in.
His 73rd minute put Derry back in front for the first time in almost 50 minutes but O’Connell’s last gasp means both teams have everything to play for over the next couple of weeks.
Derry: O Lynch; C McKaigue, E McEvoy, C McCluskey; C Doherty, G McKinless, P McGrogan; C Glass, B Rogers; N Toner (0-1, 1f), Paul Cassidy, E Doherty (0-1); C McFaul (0-1), S McGuigan (0-10, 5f, 2m), N Loughlin
Subs: B Heron for Toner (55), L Murray (0-1) for Loughlin (57), Paudie Cassidy for McGrogan (59)
Monaghan: R Beggan (0-2, one ‘45’, 1f); R O’Toole, K Duffy, R Wylie; K O’Connell (0-1), C Boyle (0-1), C McCarthy (0-3, 1f); K Gallagher, K Lavelle; S O’Hanlon, M Bannigan (0-3), D Ward (0-1); S Carey (0-2), G Mohan (0-1), R McAnespie
Subs: D Hughes for Mohan (61), Darragh McElerney for Carey (64), J Mc McCarron for Gallagher (66), K Hughes for Lavelle (66),
Referee: Noel Mooney (Cavan)
