monaghan booked their place in the Ulster semi-finals after beating Cavan in Clones, with Rory Beggan producing vital saves to help hold off a strong second-half comeback. The win sends Monaghan through to face Derry next, and it came after a fast start gave them the platform they needed. Monaghan had to absorb pressure late on, but they did enough to finish on top and end their run of defeats.
Fast start gives Monaghan control
Monaghan raced into a five-point lead early and stayed on the front foot for much of the first half. Stephen Mooney, Dessie Ward, Cameron Dowd and Daragh McElearney all made important contributions, while Andrew Woods, Aaron Carey and David Garland also found the target as Monaghan built momentum.
The first half ended with Monaghan in a strong position at 0-15 to 0-8, helped by two-pointers from Beggan and Karl Gallagher and three white flags from Mooney. That opening burst mattered, because Cavan pushed hard after the interval and turned the contest into a far tighter battle.
Beggan and late scores shut the door
Cavan responded with goals from Tiarnan Madden and Darragh Lovett and cut the gap to three by the hour mark. That was the moment when Monaghan had to show composure, and Beggan came through with crucial stops, including a penalty save against Paddy Lynch and another denial from close range to Lovett.
Monaghan then steadied the match with a fifth point from Mooney, before Beggan and Mícheál Bannigan added late scores to seal the result. Cavan finished with 14 men after Favour Shehu was sent off on 68 minutes, but the key passage had already been decided by Monaghan’s defensive resistance and Beggan’s interventions.
Reactions from the Monaghan camp
Monaghan goalkeeper Rory Beggan called the penalty stop “pure guess” and said it was “a bit of pot luck” before adding that it was good to make a contribution to the team. He also described the save from Lovett as part of the job goalkeepers have to do, saying that some days the ball goes through you and other days you make the stop and become the hero.
Monaghan manager Gabriel Bannigan said the result was “a big relief” after a tough league and stressed that his side had prepared hard for the derby. He said Cavan were always going to come back at them in the second half and noted that Monaghan had to withstand that surge with last-ditch tackles and saves.
What the semi-final means next
The victory sets up an Ulster semi-final meeting with Derry, and Monaghan will go in knowing the next step will be no easier. Dessie Ward said Monaghan expect a battle and pointed to Derry as a top-class side, while also praising Beggan as a “vital cog” in the team. For Monaghan, the immediate task is to build on this win, because the performance showed both their attacking edge and their ability to survive under pressure as monaghan move on with real momentum.
