Rossies turn things around to oust Monaghan in Hyde thriller
Conor Hand scores one of this three second-half points against Monaghan at King and Moffatt Dr. Hyde Park. Picture: INPHO/Tom Maher
Diarmuid Murtagh hit 0-12, including four second-half two-pointers, to move Roscommon top of Division Two on their own in a thriller at King and Moffatt Dr. Hyde Park on Sunday afternoon.
Monaghan, thanks to first-half goals from David Garland and Mícheál Bannigan, were five points ahead at half time, but Roscommon scored five two-pointers in the second half — four from Murtagh and another from Conor Cox — to wrestle back the momentum and claim a huge win.
The home team appeared obsessed with going for goals early on, but Rory Beggan was equal to anything thrown at him.
When the goals did arrive, it was Monaghan who grabbed them through David Garland and Mícheál Bannigan, while Roscommon goalkeeper Conor Carroll also saved a 21st minute penalty from Conor McCarthy.
Diarmuid Murtagh had opened the scoring from a free in front of the posts but Monaghan responded with the half’s only two-pointer from midfielder Mícheál McCarville.
Despite the tough conditions, both teams radiated danger up front, with Monaghan’s directness proving particularly fruitful.
Points from Bannigan, Louis Kelly and David Garland, in reply to points from Diarmuid and Ciarán Murtagh, left the visitors 0-05 to 0-03 in front before they struck for their first goal.
With Carroll stranded up the field, Monaghan moved the ball quickly, and when Bannigan’s raking delivery bounced off one post and across against the other, Garland was on hand to poke home the rebound.
Roscommon responded with a point from Diarmuid Murtagh and a fisted effort from Ronan Daly but when Monaghan pinched a kickout from Carroll in the middle of the field after 28 minutes, the ball was quickly moved to Bannigan who lashed the ball to the back of the net.
Leading by 2-06 to 0-08 at the break, Ryan O’Toole added to Monaghan’s tally early in the second half. But Roscommon turned the screw, and when Murtagh hit his first two-pointer on the turn after 42 minutes, the gap was down to just a point.
Conor Hand, who was immense on his league debut in the second half, brought the sides level before a two-point free from Murtagh edged Roscommon back in front.
Monaghan refused to throw in the towel and a quickfire double from Conor McCarthy was a timely reminder to Roscommon that the game was far from over.
But a second two-pointer from Murtagh was followed by another seismic impact off the bench as substitutes Senan Lambe and Conor Cox added scores — the latter landing a spectacular two-pointer to push Roscommon’s lead out to four points.
Bannigan cut the deficit to three points in the final minute to take his tally to 1-4 but Murtagh landed a two-point free at the end of the game to ensure that the Rossies remain unbeaten before a difficult trip to Navan to play Meath next Sunday.
Roscommon: Conor Carroll; Pearse Frost, John McManus, Niall Higgins, Ronan Daly (0-01), Brian Stack, Shane Cunnane; Dylan Ruane, Keith Doyle; Ciaráin Murtagh (0-03), Ultan Harney, Cian McKeon; Diarmuid Murtagh (0-12, 3 2p, 1 2pf), Donie Smith (0-02), Conor Hand (0-03).
Subs: Ruaidhrí Fallon for Stack (39), Eddie Nolan for Harney (50), Senan Lambe (0-01) for Daly (57), Ben O’Carroll for Smith (60), Conor Cox (0-03, 1 2p) for McKeon (68).
Monaghan: Rory Beggan (0-01); Ryan Wylie, Killian Lavelle, Dylan Byrne; Ryan O’Toole (0-01), Colm Lennon, Conor McCarthy (0-02); Gavin McPhillips, Mícheál McCarville (0-02, 1 2p); Fergal Hanratty, Mícheál Bannigan (1-04, 0-02f), Ciarán McNulty (0-01); David Garland (1-01), Stephen Mooney (0-01), Louis Kelly (0-01).
Subs: Jack McCarron for Lennon (26), Kevin Loughran for Hanratty (h-t), Bobby McCaul for Mooney (44), Darren Hughes for McPhillips (66), Seán Jones for Garland (70).
Referee: Thomas Murphy (Galway).
