Monaghan turn seven-point deficit around to beat Clare in Clones

All-Ireland SFC: Monaghan 1-25 Clare 1-16

Group 3 of the All-Ireland SFC will boil down to a top-of-the-table decider between Monaghan and Down, plus an effective knock-out clash between Louth and Clare, following a real game of two halves in Clones.

Producing a reaction to their heavy loss to Down, Clare made a mockery of the prematch odds by building up a double-scores half-time lead with the wind at their backs, but Monaghan outscored them by 1-18 to 1-2 after the restart to remain behind the Mourne men on score-difference heading into the final round of the group stage.

Monaghan could afford to kick 14 wides and still get the win, helped by 0-8 from Jack McCarron, a goal by Conor McCarthy.

Monaghan manager Gabriel Bannigan felt his side had been “flat” in the first half after beating Louth the previous weekend, but they got a significant impact from their subs as they eventually went through the gears.

Galway’s Conor Whelan: ‘Mental health is not as abstract as people sometimes make it sound’

Tailteann Cup previews: Offaly steeled for clash with New York and eyeing up outright success

Gearóid Hegarty and Tom Morrissey ‘the line that sets Limerick apart from everyone else’

Bannigan noted that too many of his players “weren’t at the pitch of it” for the first half, but they were “a different animal” in the second, with their subs bringing “a lot of energy and drive”.

Monaghan had started brightly with early points from Conor McCarthy, Ryan McAnespie and Mícheál Bannigan, while Daniel Walsh kicked Clare’s only score of the first 13 minutes. But the Banner grew into the game in some style towards the end of the opening quarter.

Clare’s frequent raids down the right flank led to two-pointers from Conor Meaney (two), Eoin Cleary and Mark McInerney, which propelled them into a healthy lead.

Clare's Conor Meaney celebrates scoring a two-pointer. Photograph: Andrew Paton/Inpho

Dessie Ward ended 13 scoreless minutes for Monaghan, who also saw corner-forwards Jack McCarron and Stephen Mooney open their accounts late in the half, but Aaron Griffin replied to leave Clare in command at half-time, 0-14 to 0-7.

Monaghan began the second half with much more purpose, as McCarron kicked 0-5 inside the first 10 minutes, including a brace of two-pointers, before McCarthy scythed through to drill home the opening goal, edging them ahead for the first time since the early stages.

David Garland also found his range from outside the arc and was joined on the scoresheet by fellow subs Aaron Carey and Andrew Woods, with veteran Darren Hughes joining them in making an impact off the bench.

Clare took 23 minutes to get their first score of the half from McInerney, but Peter Keane’s side gave themselves a glimmer of hope when a point from Dermot Coughlan was swiftly followed by a palmed goal from Aaron Griffin.

Monaghan’s cushion was down to four on 66 minutes, but Rory Beggan converted a pair of two-point frees late on to see the hosts finish with nine to spare.

MONAGHAN: R Beggan (0-2-1, 2tpf, 1’45); D Byrne, K Lavelle, R Wylie; D Ward (0-0-1), R O’Toole, K Duffy; M McCarville, G Mohan; S O’Hanlon (0-0-1), C McCarthy (1-0-1), R McAnespie (0-0-1); M Bannigan (0-0-3, 1f), J McCarron (0-3-2, 1 2-pt-f, 1f), S Mooney (0-0-1).

Subs: A Carey (0-0-1) for Lavelle (ht); D Hughes for Mohan (inj), D Garland (0-1-0) for Mooney (both 41 mins); C McNulty for McAnespie (52); A Woods (0-0-1) for Duffy (61).

CLARE: É Tubridy; R McMahon, R Lanigan, M Doherty; A Sweeney, I Ugwueru, F Kelleher; B McNamara, D Walsh (0-0-2); C Meaney (0-2-0), D Coughlan (0-0-1), S Griffin; M McInerney (0-1-2, 1f), E Cleary (0-1-0), A Griffin (1-0-3, 0-1f).

Subs: J Stack for McMahon (56 mins); E Cahill for Walsh (63); D Nagle for Sweeney (67).

Referee: J Henry (Mayo).