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BBC News
21-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Two-pointer becomes gaelic football's game changer
The two-pointer has become the game changer in gaelic Guinness' shot from outside the 40-metre arc sparked Down's dramatic late comeback against a shell-shocked Fermanagh on while Monaghan's second-half revival ultimately fell agonisingly short against Donegal in Sunday's concluding Ulster Football quarter-final, it was those two-pointers which suddenly had Jim McGuinness' previously utterly dominant side not looking so assured at went for double top on 12 occasions in Sunday's contest - landing five and missing it's not just the score itself that's making the difference but the need for defensive readjustment which in turn is creating more space for the inside Farney men's first successful two-pointer by Dessie Ward in the 32nd minute reduced Donegal's advantage to 0-13 to 0-7 and the margin remained six at the interval after both sides added a further it was Conor McCarthy's 38th-minute two-pointer which energised a previously subdued Monaghan support, as the 2023 All-Star frantically urged the Farney support on the Hill to lift the decibel levels."We had serious support today but we felt we'd let them down in the first half," said McCarthy."You're searching for something to get them back on side. We did get that momentum. There was my two-pointer and two more [soon] after that and you could feel the crowd getting behind us. "Listen, it's just disappointing not to win in the end." The successive two-pointers from substitute Jack McCarron and captain Micheal Bannigan within the space of 60 seconds incredibly cut Donegal's lead to 0-16 to 0-15 as the increasingly vocal home crowd scented a famous successive scores from late inclusion Michael Langan, a largely quiet Patrick McBrearty and substitute Jamie Brennan put daylight between the sides again at 0-20 to Monaghan revival appeared to have been repelled when another Brennan score extended Donegal's advantage to 0-22 to 0-17 with eight minutes of normal time as Fermanagh folk will attest, even a seven-point lead with that amount of time remaining is far from we had a frantic conclusion, which for a few moments appeared set to be laced with controversy, as a Ryan McAnespie point, which was a sniff of a goal chance, was followed by Dessie Ward's second two-pointer of the afternoon to leave only two between the sides. As the clock ticked into the final minute, Monaghan won the subsequent kickout and managed to work the ball to Ward once again but on this occasion he pulled the far-from-easy chance wide of the post. Much as he might have liked to stall, Shaun Patton knew he had to take the kickout - lest he be blown up for time wasting - and after the ball bounced over the sideline off a Donegal fist, Monaghan's Ryan O'Toole was about to take the line ball when the hooter sounded. Thinking, Monaghan still had a final play, O'Toole found a team-mate in close proximity near halfway but at that very moment, David Coldrick's final whistle blew, quickly to be followed by protests from some Farney the Meath whistler had followed the new rulebook to the letter. "The rule is that if the ball's out for a sideline and the hooter goes, it's game over," said a rueful McCarthy."It seems harsh because the rule's there that if you've a chance of build an attack or score, play should be let on. Maybe that rule needs to be looked but we can have no complaints as we missed chances before that."But while defeat was ultimately Monaghan's lot on this particular Sunday at St Tiernach's Park, McCarthy recalled regrouping from an emphatic Ulster SFC defeat by Derry two years ago to go all the way to the All-Ireland semi-finals where they gave eventual champions Dublin a tough test."We have four or five weeks to get ready for the All-Ireland series. "In 2023, we were in a similar position after being knocked out in Ulster and went on a run to reach the All-Ireland semi-finals so it's within us to make a run in the All-Ireland series."
BBC News
20-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
New rules lead to hooter controversy at Clones
For a few brief moments it appeared as though we had one of those almighty GAA rows on our a stirring second-half comeback in Sunday's Ulster Football quarter-final, after nailing one moments earlier, Dessie Ward had just missed another two-point attempt which would have brought Monaghan level in the final seconds against Donegal after the Farney men had trailed by eight in the first half. Donegal keeper Shaun Patton still had to take the kickout and after the ball went out for a Monaghan line ball, Ryan O'Toole gathered the size five in his hands only for the hooter to sound. Monaghan thought they were entitled to another play but referee David Coldrick blew for full-time. Rory Beggan was among those protesting at the seeming injustice of it all but as journalists scrambled to find out what was the actual rule, it turned out that the Meath whistler had actually made the correct decision - even though it seemed harsh on the Farney men. As he spoke some 45 minutes later, Monaghan boss Gabriel Bannigan admitted that he was still unclear about the rule."Ryan took the line ball and then the game was blown. Our understanding was that we had that play but I could be wrong on that and we could all be wrong on that," said the Farney County manager."I know if it's a 45 [and the hooter goes] you definitely get to take a 45. I thought it was the same for the line ball but I could be wrong on that. Whether I am or an I'm not, the game is over."His Donegal counterpart Jim McGuinness admitted that initially even he wasn't entirely sure whether Coldrick had made the correct decision."I know Monaghan were scratching their heads. For a moment I was as well," said the Donegal for Jim Gavin and company should be recommending another rules tweak after Sunday's Clones finale, McGuinness replied: "I don't have an opinion to be honest with you. "The new rules are the new rules. That's the letter of the law and that's the way it should have ended."The hooter went and the ball had been fisted out and once that happens and the ball is out of play, that's the end of the game." As for the game itself, McGuinness insisted that there was no panic in Donegal ranks despite Monaghan's second-half revival after his side had led 0-13 to 0-5 after 30 minutes."You trust the processes at that stage. The boys know they were in a game there. It was a very physically challenging game but we dealt with it really well and we're delighted to get through."We're just happy that we were able to keep the scoreboard kicking at crucial times and never allowed them that moment where they got level or ahead of us."We knew Monaghan were going to come hard at us. Every time they did, we responded really well. "[There were] Some really big performances as well. Shaun [Patton] got the kickouts away well at crucial moments for us. Finbarr [Roarty] had a massive game at corner-back for a young lad. Ciaran Thompson in the middle, Michael Langan kicked four or five points. We're moving on in the competition and that's all that matters."Looking ahead to next Sunday's semi-final against Down, McGuinness said he was relieved that his squad hadn't picked up any more "soft tissue" injuries, with Ryan McHugh having to go to get a leg gash stitched up before returning to action at the start of the second half."It wasn't restricting him in terms of running so he was able to come back on but he'll be a very sore boy tomorrow morning," added the Donegal boss. Bannigan annoyed by 'three up' call Bannigan admitted his side hadn't "got to the pitch of it" in the first half but lauded his players for their display in the second 35 minutes."We had plenty of possession [in the first half]. We had 15 shots and only had seven scores. They had 14 shots and had 12 scores. "Their handling was better. Their passing and efficiency was better and they were six points up at half-time and deservedly so because we had let ourselves down in our play."Donegal had probably benefited from the game [against Derry] in Ballybofey. They were more championship seasoned in the first half than we were."Our bench did well but I thought it was more as a team that we really brought an energy and drive and intensity to our second-half performance and our option taking was better and we took some great scores as well."Bannigan did admit his extreme frustration with a refereeing call in the early minutes when Monaghan were penalised under the new three-up rule, which resulted in Michael Murphy kicking a two-point Monaghan boss insisted that Donegal had transgressed in exactly the same at precisely the same moment."If both teams breached, it should have been a throw up. It shouldn't have been a free to one team."That was is particularly annoying but we have to take it on the chin."Those new rules eh?
