Beggan slots extra-time free to complete epic comeback and send Monaghan to Ulster final

02 May 2026, 18:50 by Sinead Farrell · The42

Monaghan 1-30

Derry 3-23

(After extra-time)

A SUPERB RORY Beggan free at the end of extra-time was the final act of an incredible comeback effort from Monaghan to book their place in the Ulster SFC final.

Trailing by 10 points at half-time of normal time, Monaghan fought back brilliantly against a Derry side who looked to be cruising. Two goals from Niall Loughlin, and another from Eoin McEvoy put Derry in a commanding position at the Athletic Grounds.

But a combination of two-pointers and a Micheál Bannigan goal kept Monaghan in the contest. And a bizarre finish to the second half ended with substitute Jack McCarron nailing a sideline kick to send the game to extra-time.

Referee Noel Mooney had initially blown the full-time whistle as the clock was at 70 minutes but then reversed his decision to allow McCarron take the kick.

And it was Monaghan who stood tall at the end of extra-time after Beggan’s excellent free.

Derry struck for the first goal of the game in the fifth minute, with Loughlin giving his side a 1-2 to 0-2 lead.

Conor Glass opened up a four-point lead for Derry after 12 minutes with a well-struck shot that squeezed just inside the post while Loughlin added a free at the end of the first quarter to extend their advantage.

Monaghan were struggling to secure possession but a close range free offered a reprieve. Bannigan tapped it over to leave his side trailing by 1-5 to 0-4.

Stephen Mooney clipped over another score to give Monaghan some momentum but Derry mustered an instance response through points from Shane McGuigan, Ethan Doherty and Lachlan Murray to put six between the teams just before the half-hour mark.

Monaghan had a goal chance moments later when Stephen O’Hanlon found a completely unmarked Karl Gallagher with a brilliant crossfield pass. But Derry’s defenders quickly filtered back as Gallagher was forced to settle for a point.

A goal opportunity at the other end from the next attack ended in success for Ciarán Meenagh’s side. Touches from Loughlin and Murray allowed Eoin McEvoy to palm the ball into the net, powering Derry into the half-time break with a 2-10 to 0-6 lead.

Beggan gave Monaghan a promising start to the second half, coming up the field to convert a free from outside the arc at a tricky angle. But a brace of McGuigan points quickly cancelled that.

Another Monaghan goal chance proved elusive in the 42nd minute as Bannigan carried the ball through the centre before unleashing a powerful shot that flashed wide.

But they recovered from that setback and plundered for two orange flags in-a-row. Midfielder Micheál McCarville provided the first of that two-pointer burst before Woods also booted from distance to stay in touch.

With seven between the sides, Derry’s third goal arrived on 49 minutes. Again the ball was slapped into the net as Loughlin applied the finish to land another blow on a resurgent Monaghan.

Beggan brought the difference back to eight with another two-pointer free, and Conor McCarthy brought Monaghan to within six with a brilliant score shortly after.

That sequence sparked Monaghan into life as Bobby McCaul made a superb fetch at the edge of the square and his shot deserved to end up in the net, but Shea McGuckin reacted quickly to keep the shot out.

After winning the Derry kickout, Bannigan finished the move with a point to give Monaghan belief at 3-14 to 0-19.

And then the game came to life.

Derry briefly halted the momentum with some crucial points to maintain their advantage but Monaghan finally converted a goal opportunity to set up a grandstand finish.

Beggan came up to win a Derry kickout and sent the delivery into Bannigan. A lovely sidestep allowed him to blast the ball home and suddenly, the gap was down to three and the Monaghan crowd was roaring.

With time running out, Monaghan won a sideline where a two-pointer effort would send the game to extra-time. The referee blew the full-time whistle at the end of 70 minutes, but after some protesting, he reversed his decision.

McCarron stepped up and sliced a beautiful shot between the posts. At 3-16 to 1-22, this incredible Ulster semi-final was going to extra-time.

Bannigan gave Monaghan the lead at the start of extra-time from a free before Murray landed a two-pointer to get the Derry fans cheering again.

Dessie Ward and Conor Doherty traded points before Niall Toner squeezed through to push Derry 3-20 to 1-24 ahead at the break.

McGuigan put three between the sides at the start of the second period with Oisín McGorman keeping Monaghan in touch before a tremendous two-pointer from Ward levelled matters once again.

Bannigan looped over a brilliant shot to give the advantage to Monaghan and after a lengthy, dramatic phase of keep ball, Derry broke forward and equalised though corner back Conor McCluskey.

Substitute Seán Kearney clipped over a score to put Derry in the driving seat but just as it did at the end of normal time, extra-time also ended in dramatic circumstances. A Monaghan free for a foul on McCarhty from outside the arc.

Beggan stroked it over to fire Monaghan into the Ulster final. Either Armagh or Down will join them.

Monaghan scorers: Micheál Bannigan 1-5 (1f), Rory Beggan 0-6 (3 tpf), Jack McCarron (1tp sideline, 1f) Andre Woods, Micheál McCarville, Dessie Ward (1tp) 0-3 each, Conor McCarthy 0-2 (1tp), Karl Gallagher, Stephen Mooney, David Garland, Oisín McGorman and Bobby McCaul 0-1 each