Monaghan edge closer to McKenna Cup semi-finals as Fermanagh defeat St Mary's

Monaghan dominated their contest with Antrim at Glenavy

Monaghan edged closer to a McKenna Cup semi-finals spot as they beat Antrim 2-20 to 0-9 while Fermanagh also defeated St Mary's 2-13 to 0-13 in Section B.

Colin Walshe's 24th-minute goal helped Monaghan lead 1-9 to 0-3 at half-time at Glenavy.

Shane Carey hit Monaghan's second goal from a penalty.

After last weekend's win over Antrim, St Mary's battled well against Fermanagh but goals from Eoin Donnelly and Daryl Keenan proved decisive.

Monaghan were leading 0-4 to 0-2 when former Allstar corner-back Walshe strode upfield to fire into the Antrim net.

Kieran Hughes kicked three of Monaghan's first-half points with Shane Carey (0-2), Michael Bannigan, Neil McAdam and Thomas Kerr also among the scorers.

Antrim's brief mini-revival of a Ruairi Scott point and two Seamus McGarry scores after the break was quickly cancelled out by scores from Walshe, Hughes and Carey.

Carey's penalty increased Monaghan's lead to 2-18 to 0-8 as the Saffrons offered scant resistance.

Eoin Donnelly hit one of Fermanagh's goals against St Mary's before being sent off

Fermanagh made to work hard by St Mary's

In contrast, St Mary's competed well against Fermanagh despite trailing 1-3 to 0-0 early on.

After St Mary's keeper Mark Reid saved a Danny Teague penalty, Eoin Donnelly did rattle the students' net with Aidan Breen, Danny Teague and Barry Mulrone also tagging on the early points.

However, a Pearse Og McCrickard score started a run of five unanswered St Mary's points which was concluded by Tyrone player Conor Meyler's 17th-minute point.

With Darragh Kavanagh bringing up his first-half haul to three points, St Mary's remained in touch at only 1-7 to 0-8 in arrears at the break.

Points from Tommy McCaffrey, his second, Eoin McManus and Paul McCusker pushed Fermanagh's lead on to five only for two Oisin O'Neill points and a Niall Toner effort to again trim back the margin to two.

However, Keenan's well-taken goal finally broke the St Mary's resistance as Fermanagh outscored the students 1-4 to 0-2 in the closing stages.

Fermanagh midfielder Eoin Donnelly was sent off late on after getting a second yellow card while the Ernemen also had Teague black carded in the closing moments.

Monaghan will be guaranteed a semi-finals spot if they avoid defeat against St Mary's on Wednesday night when Fermanagh will hope to secure the best runner-ups qualification spot by accounting for struggling Antrim.