Allianz Football League: Monaghan & Derry earn dramatic wins over Dubs and Kerry
- Published
Stephen O'Hanlon's sensational display for Monaghan included hammering in one of their three goals
Derry and Monaghan earned dramatic opening Allianz Football League Division One wins as they avenged their All-Ireland semi-final defeats by Kerry and Dublin last summer.
A late Shane McGuigan free clinched Derry's 0-15 to 2-8 win in Tralee after Kerry had fought back from six down.
Monaghan beat the All-Ireland champions 3-9 to 1-14 at Croke Park as Ciaran McNulty hit a last-gasp winning point.
Jack McCarron, Stephen O'Hanlon and McNulty struck Monaghan's goals.
It didn't seem possible that the Dublin v Monaghan clash could serve up more drama that the earlier Tralee clash but it did exactly that.
The Farneymen managed to go in on terms at the break despite conceding a goal inside four minutes with Cormac Costello on target.
O'Hanlon torments Dublin defence
Stephen O'Hanlon, who tormented the Dublin defence throughout, rattled the net with the half-time whistle approaching minutes after McCarron had scored from the spot.
Monaghan haven't lost to the Dubs in the league since 2017 but the Sam Maguire Cup holders threatened to pull away after the break.
Paddy Small, Cormac Costello, and Colm Basquel hit three unanswered points before McNulty was introduced.
The Inniskeen man coolly slotted into the bottom corner to turn the game on its head and establish a narrow advantage for the visitors.
The teams traded scores thereafter with Michael Bannigan remaining on form from a dead ball for the Ulster outfit.
Basquel missed a huge chance to give Dublin control only to palm the ball the wrong side of the post.
Ultimately it was McNulty's breakaway point that proved the difference to give Monaghan a priceless victory.
Conor Glass (right), Ethan Doherty and Ciaran McFaul all started for Derry just a week after their All-Ireland Club win with Glen
Harte's Derry hold nerve to beat Kerry
In the earlier Division One contest at Austin Stack Park, McGuigan kicked a last-gasp free as Derry marked their return to Division One with a thrilling victory.
The Ulster champions led 0-8 to 0-4 at the break before a strong Kerry fightback in the second half.
The Kingdom scored goals through Conor Geaney and Dylan Casey.
But McGuigan notched his seventh point from a free deep in injury-time to give Mickey Harte a win in his first league outing as Derry boss.
In Derry's first top-flight game since 2015, Harte named a strong team with Glen trio Conor Glass, Ethan Doherty and Ciaran McFaul starting just a week after their All-Ireland-winning exploits with Glen.
Kerry punished for missed goal chances
Amid testing conditions in Tralee, Derry established early control with captain Glass opening the scoring after just three minutes.
McGuigan scored four of Derry's eight points in the first half with Chrissy McKaigue, Conor Doherty and Brendan Rogers also on the scoresheet.
With the Clifford brothers David and Paudie absent for Kerry, Sean O'Shea kicked three of the Kingdom's four points in the opening half.
Four points from McGuigan, and one each from McKaigue, Doherty and Rogers meant that Derry never trailed Kerry throughout the opening half.
Derry appeared to be cruising early in the second half, stretching their lead out to six points, before McFaul picked up a black card for pulling down Gavin White.
Kerry fought back impressively with Geaney taking advantage of Derry keeper Odhran Lynch straying from his line to raise a green flag, before Casey's goal levelled the game with seven minutes left.
From there, the Kingdom dominated for long spells but spurned three goal chances before McGuigan slotted a late free after substitute Cormac Murphy had been felled to give Derry a measure of revenge for last year's All-Ireland semi-final loss.