A last gasp Karl O’Connell point shared the spoils in Celtic Park as Monaghan survived a Derry fight back.
Monaghan led by three points with eight minutes remaining in the lions den before the expected fight back. Shane McGuigan scored nine of Derry’s 14 points with O’Connell’s last kick of the day seeing the game end 14 points each.
Ciaran McFaul opened the scoring for Derry with just 60 seconds on the clock. It would take six minutes before Gary Mohan levelled the score under big pressure from the Derry defence.
Shane McGuigan restored Derry’s lead with a free after 10 minutes, following Ryan Wylie fouling Niall Loughlin. Dessie Ward levelled the game again two minutes later with an impressive shot from an angle.
McGuigan restored Derry’s lead with a mark three minutes later. Monaghan responded well, Michael Bannigan converting a 19th minute '45.
McGuigan was Derry’s man’s again with his third of the day and first from play on 22 minutes. However, Monaghan showed grit again, Conor McCarthy equalising two minutes later.
Monaghan led for the first time a minute later, through Bannigan. The Ulster champions responded quickly through another McGuigan free.
Shane Carey and Niall Toner exchanged scores as the clock ticked toward half-time. While a Conor McCarthy injury time free-kick, saw Monaghan lead at half-time seven points to six.
The visitors picked up where they left off on the restart. Conor Boyle with a point, within 60 seconds of the restart.
McGuigan converted a free-kick 60 seconds later with his fifth point of the day. Instantly Monaghan were two clear again through Conor McCarthy.
The game threatened to walk away on the Farney men, Gary Mohan shown a black card having chopped down McKinless. Another McGuigan free making it a one point game.
However, Rory Beggan converted a free three minutes later as Monaghan led 10 points to eight on 48 minutes.
Niall Carey and Shane Carey exchanged points before Bannigan fired over a free and Mohan returned with 15 minutes to play.
Lachlan Murray fired over a Derry free when a goal was possible with Beggan converting a '45 in response. The late Derry surge eventually arrived. Two McGuigan scores made it a one point game.
Conor Doherty equalised a minute into injury with McGuigan's ninth of the day two minutes later appeared to have nicked it.
However, Karl O'Connell didn’t read the hosts script as he kicked a late, late equaliser to share the spoils. It finished in a 14-points a-piece draw.
Monaghan host Clare in next week’s meeting in group four with Derry going to Donegal.
Watch the Full-Time Highlights of Derry v Monaghan in the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship here on #GAANOW pic.twitter.com/oC1TZxseV3
— The GAA (@officialgaa) May 27, 2023
