Bannigan and Beggan pay tribute to Monaghan spirit

An unflappable Rory Beggan said it was "nice" to be entrusted with the pressure of nailing the winning two-pointer at the end of Monaghan's epic extra-time Ulster semi-final win over Derry.

Trailing by 10 points on more than one occasion, Monaghan looked dead and buried against their fancied opponents, but displayed immense grit and attacking bravery to tie the game after 70 minutes before claiming victory in the 90th .

As well as kicking the decisive score, Beggan was instrumental in Jack McCarron's wonderful sideline equaliser - the veteran goalkeeper arguing with referee Noel Mooney to allow the kick to be taken despite the hooter having sounded.

Rule 10 (B) states that if a free-kick (including a sideline) has been awarded before the hooter, but not taken, it can be taken.

Mooney appeared to signal for full-time, with joyous Derry fans invading the pitch before a determined Beggan confronted the referee, who eventually reversed his decision.

The young fans had to be herded off the pitch before McCarron could land the two-pointer with an outside of the boot effort reminiscent of that famous Maurice Fitzgerald point, or Conor Sweeney of Tipperary in 2020.

It was another example of the Farney County doggedness that saw them cling on against a Derry side who looked rampant at times
"That's the mentality for us," Beggan told RTÉ Sport.

"We've been in situations all year in the league, it's very easy to throw the towel in.

But we knuckled down, we got a good break before the Championship and it allowed us to knuckle down and get our game plan right.

"We're not the finished article at the minute, a lot of stuff we wouldn't be happy with there.

But, here, we're going into the Ulster final, that's the main thing.

We can sit down and watch who we're going to play tomorrow.

But we're written off going into this game, so it's nice to upset the odds again."
Whichever of Armagh or Down emerge from Sunday's other semi-final, they will be wary of the kicking prowess of Beggan (above), who landed three two-point frees, as well as setting up Micheal Bannigan's goal.

But it was that final kick, in the 90th minute, that will live long in Monaghan memories.

"It was a pressure kick, but luckily I've been exposed to that, with Scotstown.

I've been exposed to that throughout my career and I learned a lot when I was younger, missing some of them kicks.

So it's nice to be in those situations and be trusted by your team to execute them.

It's been a tough Spring for a depleted Monaghan, who were relegated with seven defeats from seven Division 1 games in the Allianz Football League.

Manager Gabriel Bannigan has seen the return of some of his lengthy injury list for the Championship and they have now accounted for neighbours Cavan and a fancied Derry side.

"We were playing [league games] without 20 of the men we had last year.

I don't know why people were writing us off.

We're getting men back now, we're getting stronger," he said.

"We lost two Ulster semi-finals against Derry by 10, 12 points three or four years ago.

Today we came out, we stood up, we were not going to do that again.

Fair play to them."
Bannigan (below) paid tribute to the "Monaghan Spirit", which saw his side put that form behind them and show the fight required to overturn a 10-point deficit.

"Ah, listen, that's guts, spirit.

That's the Monaghan spirit.

Ten points down against a hell of a team," he told RTE Sport.

"Ah, the boys, they just threw everything at it.

Brilliant, brilliant."
Bannigan had sensed a lack of effort in the first half, but whatever was said at the break had the desired effect.

"We spoke about going out and putting bodies on the line and giving it everything and we just didn't do that in the first half.

Second half, we put everything into it.

"Can't really say any more than that.

Every single man stood up and was counted.

Look at what it means to the people of Monaghan."
This classic was another example of how, under the new rules of Gaelic football, no lead is a safe one and no deficit is insurmountable.

"Not in the new rules.

Ten points down.

It's only the same as five or six," said Bannigan.

"When you have men on the pitch like Rory Beggan, Micheál Bannigan, Stephen O'Hanlon, when you have men like Jack McCarron to come on, young Bobby McCaul.

"I have massive belief in these boys.

I'm just glad that they're out there today, that's all."
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