Monaghan snatch thrilling extra-time win over Derry

May 2, 2026 - 19:35

Monaghan are through to the Ulster Senior Football Championship final after a breathtaking extra-time victory over Derry, winning 1-30 to 3-23 at a packed St Tiernach's Park. The game looked destined for a penalty shootout until goalkeeper Rory Beggan stepped up to land a stunning two-point free from distance in the dying seconds of the second extra period, breaking Derry hearts and sparking wild celebrations among the Monaghan faithful.

The match itself was a rollercoaster from start to finish. Derry started brightly, with Conor Glass and Shane McGuigan causing problems, but Monaghan's Conor McCarthy kept them in touch with a series of pinpoint scores. The sides traded blows throughout regulation time, with neither able to establish a decisive lead. Derry thought they had done enough when they kicked three unanswered points in the closing stages of normal time, but a late Monaghan equaliser forced extra-time.

Extra-time was just as tense. Derry's Ethan Doherty fired home a goal early in the first period, only for Monaghan's Jack McCarron to respond with a goal of his own. The lead changed hands several times, and with seconds remaining, Derry's Chrissy McKaigue looked to have sealed it with a long-range point. But Monaghan won a free on the 45-metre line, and Beggan, known for his long-range kicking, stepped up to split the posts with a two-point effort that sent the Monaghan supporters into delirium.

Monaghan now await the winners of the other semi-final between Tyrone and Donegal. For Derry, it is a bitter pill to swallow after a performance full of heart and quality.