FIVE-GOAL BLITZ SETS HURLERS ON THEIR WAY

COLM SHALVEY REPORTS

Monaghan made it back-to-back wins in senior hurling for the first time in three years when they ended up on the right side of an eight-goal thriller against Louth in the Lory Meagher Cup at Darver last Sunday. Monaghan’s last two visits to the venue had produced a seven-point defeat in last year’s Lory Meagher and a win by the same margin in this spring’s NHL and they managed to repeat the latter result.

As so often in Darver, the weather conditions were challenging, but the teams still managed to serve up a game that had a bit of everything, including a raft of goals, a red card for Louth and a black card for both sides. Monaghan were without their joint-captains Patrick Finnegan and Fergal Rafter through injury, but with Mark Treanor making a big impact from frees and open play and pacy youngster Thomas Hughes continuing his prolific form up front, Arthur Hughes’ side had the firepower to claim their third away win of 2022.

Louth welcomed talisman Darren Geoghegan back as a second-half sub, but despite a couple of spirited rallies, they could never get their noses in front. Monaghan got off to a flying start, with Thomas Hughes (who had marked his county debut with 1-1 at the same venue in February) matching that tally within the opening few minutes; starting with a fine point from the left wing. Hughes then popped up at the…