Monaghan 1-15 Tyrone 2-10
Monaghan booked their place in Saturday's Dr McKenna Cup final after they emerged from a keenly contested derby with Tyrone in Inniskeen.
A strong first-half performance that saw Monaghan kick 1-10 while facing into the elements set the foundations for the hosts to continue their winning start to 2026.
Michael Conroy and Ethan Jordan hit 1-09 between them for Tyrone, but on a night where both teams featured a raft of youngsters, Monaghan captain Mícheál Bannigan stepped up with a vital contribution of 1-06.
A bright start saw the teams share the first four points, before Aidan Donaghy ghosted in behind the Monaghan defence to slot home an eighth-minute goal.
A two-pointer from Jordan moved Tyrone five clear, but Bannigan, David Garland and Thomas Hughes responded for Monaghan.A well-worked and taken goal by Bannigan added to the home side's revival, with Tyrone’s only scores of the second quarter coming through corner-forwards Jordan and Michael Conroy.
Andrew Woods, Bannigan and Fionán Carolan were on target at the other end as Monaghan earned a 1-10 to 1-6 half-time lead.Like they had done in the first half, Tyrone emerged strongly, outscoring Monaghan by 1-03 to 0-01 during the third quarter, with Conroy accounting for 1-02.
Having introduced Ciarán Bogue (an All-Ireland Club JFC finalist with Clogher on Sunday) for his debut at the interval, Malachy O’Rourke later called on more experience, with the likes of Brian Kennedy, Michael McKernan and Conn Kilpatrick.
Monaghan took 13 minutes to open their account for the second half, but after ending their drought via Woods, they reclaimed the advantage with a Shane Hanratty effort and a two-pointer from Bannigan.
A lengthy stalemate followed until debutant Matthew Carolan popped up with an added-time score that doubled Monaghan’s winning margin.
Monaghan: Jack Kiernan; Daragh McElearney, Darragh Treanor, Cameron Dowd; Dessie Ward (0-01), Shane Hanratty (0-01), Oisín Monahan; Karl Gallagher, Thomas Hughes (0-01); Fionán Carolan (0-01), Mícheál Bannigan (1-06, 1 2-pt-f, 0-01f), Jason Irwin; David Garland (0-01), Andrew Woods (0-03), Stephen O'Hanlon.
Subs: Alastair Stewart for Ward, Liam McDonald for Irwin, Ryan Wylie for Dowd (all H-T); Aaron Carey for Monahan (41); Seán Callan for Garland, Eddie Walsh for Woods, Matthew Carolan (0-01) for F Carolan (all 58); Packie Doogan-Burke for Hanratty (60).
Tyrone: Niall Morgan; Nathan McCarron, Peter McCaughey, Shane Hughes; Michael Rafferty, Cormac Quinn, Frank Burns; Aidan Donaghy (1-00), Cathal Donaghy; Shea O’Hare, Oisín Gormley, Matthew Óg McGleenan; Michael Conroy (1-5, 0-03f, 0-1 ’45), Mattie Donnelly (0-1f), Ethan Jordan (0-04, 1 2-pt).
Subs: Jack Gibney for Morgan, Dalaigh Jones for Rafferty, Ciarán Bogue for Jordan (all H-T); Brian Kennedy for O’Hare, Aidan Clarke for Burns (both 38); Joe Oguz for Donnelly, Rory Brennan for Quinn (both 47); Michael McKernan for C Donaghy, Conn Kilpatrick for Conroy (both 52).
Referee: Pat Clarke (Cavan).
Derry 1-16 Donegal 1-18
Donegal joined Monaghan in the decider after knocking out cup holders Derry on a 1-18 to 1-16 scoreline at Celtic Park.
Derry's Paul Cassidy and Donegal's Turlough Carr both went close to registering goals in the opening exchanges, only to see their efforts saved.
The home side capitalised on playing with the wind in the first half, with three points apiece from Niall Loughlin and Lachlan Murray ensuring Derry led by 0-10 to 0-07 at the interval, although Donegal's Daire Ó Baoill was left cursing his luck when he fired a shot which had Shea McGuckin beaten but not the crossbar.
Finbarr Roarty, Hugh McFadden and Ryan McHugh were introduced by the visitors in the second half and Donegal rallied.
Conor McAteer stretched the Derry lead, but the Oak Leafers were then dominated as the Tír Conaill men scored 1-07 without reply to hit the front, with O Baoill grabbing an opportunistic goal.
Derry eventually replied via a Sean Kearney point, and Kevin Muldoon and Conor Doherty then traded scores.
Kearney, Matthew Downey, and Doherty reduced the Donegal buffer to two points, with Donegal keeping the scoreboard ticking over via Muldoon.
McHugh and Conor McCahill made it 1-18 to 0-16, but that five-point advantage was eroded at the death when Ryan Mullholland found the back of Gavin Mulraney's net.
