Monaghan Harps 0-19
Carrickmacross 0-05
By COLM SHALVEY
MONAGHAN Harps won the Senior Hurling Shield for the second time in three years when they eased past Carrickmacross in Clontibret last Saturday.
Having won the Development League title earlier this year, the Harps had gone on to give Castleblayney a scare in the championship semi-finals and they were always on top here, despite hitting 16 wides.
Maurice McKenna, Alan Lee, Niall Hahessy, Shane Smyth and Robbie Healy were on song for the Harps, while Jason O’Rourke, Aonghus Mac Suibhne and goalkeeper Jamie Guinan were best for Carrick.
Carrickmacross were first off the mark through a 30-metre free by Jason O’Rourke and although Brendan McQuaid brought the Harps level, O’Rourke soon pointed another free.
A good point by Alan Lee levelled it up for the second time, before Alan Ryan won a high ball from Shane Smyth and fired over to give the Harps a lead which they would hold through to the final whistle.
Maurice McKenna added a well-taken point from play and a 40-metre free after a foul on Niall Hahessy, while Harps keeper James Greenan was called into action to save a goal-bound Daithí Butler shot after a point-attempt from Aonghus Mac Suibhne had hit an upright.
There was a similar incident at the other end when the woodwork denied McQuaid, with Carrick keeper Jamie Guinan clearing the loose ball ahead of Raymond Lee and Ryan.
A Robbie Healy point and a McKenna ’65 moved the Harps five clear and when another McKenna free dropped short, it fell for Hahessy to split the posts.
Healy linked up with McQuaid to add a point and the veteran then took the Harps into double figures at the end of a move involving Páraic Donnelly and McKenna. O’Rourke ended 29 scoreless …