Start checking those tickets because somebody in Monaghan may just have the best start of 2012 with the news that a Euro millions plus ticket worth half a million euro has been sold in the county town.

Mathews' newsagents in the Monaghan Town Shopping Centre was contacted with the good news by the Lotto office on Friday night.

So far there's no indication as to when the ticket was bought , how much is cost, and more importantly who the lucky winner is.

It is thought likely though that the winner is local because of the location of Mathews' in the shopping centre, as opposed to other ticket sale sites where there's a higher percentage of passing trade.