The big talking point of course from last weekend was Monaghan’s history making achievement of putting minor titles back to back for the first time since 1940, the county having first won the Ulster minor football championship for the first time in 1939.

They had contested the inaugural final in 1930 and when they won their next title in 1939 they went all the way to the All Ireland final. They came with practically a whole new team the following year, 1940, Paddy Rutledge of Ballybay, the only man to feature in both years. Monaghan’s next victory in the Ulster minor championship was in 1945, when they beat Down in the Ulster final but lost out to Leitrim in the All Ireland semi-final.

They reached the Ulster final again in 1946 but lost to Tyrone by two points, and two years later in 1948 they reached the final, but again Tyrone proved the bogey team. Monaghan contested the Ulster final in both 1960 and 1961, but lost on both occasions, in 1960 to Down and in 1961 to Armagh, all of which puts real perspective on the achievement of the current crop of young lads who now go on to play Cork in the All Ireland quarter final.

For those with an interest ion history the following was the line out of the Monaghan team in the 1940 Ulster minor championship final: Charlie Brennan (Scotstown), Patrick Martin (Donaghmoyne), Pearse O’Connor (St Macarten’s), Michael McCaffrey (Scotstown), Dan Neeson (Emyvale), John McHugh (Inniskeen), Eddie McAvinchey (Monaghan Harps), James McGeough,(Castleblayney), Paddy Rutledge (Ballybay), Kevin Finnegan (Inniskeen), Peter McCarney (Clones), Eugene Moore (Currin), Macarten McCormick (Blackhill), Austin Carroll (Clones), Oliver King (Castleblayney).

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