Having read Jim McGuinness in the IT this morning, where he was full of praise for Monaghan's hard work & intelligence, it struck me that many counties would be well advised to read it, take it to heart & implement it as opposed to the bellyaching & whinging we have to put up with about how unfair life is.

Granted there was only the width of a post in it in the end but, as yesterday's golf showed us, those are the margins that separate victory from defeat.

When you compare the Monaghan team & their manager to some of the other counties out there it is obvious to see that graft & guile will get you places moaning & crying won't.

Full article here

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/jim-mcguinness-monaghan-s-smart-game-plan-worked-to-perfection-1.2291338

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 21/07/2015 08:38:16    1756742

I think the title is a bit off Muckross as it should be Monaghan: a blueprint for Counties to beat a Donegaltype style. Still a lot of other things to think about from a smaller County perspective to get to a level where you can take on this blueprint. Take the finances for starters (which allow you to put proper structures in place to get your players to a level similar to Monaghan) - Monaghan are comparable with Donegal and Tyrone in Income and way ahead of the other Ulster Counties and other Counties in the other Provinces. They got more money in payments from HQ than a lot of Counties of a similar size and in fact more than larger counties - like our own. Only a couple of quick examples but I think that there is a lot more to consider for the smaller county than just how you set yourself up on the field.

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 21/07/2015 12:11:31    1756865

just wondering how Monaghan have more money than other counties, something I was unaware of.

Rosineri1 (UK) - Posts: 2099 - 21/07/2015 12:50:19    1756895

Rosineri1 - do you mean as in what money they get from HQ as opposed to their Income? Either way I can't answer that but would imagine that currently hosting Ulster (Provincial) semi's/finals gives them some income that other Counties wouldn't get but beyond that - pass. Maybe have good buisinesses etc behind them.

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 21/07/2015 13:03:51    1756905

So o when the ulster finals are held in Belfast Antrim football will be the better for it ?

prideof85 (Monaghan) - Posts: 851 - 21/07/2015 13:25:30    1756929

Look here monaghan have a team of hardened veterans who in any other county would dissappear into obscurity as journeymen. Monaghans template was to be lucky enough to have unearthed a talent like mcmanus. If cavan meath down armagh or teams of that standard had him it would push them up a notch.

sceptical (Cavan) - Posts: 544 - 21/07/2015 14:04:45    1756966

cavan meath down armagh or teams of that standard had him it would push them up a notch.

If your aunty had balls...

Eddie the Exile (Monaghan) - Posts: 1065 - 21/07/2015 14:08:01    1756968

I get the whiff of lemon scent...

blueblood (Monaghan) - Posts: 73 - 21/07/2015 14:08:41    1756969

Read the article earlier, was interesting to see how he spoke about Malachy and Gallaghar, in terms of them being a blueprint for smaller counties I dont think its a good example, The people of Monaghan are football mad, hurling and rugby are pretty much non existent and soccer isn't near as popular as in most other counties, it's also a very rural county which adds even more to the GAA culture, they're proabably pretty high in the standings of people playing football compared to other counties that would have a bigger population but not as many interested in GAA and football.

They've also got a brilliant manager who seems to be getting the most of the majority of the players

Victorious87 (Wicklow) - Posts: 597 - 21/07/2015 14:08:55    1756971

Beggan 23

Walshe 24
Corey 30
Wylie 21

Mone 30
Kelly 25
O'Connell 24

Lennon 33
McAdam 27

K Duffy 24
D Malone 25
D Hughes 28

McManus 27
K Hughes 23
O Duffy 26

Veterans indeed.

Eddie the Exile (Monaghan) - Posts: 1065 - 21/07/2015 14:14:25    1756982

No not Cavan they would still find a way to lose

The foundation to Monaghan football is passion. Ya need a solid foundation to build anything

mhunicean_abu (Monaghan) - Posts: 1045 - 21/07/2015 14:21:30    1756991

The start of this thread is slightly unfair on Monaghan. Yes they work hard but to be honest I think all counties do. The fact is currently Monaghan have a very talented group of players which allows the work to turn into titles. I dont believe for a minute they have a blueprint that will keep them successful for evermore. Like Donegal they are having a golden age but especially in Ulster a new team will come on the block at some stage. The big task for Monaghan which other counties outside top 2 or 3 traditional counties have managed when they have unearthed a talented group is to win the All Ireland. Because counties like Monaghan could have to wait a long time again if this group cannot win it.

sam1884 (UK) - Posts: 999 - 21/07/2015 14:29:01    1756994

Victorious87
County: Wicklow
Posts: 268

1756971
Read the article earlier, was interesting to see how he spoke about Malachy and Gallaghar, in terms of them being a blueprint for smaller counties I dont think its a good example, The people of Monaghan are football mad, hurling and rugby are pretty much non existent and soccer isn't near as popular as in most other counties, it's also a very rural county which adds even more to the GAA culture, they're proabably pretty high in the standings of people playing football compared to other counties that would have a bigger population but not as many interested in GAA and football.
They've also got a brilliant manager who seems to be getting the most of the majority of the player

The people of Monaghan are indeed football mad. Pretty much on the money with Hurling and Rugby too (both a fair bit more popular than they were 20 years ago but miles away from football) Do not underestimate the soccer factor though. Remember up until two years ago Monaghan Utd (before financial meltdown) were a Airtricity premier team. Soccer is very popular in Monaghan. I wouldn't necessarily class it as very rural. Monaghan is not exactly a massive county with 55,000 scattered around the place. It's a really small county that is reasonably densely populated. So if the angle is that the rural hub of the GAA puts them ahead then I think that theory is flawed. It's no more applicable to Monaghan than it would be to let's say Carlow, Laois, Westmeath, Cavan, Offaly, Wexford, Longford, Roscommon, Sligo….maybe even Wicklow. Thats only naming a few.

Some of those counties participate in hurling but on the most part the demographics are similar to Monaghan. We have endured our fair share of misery, maybe more than fair. The last decade or so has seen some success because Monaghan have proper structures in place, developed real talent, good management teams (apart from the brief spiral under Eamon McEnaney) and a marque forward in Freeman and now even better in McManus. The success of recent times is multifaceted. Maybe some counties who are going through tough times look at our success and try to rationalise it with a list of reasons but more often than not the problems are endemic through the whole county club scene. There was an interesting piece in the Sunday times where mentioned before McCague took over in the late 70's the players from opposing clubs would stand in separate huddles in the changing room. He got them to be a unit and see past individualism. That could be one of many reasons why certain counties habitually implode or fail.

seanfinn (Monaghan) - Posts: 360 - 21/07/2015 15:17:06    1757031

So o when the ulster finals are held in Belfast Antrim football will be the better for it ?

Absolutely - watch out for the juggernaut coming tearing down the road.

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 21/07/2015 15:51:06    1757054

Offside_Rule
County: Antrim
Posts: 2416

1756905
Rosineri1 - do you mean as in what money they get from HQ as opposed to their Income? Either way I can't answer that but would imagine that currently hosting Ulster (Provincial) semi's/finals gives them some income that other Counties wouldn't get but beyond that - pass. Maybe have good buisinesses etc behind them.

Don't let the truth get in the way of a good story. Monaghan received 39000 euro for game development last year.....the second lowest amount paid out to any county. The GAA publish their accounts every year and the funding is clear for all to see.

seanfinn (Monaghan) - Posts: 360 - 21/07/2015 16:22:07    1757074

For me there is no magic formula just hard work pride in the jersey and of course talented players with a decent manager play a huge role also. For the last 10 years bar the two under Eamonn, Monaghan win lose or draw have worn the jersey with pride and have never been an easy touch for any team. This all started with Banty getting the job in 04 and he brought the crowds back to the matches with his teams attitude of never giving an inch or too much respect to the opposition. Up until then in my lifetime following Monaghan we caved at the first sign of pressure and were seen as an easy touch. He could easily have won ulster in 07 or got to an all ireland semi final the same year but he lacked tactical nous and we became far too predictable. Sometimes wonder if malachy had the group of players from that era who were great players where he would have taken them as he has done an astonishing job. He has added some superb game management with the pride and passion already there embodied in players like Lennon,Clerkin,Mone and Corey who are great role models for the younger players on the team to carry this into the future. McManus it goes without saying is probably our best forward since the 80s even through I still think freeman was more dangerous and direct in the goal department. what a lot of people don't realise is that unlike in a lot of other counties our best players are prepared to sweat blood for the cause and that is what makes a team.

seanie08 (Monaghan) - Posts: 1803 - 21/07/2015 16:28:16    1757081

Monaghans record in the championship in the last 5 years against non-Ulster sides is really interesting
2010 - Lost to Kildare by 4 points
2011 - Lost to Offaly by 8 points
2012 - Lost to Laois by 6 points
2013 - Didn't play any non-Ulster side
2014 - Beat Kildare after extra time, lost to Dublin by 17 points.
Their success in Ulster is great to see and they deserve full credit for it but looking at them results smaller Leinster counties must be wondering how they would do if they didn't have a team like Dublin in their province destroying any opposition they come across.

Soma (UK) - Posts: 2630 - 21/07/2015 16:41:35    1757085

Results against Laois and Offaly where down to an awful manager.

shaggylegend (Monaghan) - Posts: 1928 - 21/07/2015 17:58:43    1757149

Soma
County: UK
Posts: 1072

1757085 Monaghans record in the championship in the last 5 years against non-Ulster sides is really interesting
2010 - Lost to Kildare by 4 points
2011 - Lost to Offaly by 8 points
2012 - Lost to Laois by 6 points
2013 - Didn't play any non-Ulster side
2014 - Beat Kildare after extra time, lost to Dublin by 17 points.
Their success in Ulster is great to see and they deserve full credit for it but looking at them results smaller Leinster counties must be wondering how they would do if they didn't have a team like Dublin in their province destroying any opposition they come across.


The only way to measure teams is by the national league , how many Ulster teams are in Division one and two next year ? You knit picked random results.

TheRightStuff (Donegal) - Posts: 1688 - 21/07/2015 18:22:12    1757162

They were still very competitive in Ulster both them years Shaggy, losing to Tyrone in 2011 by 2 points, then beating Antrim before losing to Down by 1 point in 2012.

Soma (UK) - Posts: 2630 - 21/07/2015 18:45:50    1757175