Interesting comments have been made since the Ulster final about Monaghan. I think they have unearthed a great forward line to go with defensive qualities and are worthly Ulster Champions. Time has moved on since the 1980s when this sufficed. Monaghan now have a team to mirror the great Tyrone, Donegal and other counties in the province that landed Sam. Monaghan have never won the All Ireland and I think this current crop need to win it to maximise their potential. They are more than capable and should be judged on this.

sam1884 (UK) - Posts: 999 - 29/07/2015 17:34:51    1760963

Its a tall order.

seanfinn (Monaghan) - Posts: 360 - 29/07/2015 18:26:55    1760983

Tall order yes but possible.

sam1884 (UK) - Posts: 999 - 30/07/2015 15:38:16    1761286

Do we have a team that mirrors the great Tyrone team?? Are you serious?? Donegal played poorly and kicked 15wides in the final and were a millimetre away from a draw so lets not get carried away. Of course its a tall order and we have to win a game in Croke Park for a start.

Brolly (Monaghan) - Posts: 4472 - 30/07/2015 15:59:23    1761293

This is essentially the same thread as "Is there an All-Ireland in Monaghan" but with a different title, and I'll say the same here as I did there - It's ridiculous to be talking in these terms considering we haven't even made a semi since 1988. Now I'm confident we'll change that this year but the quarter-final is the only game anyone in Monaghan is looking at. An All-Ireland needs to be delivered? You'd swear we were in semis and finals the last few years with that kind of talk!

patk (Monaghan) - Posts: 936 - 30/07/2015 16:07:50    1761296

Every dog has their day and Monaghan will be the next county to break their All Ireland duck, I'm convinced of it.

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 30/07/2015 16:18:37    1761303

Monaghan are a credit to the GAA. Really strong provincial side now! Unfortunately they have not been able to progress in the All Ireland series yet! They need to get the Croke Park monkey off their back, beat Tyrone and they would have a great shot at getting to the final! They would be confident to beat anyone they may face of Kerry, Kildare, Galway.

I think the bigger pitch in Croke Park is what brings Monaghan unstuck!

Nowhere near the great Tyrone side, not many sides have been!!

AthCliath87 (Dublin) - Posts: 345 - 30/07/2015 16:20:16    1761305

Tyrone's forwards
10 Brian Dooher
11 Brian McGuigan
12 Enda McGinley

13 Stephen O'Neill
14 Sean Cavanagh
15 Owen Mulligan

Monaghan forwards
10 AN Other
11 AN Other
12 AN Other

13 AN Other
14 AN Other
15 Conor McManus

Come on....

MadgeKing (Cavan) - Posts: 493 - 30/07/2015 16:23:18    1761306

Not wanting to spoil parties or anything but it is mission accomplished as far as Malachy Orourke is concerned. Monaghan won their first ever game in croke park last year, and found out how difficult it is to do well in ulster when you have to play the likes of tyrone or armagh before an ulster final. I would seriously doubt they are good enough to win an all ireland, unless they can come out of the clouds with improvement. I would consider their team of 2 years ago to be much stronger than they are now. I could be wrong, and will hold my hands up if I am, but as far as the long haul is concerned, monaghan dont have it imo.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 30/07/2015 16:26:19    1761310

seriously stupid post sam1884.. one forward needs double marked and thats it..the others blow hot and cold as seen in ulster final... baby steps at a time and quarter final is the first one..

detruth (Monaghan) - Posts: 196 - 30/07/2015 16:31:39    1761312

Monaghan forwards
10 AN Other
11 AN Other
12 AN Other

13 AN Other
14 AN Other
15 Conor McManus

Come on....

You should watch the 1995 All-Ireland football final so.......

slayer (Limerick) - Posts: 6480 - 30/07/2015 16:52:01    1761324

Monaghan forwards
10 AN Other
11 AN Other
12 AN Other

13 AN Other
14 AN Other
15 Conor McManus

Come on....

You should watch the 1995 All-Ireland football final so.......

I remember it well- proved that you can't win relying on one class forward. Proves the point on Monaghan.
There won't be a word about them come 3 weeks time

MadgeKing (Cavan) - Posts: 493 - 30/07/2015 17:20:20    1761337

30/07/2015 16:26:19
Donegalman
County: All
Posts: 2120

Not wanting to spoil parties or anything but it is mission accomplished as far as Malachy Orourke is concerned. Monaghan won their first ever game in croke park last year, and found out how difficult it is to do well in ulster when you have to play the likes of tyrone or armagh before an ulster final. I would seriously doubt they are good enough to win an all ireland, unless they can come out of the clouds with improvement. I would consider their team of 2 years ago to be much stronger than they are now. I could be wrong, and will hold my hands up if I am, but as far as the long haul is concerned, monaghan dont have it imo.

Whatever about our prospects of going further, I don't know how you came up with that bolded statement. Nobody has retired, we've added a few younger players who are doing well, and the players who were newcomers 2/3 years ago are improving all the time. Older players who aren't as influential as they used to be are being managed well and being used as impact subs rather than being relied upon for 70 minutes. Also it's generally accepted that our bench is much stronger than it was then.

Granted we haven't been impressive at all so far this championship apart from a few short spells in games, but to me that's a good sign that we could win Ulster while being below par whereas two years ago it took a big performance from the whole team in the final. We can improve a good bit imo and we will have to for the next game, but to be honest I'd be very disappointed if we didn't make a semi this year, regardless of who we meet next.

patk (Monaghan) - Posts: 936 - 30/07/2015 17:22:49    1761338

sam1884
County: UK
Posts: 118

1760963 Interesting comments have been made since the Ulster final about Monaghan. I think they have unearthed a great forward line to go with defensive qualities and are worthly Ulster Champions. Time has moved on since the 1980s when this sufficed. Monaghan now have a team to mirror the great Tyrone, Donegal and other counties in the province that landed Sam. Monaghan have never won the All Ireland and I think this current crop need to win it to maximise their potential. They are more than capable and should be judged on this.

Monaghan are worthy Ulster Champions, there is no doubt about that. Within Ulster, Monaghan and Donegal are the two big guns as past 3 years and exceptionally tough teams to crack.

Monaghan need to win an All Ireland QF now, and if they can achieve that, I think a realistic All Ireland Challenge may be possible the following year. Generally an All Ireland winner would have lost a SF the previous year, so they get close enough to get a sniff and the following year they have a huge hunger.

The problem now will be sustaining the success long enough to make the breakthrough. This is Monaghan's 3rd attempt in a row at an All Ireland QF, they really need to do it this year. Football always has emerging teams coming through, and it won't be getting any easier next year. Even if they don't manage an actual All Ireland, this era will Inspire many youngsters in Monaghan for years to come.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3017 - 30/07/2015 17:28:20    1761341

patk
County: Monaghan
Posts: 374

1761338
30/07/2015 16:26:19
Donegalman
County: All
Posts: 2120


Whatever about our prospects of going further, I don't know how you came up with that bolded statement. Nobody has retired, we've added a few younger players who are doing well, and the players who were newcomers 2/3 years ago are improving all the time. Older players who aren't as influential as they used to be are being managed well and being used as impact subs rather than being relied upon for 70 minutes. Also it's generally accepted that our bench is much stronger than it was then.

Granted we haven't been impressive at all so far this championship apart from a few short spells in games, but to me that's a good sign that we could win Ulster while being below par whereas two years ago it took a big performance from the whole team in the final. We can improve a good bit imo and we will have to for the next game, but to be honest I'd be very disappointed if we didn't make a semi this year, regardless of who we meet next.

I think that monaghan are better than they were 2 years ago, basing this on the performance in the ulster final 2 years ago compared to now. I would even rate monaghans performance last year against kildare as being better than anything we have seen from them so far, and that was a very tired monaghan team. Its difficult to judge because we havent seen monaghan at their best, but the trouble is, the longer the champoinship goes on, and the longer you wait for the best performance, the more unlikely it is to arrive. Monaghan were lethal in the ulster final 2 years ago. They played some great stuff last year too, against tyrone in particular. In my own counties experience of success beyond ulster, 2012 was the year obviously that we delivered a consistent series of results and performances. Last year we had good halves, (v Derry and Antrim), a good ulster final, a shocking quarter final, an exceptional semi and a flat final. The point is that we put in big performances, and by the ulster final we had done so. If you are talking about winning sam, there would have to be a consistency on the pitch that we have not seen from monaghan yet. Saying that winning without putting in top class performances will only do in the first half of champoinship football. Granted, there is a huge oppertunity to set the record straight against tyrone from 2 years ago in the quarters, but thereafter, I dont know how monaghan are going to cope with kerry if they get past tyrone that is.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 30/07/2015 18:04:59    1761360

Well thats true enough success breeds success. Think we have a great chance Saturday week of taking the next step into an all ireland semi final and hopefully we can take it. We have done superbly defensively up until now but part of me feels that unless the team lets itself off the leash a bit more in games rather than sitting back protecting leads we may not progress much further. Am hopeful Kieran Hughes can have a big quarter final at full forward and chris mcguinness can come back into the side as its quality forwards who make the difference at the highest level.

seanie08 (Monaghan) - Posts: 1798 - 30/07/2015 18:12:17    1761363

Tis nice to ser our neighbour & great friend MADGE KING (Cavan) being her usual neighbourly & supportive self. Thanks Madge, love ❤ you!

Monaghan Exile (Monaghan) - Posts: 442 - 30/07/2015 18:44:57    1761384

a team that needs to win All Irelands , that statement says it all . The pressure put on teams these days is unbelievable , hence the manager merry go round will be worse than the premiership .

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 30/07/2015 20:32:03    1761433

I remember it well- proved that you can't win relying on one class forward.

So is that all you remember from the game?

slayer (Limerick) - Posts: 6480 - 31/07/2015 13:42:57    1761684

So does a united one!!!

bumpernut (Antrim) - Posts: 1852 - 31/07/2015 15:48:06    1761749