Week of woe extinguished the flame
December 30, 2010At 5/1, Monaghan were the dark horses going into the 2010 Ulster SFC. They went in under the radar, but had done enough to secure Division One football for another season - a commendable achievement in itself. Bar a particularly poor showing against Galway, Monaghan's NFL form was solid enough as they stood toe-to-toe with the top teams in the country.
Following a luckless 3-13 to 3-12 defeat to Cork in Scotstown in the league opener, they fell to that six-point loss in Pearse Stadium. A brilliant 1-14 to 0-16 victory over Tyrone at Inniskeen on March 7th breathed new life into their Spring campaign. New-look Dublin prevailed by 2-11 to 1-9 in Parnell Park but Monaghan crushed Derry in Round Five at Scotstown, 1-16 to 0-12. Despite being pipped by would-be finalists Mayo (2-12 to 0-15) and All-Ireland champions Kerry (1-16 to 0-12) at McHale Park and Killarney respectively in the last two rounds, Monaghan still managed to retain their top-flight status by virtue of superior scoring averages, with Ulster rivals Tyrone and Derry going down.
Without setting the world on fire, the Farney Army had achieved their primary aim of survival in Division One and they did so without getting too much credit nationwide. There was no fanfare; no hysteria; no fuss. The achievement of staying in the top division had been every bit as admirable as the feat of getting there in the first place, yet no-one (from outside the county, at least) really noticed. Or cared.
All of which sent them into the championship in good stead. As they bid for a first Anglo-Celt Cup heist since 1988, Monaghan were drawn to face the winners of the preliminary-round tie between Armagh and Derry. A lot of observers raised their eyebrows as a lively, purposeful Monaghan side inflicted a heavy twelve-point defeat on the Orchard County, who (as Division Two winners) had been flying up until that game in Belfast. Another rousing victory followed at Fermanagh's expense and Monaghan marched into the Ulster final as many people's favourites to take the title.
However, in their way stood Tyrone - one of the finest sides in the history of Ulster football - and the O'Neill men simply tore Monaghan apart. While the three-times All-Ireland champions delivered a masterclass of swarming, effective, disciplined football on the big stage in Clones on Ulster final day, Monaghan failed to show up and didn't do themselves justice. A bad day.
The beaten Ulster finalists were subsequently paired with Kildare in the back door but only had six days to recuperate from that devastating provincial final loss and were a pale shadow of their former selves at Croke Park for the Round Four Qualifier on Sunday July 25th. For 30 minutes Monaghan looked the part, then they seemed to hit a wall and Kildare romped home. A flurry of late Monaghan scores put some respectability on the scoreboard but Kildare were easy winners. In the space of a week, a season that had promised so much for this group of Monaghan players had completely imploded.
How and why it all went so wrong after such an encouraging start are arguments for another place and another day, but it's fair to say that injuries to goalkeeper Shane Duffy, captain Vincent Corey and full back JP Mone severely hamstrung the team at a critical stage. The swashbuckling football produced against Armagh and Fermanagh evaporated as Tyrone and Kildare put the Oriel County to the sword and ensured that - ultimately - it was a disappointing and frustrating year. Also, the turnaround of six days between losing a provincial final and going into the last round of Qualifiers is ridiculous (only one team has managed to deal successfully with this in ten years).
Monaghan were stale against Kildare and their confidence had taken a real battering the previous weekend, as Tyrone taught them a footballing lesson in making in back-to-back Ulster triumphs. Will that defeat - much more emphatic than when the teams met in the 2007 Ulster decider - do significant long-term damage to Monaghan? Or can they learn from that game and use it as a motivational tool? Only time will tell.
It's important, however, that as we look back on the season we don't forget the great effort given by Banty and his players, the brilliant support the team received, and the joy they brought with their successful league campaign and that impressive run to a second Ulster final n four years. Perhaps the weight of expectation got to Seamus McEnaney's team in the end, but let's remember also that Monaghan have only contested two Ulster finals since 1988 … and both of those were under the Corduff man's watch. We have come a long way during the past six years.
The manager retained the services of trainer Martin McElkennon and also enlisted Paul Grimley as coach. Adrian Trappe also remained as part of the backroom team. No stone was left unturned in the relentless pursuit of the elusive Ulster crown. Everything was going according to script until we ran into a magnificent Tyrone team in St Tiernach's Park in mid-July…
Armagh
Monaghan's performance against Armagh at Casement Park, Belfast was simply breathtaking. The Orchard County, having disposed of Derry, actually went in as favourites but Monaghan turned on the style to record a 1-18 to 0-9 win. The winners were solid throughout, though they did fade out of the match for a period midway through the second half. But, in fairness, the match was won by then and the fact that Armagh managed just three points after the first quarter tells its own story.
Monaghan lofted over four unanswered points in the second quarter to lead by 1-7 to 0-6 at half time. Tommy Freeman bagged the goal in the 13th minute (as well as two first-half points) and Paul Finlay weighed in with 0-4 before the break. Once Monaghan got to grips with the considerable threat of Steven McDonnell, who threatened to wreak havoc at the start of the match, they had one foot in the next round. Armagh's hopes suffered a major blow when corner forward Brian Mallon was deservedly sent off just shy of half time.
The drama started before throw-in when the Monaghan team was announced. Goalkeeper Shane Duffy was nowhere to be seen, with full back Darren Hughes named between the posts. Eoin Lennon came in at midfield, with JP Mone - who had been named at midfield earlier in the week - reverting to a more familiar role at No.3. The manner in which reserve goalkeeper Sean Gorman was overlooked would fill many column inches throughout the summer, with some describing it as a masterstroke and others less agreeable in their assessment of the management team's selection.
Armagh led by 0-4 to 0-1 after twelve minutes but Monaghan undid all their good early work when Tommy Freeman rattled the back of the net in the 13th minute following good approach play from Gary McQuaid.
Aaron Kernan's close-range free put Armagh back in front but this time Conor McManus teed up Finlay for a beautiful levelling point. McDonnell, however, calmly tapped over his fourth point from play to make it 0-6 to 1-2 at the end of the first quarter.
Freeman, Woods, McManus and Finlay (2) had Monaghan in the driving seat at the break and they never looked back.
Monaghan, 2010 Ulster SFC V Armagh: Darren Hughes; Dessie Mone, JP Mone, Colin Walshe; Damien Freeman (0-1), Vinny Corey (0-1), Gary McQuaid; Dick Clerkin (0-2), Eoin Lennon; Stephen Gollogly, Paul Finlay (0-7), Kieran Hughes; Ciaran Hanratty (0-1), Conor McManus (0-1), Tommy Freeman (1-4). Subs: Rory Woods, Dermot McArdle, Hugh McElroy (0-1), Neil McAdam.
Fermanagh
On Sunday June 27th, Monaghan continued their impressive form with a 0-21 to 2-8 demolition of Fermanagh at Breffni Park, Cavan. The Farney County opted to keep regular full back Darren Hughes in goal, following his surprise inclusion against Armagh. Paul Finlay opened the scoring from a free and further scores from Conor McManus and Damien Freeman made the scoreline 0-3 to 0-1 after eight minutes. With the wind at their backs, Finlay hit another point to stretch Monaghan's lead and then Freeman had a shot that took a deflection and shaved the crossbar as it bounced over for a point to make it 0-5 to 0-2 after 17 minutes. With nine of the next ten points, a commanding Monaghan team held an unassailable 0-14 to 0-3 interval advantage. Fermanagh mustered two points upon the resumption but points from Finlay, McManus, Tommy Freeman and Hugh McElroy made it 0-18 to 0-5 just ten minutes into the second half. Two late Fermanagh goals were mere window dressing for the Ernesmen, who were totally outplayed.
Monaghan 2010 Ulster SFC V Fermanagh: Darren Hughes; Dermot McArdle, JP Mone, Colin Walshe; Damien Freeman (0-2), Vinny Corey, Gary McQuaid; Dick Clerkin (0-2), Eoin Lennon (0-1); Stephen Gollogly (0-1), Paul Finlay (0-6), Kieran Hughes; Ciaran Hanratty, Conor McManus (0-3), Tommy Freeman (0-3). Subs: Rory Woods for Hanratty (23), Hugh McElroy (0-2) for Gollogly (ht), D Mohan for McArdle (60), Martin McElroy (0-1) for Hughes (63), Neil McAdam for D Freeman (65).
Tyrone
In the Ulster final, holders Tyrone made it back-to-back Anglo-Celt Cup victories with a ruthless performance, squeezing the life out of a shell-shocked Monaghan side to win with plenty to spare. After all the hype in the run-up to the game, it was never really a contest from the 20th minute onwards as the winners cantered to a 1-14 to 0-7 victory.
While this was a great day for Tyrone, Monaghan had the spirit smothered out of them by a suffocating O'Neill County display and in turn delivered an impotent, below-par performance. For long periods, it was like men against boys. The losers' woes are summed up by a scoreless run of 40 minutes. The sides were level on four occasions during the first half but Tyrone took control and reeled off four consecutive points to lead by 0-7 to 0-4 at the interval. Monaghan had under-performed, while Mickey Harte's men gradually grew into the game. Both Freemans had seen goal efforts saved by Pascal McConnell in the first half.
Inspirational Monaghan centre back and captain Vinny Corey failed a Sunday morning fitness test and was unable to take his place in the starting XV. This meant the versatile Darren Hughes was moved out of goal to start at centre back (bizarrely wearing the No.1 shirt to avoid a possible fine), with semi-recovered regular goalkeeper Shane Duffy starting between the posts. A setback for Monaghan, certainly, but a change that had been mooted within the county all week, so not exactly a massive surprise... Banty also opted to give Rory Woods a start in place of Ciaran Hanratty.
It was Tommy Freeman who opened the scoring on three minutes with a sublime point after a neat interchange with Woods. Freeman then had a low shot brilliantly saved by McConnell as the home side came close to registering a goal. At the other end, Tommy McGuigan steadied Tyrone with a wonderful point from distance. Conor Gormley crept forward to put Mickey Harte's men in front in the seventh minute, with McGuigan again prominent in that attack. Paul Finlay had an excellent chance to equalise but he curled a free surprisingly wide. However, the Ballybay man made amends on nine minutes when he arced over an excellent point from play. In the 14th minute, Conor McManus struck a lovely free from his hands to make it 0-3 to 0-2 after Ryan McMenamin's foul on Woods. Brian Dooher dropped over the equalising point at the end of the first quarter as the holders exploited some loose marking. Woods edged Banty's boys back in front, with Eoin Lennon's dominance at midfield starting to tell. But this was as good as it got for the losers... For the second time in four years, Tyrone had proven unbeatable on Ulster final day.
Monaghan, 2010 Ulster SFC final V Tyrone: Shane Duffy; Dermot McArdle, JP Mone, Colin Walshe; Damien Freeman, Darren Hughes, Gary McQuaid; Dick Clerkin (0-1), Eoin Lennon; Stephen Gollogly, Paul Finlay (0-1), Kieran Hughes; Rory Woods (0-1), Conor McManus (0-2), Tommy Freeman (0-1). Subs: Ciaran Hanratty, Hugh McElroy, Dessie Mone (0-1), Martin McElroy.
Kildare
The back door offered little by way of redemption. Six days later, James Kavanagh was the star of the show as Kildare beat Monaghan by 1-15 to 1-11 at Croke Park. The result sent the Lilywhites through to the All-Ireland quarter-finals for a third successive year, while Monaghan were unable to recover from their Ulster final exertions - and the psychological and physical effects of the defeat to Tyrone. It was no secret that they had gone all out to win Ulster this year and they ran out of steam in the end.
Monaghan started well and led by five points to two with five minutes left in the first half, only to concede four late points and trail by 0-6 to 0-5 at the break. As expected, Monaghan had to start without key injured trio Shane Duffy, JP Mone and Vincent Corey. It was going to be a tall order to cope without their regular goalie, full back and centre back... This meant Padraig McBennett started between the posts (the third different Monaghan goalkeeper in four championship games), with Dessie Mone coming into the team at No.3, Darren Hughes retained at centre back and Ciaran Hanratty also getting a start ahead of Stephen Gollogly. Monaghan began and finished strongly (with a goal from Hugh McElroy proving too little, too late) but they were out on their feet at times and, in between, it was all Kildare.
Monaghan, 2010 Round Four SFC Qualifier V Kildare: Padraig McBennett; Dermot McArdle, Dessie Mone, Colin Walshe; Damien Freeman (0-1), Darren Hughes (0-1), Gary McQuaid; Eoin Lennon (0-1), Dick Clerkin; Kieran Hughes (0-1), Paul Finlay (0-3), Ciaran Hanratty (0-1); Rory Woods, Conor McManus (0-1), Tommy Freeman (0-1). Subs: Stephen Gollogly (0-1), Kieran Duffy, Hugh McElroy (1-0), Francis Caulfield, Martin McElroy. Tweet
