RACKARD CUP.
Monaghan v Donegal: Clones: Saturday May 12th @ 2.30pm.

This Saturday Monaghan will have their first competitive outing since their final game in the round-robin section of the Allianz Hurling league when they take on Donegal in Clones in their opening game in the Nicky Rackard Cup. Donegal are coming into this game with something of an advantage in that first of all they have a game and a victory under their belts when they defeated Roscommon last Saturday and that should give them a big boost in confidence. They may also feel they have an advantage in that it is difficult to assess whether the Monaghan players will have recovered completely from the controversy surrounding their nonparticipation in the Allianz Hurling league division 3A final. Donegal surprised quite a few people last Saturday when they defeated Roscommon, a team that had been playing in a higher division in the league and had featured well in the Rackard Cup last season. Fortune favours the brave though and Donegal capitalised on a couple of chances that turned the game in their favour while Roscommon were far from the team that won this competition back in 2007. Ultimately it was the tried and trusted that got Donegal over the line last Saturday with players like Jamesie Donnelly, Ardle McDermott, Eugene Organ, Kevin Campbell, Niall Campbell, Lee Henderson and Enda McDermott who produced the goods and who will be central to Donegal's plans this Saturday as well. For Monaghan it is a case of putting their recent troubles behind them and just concentrating on coming back with a victory. Monaghan and Donegal last met in the Rackard Cup back in 2008 when Monaghan shaded a close contest by a point in Clones after a somewhat controversial finish. It is interesting to note that 8 of the team that featured against Donegal in the Rackard Cup back in 2008 are no longer involved. Aidan Kerr, David Connolly, Gary Coleman, Bernard O'Brien, Arthur Hughes, Michael Greaney, Michael Dolan and Declan Crowe are no longer on the panel. Donegal on the other hand have only about three or four of their team from that match no longer involved and that would give them something of an edge in experience.
MONAGHAN TEAM MANAGER Morgan Lalor readily acknowledges that it was a difficult situation for him to come into but he was happy to come in to give the Monaghan players the opportunity of competing in the Rackard Cup and to see what they could do. He also acknowledged that not knowing the players was a difficulty but he was hopeful that they would rise to the occasion and was hopeful that morale had recovered. "It was very difficult for me and the manner in which to come in but I did so to give the Monaghan players the opportunity of competing in the Rackard Cup and see what they could do. I have to admit though that while deflated morale was a difficulty the biggest difficulty I had was that I didn't know the players. I met the players for the first time a week ago on Sunday last for their first training session and it's difficult to assess just where they were as I hadn't seen them play. If the league final had been played and especially if Monaghan had won the league final then morale would be very good and the confidence and self-esteem would be high going into the Rackard Cup and Monaghan could have acquitted themselves well. However that didn't happen and the lads were deflated and understandably so but I do believe morale has improved and the turn out at training and the effort in training have been very good. We played a challenge match last week although there were a few missing and we could also have a couple of players with examination commitments now but it was a good workout and was a chance for me to see them in action. As far as I can judge the whole matter that caused the upheaval has been put to bed at least for the time being". Tweet

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