There was disappointment aplenty at Breffni Park on Sunday May 30 when Monaghan were dumped out of the 2004 Ulster minor football championship by Armagh in a replayed first-round tie. The Monaghan lads were somewhat unfortunate not to win the drawn game a week earlier - when the Orchard County equalised through a late Christopher O'Connor point - but were comprehensively beaten second day out, 0-19 to 0-11. The famine continues. Monaghan haven't won the Ulster minor football championship since 1945 and, despite a gallant effort in '04, they failed to get past the first round in their latest bid to land major silverware. Seamus Meehan's team put it up to fancied Armagh in the provincial opener at Clones on May 23 but were badly beaten in the replay a week later. Thus, their brief campaign drew to a premature close and the embarrassing famine has been extended to a whopping 60 years. Still, the team did provide us with flashes of brilliance during the year and was high on entertainment value at times, particularly in the thrilling draw with Armagh on a day that football followers in the county will otherwise want to forget (on account of the drubbing that followed in the SFC game). Monaghan went into the match full of determination as Armagh had beaten them by a point in the 2003 Ulster MFC - a game the Farney boys could have and should have won. On that occasion, the winning point came from Christopher O'Connor in injury time and, unbelievably, it was the same player who popped up with the late leveller in the '04 meeting of the bordering counties. Monaghan endured a fairly mediocre Ulster minor league campaign and, in truth, their performances therein did little to inspire confidence with the championship looming. In fact, they only won two games in the minor league, against neighbours Cavan and Fermanagh. Monaghan's first victory of the year came in an average game at Clones on Saturday April 10 when they finished strongly to see off the Breffni boys. Victory left them still in with a chance of booking a place in the final, with two fixtures remaining - against Derry and Fermanagh. However, whatever slim chance that remained of progressing to the decider nosedived when Derry prevailed by three points in a tight affair at the blustery Clones venue, 1-8 to 0-8. Derry scored the match-winning goal at the end of the first quarter when Brendan Mullan fisted to the net. Despite that defeat, there were some encouraging signs for Monaghan, particularly the performances of Mark McHugh, Daithi McKeown and Martin Mills. Seamus Meehan's charges trailed for most of the game but were level on two occasions thanks to early points from Paddy Lonergan and Nicholas Treanor. However, the 14th-minute goal rocked Monaghan in their boots and gave the visitors a 1-4 to 0-4 interval advantage. The second half was a very even affair but Monaghan could never quite get back on terms despite good scores from centre forward Niall Treanor and corner forward Noel Morgan. Appropriately, in a touch that would have done Patrick Kavanagh proud, the game was finished in fading light… Monaghan were due to close their Ulster minor league campaign with a meaningless fixture against Fermanagh on Saturday April 17 but the game, in Lisnaskea, was abandoned after twelve minutes due to a waterlogged pitch. Monaghan were leading by 0-3 to 0-1 at the time. The game was re-fixed for the nearby Roslea venue seven days later and Monaghan belatedly closed their league programme with a 2-10 to 1-6 victory. Management used the game to give some of the fringe players an opportunity to stake their claim for a championship starting place. Stephen McAleer and Daithi McKeown were dominant in midfield and Mark Downey scored both Monaghan goals. Brendan McKenna, who had just returned from Australia where he starred with the Ireland U17 International rules team, was also impressive, as was Rockcorry attacker Dwayne Rooney, scorer of some beautiful points. Neil McRory caught the eye in defence. The game provided Monaghan with much-needed match practice, as it was their final competitive outing ahead of the 2004 Ulster MFC opener against Armagh in Clones on Sunday May 23. With a final panel of 24 settled upon, challenge matches were organised against Meath, Galway and Mayo as preparations for the Ulster series continued unabated. The clash with the Royals, at Navan on Bank Holiday Monday, May 3, did little to boost morale as Monaghan left the Meath county town with their collective tails firmly between their legs following a ten-point defeat. It could have been worse but for some heroics from goalkeeper Padraig McBennett. Though they'd had a very disappointing Ulster minor league campaign, Monaghan still had many players left over from the 2003 minor championship and this experience stood them in good stead. The selectors had a few headaches in the run-up to the game. Ronan Garvey's fitness was in doubt after he picked up a knock in training, while Emyvale clubman Brendan McKenna wasn't quite back to full fitness following a knee operation. As it turned out, Monaghan were unable to pick from their full complement as the influential Garvey was ruled out and missed both championship games. However, both James Ward and Bernard O'Brien had been part of the Ireland squad that captured the U17 International Rules series 'Down Under' earlier in the year and would feature prominently in the Monaghan game plan. The 59-year barren spell added to the pressure, but could also be used as a motivational tool. The 1945 statistic is quite a damning one and is possibly beginning to weigh a little too heavily on Monaghan shoulders. In fairness, team manager Meehan and his assistant Pascal Smith could hardly have been more meticulous in their preparations as they put the players through a rigorous series of trial games and training sessions in an attempt to uncover their best starting XV. Monaghan boasted a number of the players who had inspired St Macartan's College on their historic run to the McRory Cup final and the experience gathered during that campaign would prove extremely beneficial in the minor championship. Monaghan were left full of regret when Armagh's late equaliser earned them a second bite at the cherry. Armagh, though, were fuming when one of their 'points' was ruled wide in the first half and it could be argued that they deserved at least a draw as that decision very wrongly went against them, much to the dismay of manager Ger Houlahan. Niall Duffy scored the Monaghan goal within 30 seconds of the half-time break and they appeared to have one foot in the semi-finals when Dwayne Rooney floated over the lead point three minutes from time, but O'Connor's last gasp effort brought the tie to a replay, 1-8 to 0-11 A draw always looked to be on the cards, especially during the second half as the game ebbed and flowed with the sides level on no fewer than five occasions. The teams were also level at the interval, 0-4 apiece, though Armagh were very unhappy about this as they had actually scored five times! The Orchard boys raced into a 0-3 to 0-1 lead early on but Monaghan drew level with points from full forward Bernard O'Brien in the 11th and 15th minutes. When Duffy toe-poked to the net upon the resumption, Monaghan appeared to be on their way but Armagh battled back gamely to take the lead on 45 minutes. It was absorbing fare from here to the finishing post and Monaghan almost stole it right at the death only for Stephen McAleer's late long-range free to drift just outside the post. The replay was on the undercard of the Cavan-Down SFC replay at Breffni Park on Sunday May 30, with the winners advancing to meet Down in the semi-final of the 2004 Ulster MFC. For the rematch, Monaghan moved James Ward from centre back to midfield, with Daithi McKeown taking the No.6 shirt. Ronan Garvey was again unavailable. Armagh didn't need a second invitation, however, and made no mistake in the replay, romping to an impressive 0-19 to 0-11 victory. The sides were level on six occasions in the first half and Armagh went into the break with a slender 0-9 to 0-8 lead. They upped the tempo big time on the re-start, though, and cut loose for a comprehensive win. As the Orchard County put on an exhibition of approach play and finishing in the second half, Monaghan simply had no answer. Full forward Bernard O'Brien helped himself to five points but the dream was over for another year and it's a 60-year gap that the minor class of '05 will attempt to bridge. The Monaghan team that drew with Armagh in the 2004 Ulster MFC at Clones on May 23: Padraig McBennett; Mark McHugh, Ciaran Hughes, Niall McRory; Mark McNally, James Ward (0-1), Michael Lennon; Daithi McKeown, Stephen McAleer; Aidan Ward, Dwayne Rooney (0-1), Niall Duffy (1-0); Gerard O'Callaghan (0-1), Brendan McKenna, Bernard O'Brien (0-4). Subs: Mark Downey (0-1), Nicholas Treanor, Niall McAdam, Noel Morgan. Tweet

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