Once again it was our northern neighbours Tyrone who proved to be the bogey' team for the Monaghan minor footballers of 2002. Despite fielding very promising squads in practically every outing, the end result of all major competitions seemed, inevitably, to herald a narrow defeat by the Red Hand under-eighteens. The two major tests in Ulster - the minor football league and the minor championship - were the classic examples of a trend that has become far too common and most unwelcome from a Monaghan perspective In the league, Monaghan looked unbeatable in their section with victories over Derry, Donegal, Cavan and Fermanagh only to come a cropper when pitted against Tyrone in the final. Likewise in the Championship, the first round victory over Fermanagh at Clones was followed by a semi-final defeat at the hands of Tyrone. The last time Monaghan had taken the Ulster title was as far back as 1945 and there had been high hopes that 2002 would end that long and undeserved wait, but it was Tyrone who scuppered our chances. Ulster minor league After a series of highly enlightening challenge games, team manager Des Patton finally strung together an impressive looking outfit ready for the commencement of the Ulster minor football league in March. The opening encounter was against Derry at Clones on Saturday March 23rd and a winning start gave hope of something much better to follow later in the year. In fact, it would be Derry who would capture the Ulster minor title for 2002 and then go on to capture All-Ireland honours at Croke Park in September, so that initial victory over the Derry boys gives a better indicator of the quality that pertained in the Monaghan camp. An impressive all-round display, coupled with a fantastic finish, were the hallmarks of this particular encounter. After twelve minutes Monaghan found themselves in arrears, 0-2 to 0- 1, but a Stephen Gollogly goal gave them the lead. At half time it was Monaghan 1-2, Derry 0-5, and minutes into the second half Monaghan again found themselves in arrears, but a great fightback saw them score five points without reply. Derry came back for a couple of scores but it was Monaghan who finished the stronger and they took both points from the game with a final scoreline of: Monaghan 1-9, Derry 0-9. Monaghan lined out: Brian McCabe, Keith Sheerin, John McMahon, Niall Callery, Trevor Meegan, Jonathan McGuigan, Kieran Garvey (0-1), Francis Markey, James Conlon (02), Mark Duffy, Brendan McKenna, Paul McGuigan, Paul Meegan (0-4), Paudie Finnegan and Stephen Gollogly (1-1). Subs used: Shane Mulligan, James O'Hara, Gary McEneaney, and Dessie Mone. The following Saturday they travelled to Donegal and again captured both points with a decisive victory over the home side. They now faced old rivals Cavan at Castleblayney on Saturday April 13th , but this turned out to be a rather one-sided and poor game with Monaghan the dominant side throughout. The final tally of Monaghan 1-14, Cavan 0-6 gives a clear indication of Monaghan's superiority, but truth to tell, Monaghan looked far from convincing, with their finishing letting them down on far too many occasions. In fact, they failed to score between the 8th and 25th minutes and did not show the same determination that they had displayed against both Derry and Donegal. Showing a number of changes from the previous week, they lined out: Brian McCabe, Gary McEneaney, Jonathan McGuigan, John McMahon, Ml Daly, Shane Mulligan, Trevor Meegan, Francis Markey (0-1), James Conlon, Mark Duffy, Brendan McKenna (0-3), Dessie Mone (1-0), Daniel Farrelly, Paudie Finnegan, (0-2) and Paul Meegan, (0-7). Subs used: Keith Sheerin, Paul McGuigan (0-1), Niall McCarville and Pauric Kerr. That victory was sufficient to put Monaghan into the final, even though they still had to meet Fermanagh. As a result, Des Patton took the opportunity to give many of his fringe players a run at Lisnaskea on Saturday April 20th, when they won handily enough on a final scoreline of Monaghan 1-14, Fermanagh 1-8. Little could be learned from the contest, however, as it was played in the proverbial mud bath, but the result left Monaghan at the top of their section with full points from all four games, and they now faced Tyrone in the Ulster minor football league final at Enniskillen on Saturday April 27th . Monaghan equalled the Tyrone lads in every aspect of play in this final, but hearts were broken by Tyrone's Patrick Early who scored the deciding point for his team to gain the narrowest of victories: Tyrone 0-10, Monaghan 0-9. Dreadful weather ruined the game as a spectacle but Monaghan did not offer this as an excuse for their defeat. Rather did they blame themselves for making too many mistakes and the wasting of several opportunities that could have put the game beyond Tyrone's reach. Nevertheless, it was a fine achievement to get this far, even if it meant losing to such a highly rated team as Tyrone, and Monaghan players and mentors now turned their thoughts towards the championship. Monaghan had lined out: Brian McCabe, Gary McEneaney, John McMahon, Jonathan McGuigan, Ciaran Garvey, Shane Mulligan, Trevor Meegan, James Conlon, Francis Markey, Mark Duffy, Brendan McKenna (0-2), Dessie Mone, Paul Meegan (0-6), Paudie Finnegan and Stephen Gollogly (0-1). Subs used: Paul McQuaid. Paul McGuigan, Alan Flanagan, and Keith Sheerin. The Ulster championship For the umpteenth time in recent years, Monaghan were drawn to meet Fermanagh in the first round of the Ulster Championships, both senior and minor. The clashes took place at Clones on Sunday May 12th , and the curtain-raiser saw the Monaghan lads repeat their Ulster league victory over their Fermanagh opponents. At times the side stuttered and stammered, but they eventually pulled through for a narrow win and thus lined themselves up for yet another tilt at Tyrone in the semi-final at Brewster Park, Enniskillen, on Friday May 31st , and what a contest this turned out to be! The game looked to be heading Tyrone's way and was deep into injury time, but Monaghan suddenly struck for a golden goal from Francis Markey to earn a draw, on a final scoreline of Monaghan 1-8, Tyrone 0-11. Monaghan had not enjoyed the best of good fortune during the hour and really deserved the 'late-late' break that earned them another bite at the cherry. At half-time it was Tyrone 0-5, Monaghan 0-3, and Tyrone extended that lead to six points, eight minutes after the interval, but Monaghan fought back gamely. A few easy chances were missed, however, and it looked like curtains when Tyrone led 0-11 to 0-8, five minutes into injury time. Then came that magnificent Markey goal and Monaghan were back for a replay at the same venue on Sunday 30th June. Monaghan lined out: Brian McCabe, Keith Sheerin, John McMahon, Jonathan McGuigan, Kieran Garvey, Shane Mulligan, Trevor Meegan, James Conlon, Francis Markey ( 1-0), Dessie Mone (0-1), Brendan McKenna, William Gillard, Paul Meegan (0-6), Paudie Finnegan and Stephen Gollogly. Subs used: Paul McGuigan (0-1) and Paul McQuaid. The replay proved an unfortunate day for Monaghan. They looked as good an outfit as Tyrone in every department from the beginning, but the sending off of a player in each half proved too much of a handicap for the Monaghan lads and they were eventually defeated 3-11 to 0-5. The game had been only twenty minutes old when their best forward received rather harsh marching orders, and the blow was compounded when a second player received a red card midway through the second period. There was no way a thirteen-a-side team could overcome full strength opposition and Monaghan duly succumbed. Nevertheless, they had done Monaghan proud and the final team deserves to be recalled with pride. It was: Brian McCabe (Ballybay), Keith Sheerin (Truagh), John McMahon (Magheracloone), Jonathan McGuigan (Clontibret), Ciaran Garvey (Monaghan Harps), Shane Mulligan (Aghabog), Trevor Meegan (Inniskeen), James Conlon (Carrickmacross), Francis Markey (capt.) (Donaghmoyne), Dessie Mone (Clontibret) (0-4), Brendan McKenna (Emyvale), Paul McQuaid (Tyholland), Paul Meegan (Inniskeen) (0-1), Paudie Finnegan (Magheracloone) and Stephen Gollogly (Carrickmacross). Subs used: Mark Duffy (Scotstown), Daniel Farrelly (Ballybay) and John Cumiskey (Donaghmoyne). Other members of the panel were: Pauric Dowdall (Inniskeen), Paul McGuigan (Clontibret), Gary McEneaney (Carrickmacross), Niall McCarville (Scotstown), (Gary Ward (Castleblayney), Aidan Flanagan (Aughnamullen) and William Gillard (Clones). It may have been a disappointing end to the year's programme but there is no reason why the minor players or mentors should feel despondent. The nucleus of a good minor team for the year ahead is already there, practically half of the above panel being eligible for next season. Des Patton also deserves great credit for the way he handled the team during the past year and there will be widespread disappointment that he has decided to step down. His place as minor team manager for 2003 will be taken by Seamus Meehan, a man with plenty of experience both as a player and as a manager. A teacher in St. Macartan's College, he is a native of Donegal, with which county he won All-Ireland honours at Under-21 level, and has already proved himself an extremely useful manager with the Emyvale, Truagh and Tyholland clubs and with St. Macartan's College over the past number of years. We wish him every success, and hope that he can build further on the platform already created by Des Patton. Tweet

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