Mick Duffy cup winners
December 08, 2006
Twenty matches were played in the 2006 Monaghan SFC. In the end Clontibret proved to be the Red Rum of the series.
In tandem with most counties, the number of teams who stand a realistic chance of scooping the blue riband football prize in any given year in Monaghan is few and far between.
Among the perennial runners and riders, Clontibret O'Neills can rightly be regarded as a team that you can never write out of the equation.
Getting at least an eyeful of the Mick Duffy Cup from close quarters has been the Clontibret modus operandi for more years than your average turf accountant can rightly remember.
The Great O'Neills have knocked so often on the door leading to the pantheon of champions that the joke ; 'Knock, knock, who's there?' 'It's Clontibret silly' entered the lexicon of Monaghan GAA.
Certainly having lost out to would-be champions Latton at the penultimate stage in '05, the Great O'Neills were again expected to come a-knocking in 2006.
As is their wont, the Saffrons didn't disappoint.
To make things just a bit more interesting they not only knocked, huffed and puffed, ducked and dived but also blew everyone down in their path.
By the time Autumn drew its final few breaths, Clontibret's finest had killed off all-comers to make the Mick Duffy Cup theirs once again.
Like all championships worth winning, last year's SFC title was never 'there for the taking'.
It was hard won as they say but end-of-season/pre-season form did help their cause, it has to be said.
Just before Santa came calling, Clontibret's premier team secured the 2005 Owen Ward Cup, scoring seven unanswered points in the final seven minutes to beat Scotstown.
The final brought the curtain down on a long, long season for the O'Neills but, most importantly, set them up just nicely for the '06 league and championship campaigns.
The omens remained good six months on as the club's second string strung together a run of consistently fine results to win the Reserve League Division One title, again scuppering Scotstown hopes of silverware. The real McCoy got underway at the tail end of July and what a start the Mick O'Dowd/Damien Mone managed side engineered!
A massive 12 points victory over neighbours Tyholland in Emyvale posted out a serious warning to the other wannabes.
Except for a fleeting period at the start of the second half, the lights were stuck on green for the raging hot favourites.
Clontibret were too fleet-footed, had too much football nous for their opponents and never allowed Tyholland engender any belief that they could win the match.
The champions-elect were five points in front after just seven minutes of the match before going onto lead by 0-12 to 0-4 at the interval.
It was all too easy for the leaders and while Tyholland bravely fought back to get to within four points of Clontibret 11 minutes into the second half, Clontibret went up a couple of gears to cruise home with a goal by Niall Malone putting a more reflective (1-19 to 0-10) look on the scoreboard.
The feel-good factor around the club continued apace with the local under 21s scooping the McMahon Cup courtesy of a resounding win over Carrickmacross.
Then on September 9th came the big one. . . .a date with the defending champions Magheracloone in Castleblayney.
In a game which fairly demonstrated the intent and ability of both sides, Clontibret showcased their fighting qualities in a big way by reeling in their opponents' three points lead to chisel out a 0-14 to 1-11 draw. Ironically Clontibret led the way in the first half and didn't look as if they would need to exhibit their powers of recovery late on.
Indeed quite a big question mark hung over Clontibret's title challenge when Magheracloone netted eight minutes from time to go two points clear.
However the chasing team pulled out all the stops to come through with flying colours and deservedly earn a share of the spoils.
Two weeks later, Clontibret went one better by winning by one point (1-14 to 2-10) in a dramatic replay in 'Blayney.
This time around Clontibret had to show their resolve, ambition and capacity to concentrate 'till the death as 14 man Mitchells cut into an eight point interval deficit to make for a tense, titanic finale.
Clontibret's match-winning display had much to do with their second quarter display during which time a goal by Niall Malone in the 17th minute was complemented by five unanswered points to help the O'Neills storm into a 1-10 to 1-2 half-time lead.
Clontibret still led by seven points at the three-quarter hour mark but a late, late goal by Magheracloone left the prospective 2006 champions fighting a rearguard action 'till the final whistle was sounded.
Did Clontibret get the rub of the green in their match against the reigning champions that all teams need to go the distance?
Either way, a semi-final date with Truagh on October 7th beckoned.
It wasn't a match for the half-hearted or lily-livered.
A no-holes barred contest in Scotstown saw Clonibret's collective strength allied to some five star individual performances do the trick as they galloped to a 1-12 to 0-9 victory.
The O'Neills' cohesion and stamina were vital assets to them on the day and key performances from John Paul Mone in midfield and Vincent Corey up front helped put Truagh on the slippery slope.
It was a goal from the aforementioned Corey after just six minutes that laid the foundations for Clontibret's tigerish triumph.
Clontibret always seemed to have their hands comfortably on the tiller and their control was consolidated in the 25th minute when when Truagh had a player dismissed.
Thanks, in part, to Corey's major, Clontibret went onto lead by 1-6 to 0-3 by half-time and then points from Conor McManus (free) and Pauric McGuigan in a five minute spell engineered some clear water between themselves and Truagh.
Further points rained in from Vincent Corey, Conor McManus and John Paul Mone and with seven minutes left to play, Truagh were trailing by nine points.
From there to the close of play, there was only ever going to be one winner.
The final brought Clontibret up against defending champions Magheracloone once more.
Once again, there proved to be very little between the combatants.
Indeed the final scoreline of 1-8 to 0-8 fairly reflected just how closely-contested the decider proved to be.
The O'Neills grinded out the win rather than securing the title on the back of a grandstanding comeback or lead role.
The game won't ever make a purist's manual but for honest endeavour, tigerish ambition and naked determination, it would be difficult to beat it.
Conditions at St. Tighernach's Park added to the teams' will for making it a real testing hour's football. Noel Morgan got Clontibret up and running after five minutes but it was to be another five minutes before the winners-elect added to their lead.
The score proved to be the only goal of the game and arrived when John Paul Mone put Conor McManus through and the latter's shot slid under the body of the Magheracloone 'keeper to leave the defending champions trailing by four points.
The trailing team opened their account in the 14th minute by grabbing a point and the game continued to be an archetypal nip and tuck affair.
The football wasn't spectacular but it did improve significantly in the run-up to the interval with Clontibret's Conor McManus flashing over a point - after hard work by Vincent Corey - to counter a fine brace of points by Magheracloone.
End-to-end football continued apace with goal chances at a premium however.
It was real war of attrition stuff with, significantly, Clontibret winning most of the battles along the way.
At half-time the writing was on the wall for the champions battling to hang onto their crown.
Within a minute of the restart, things got even better for the challengers with Darach Mooney setting up Vincent Corey for a good point.
Further chances were created over the course of the next ten minutes in front of goal by Clontibret but the final efforts didn't match the promising build-up play.
With less than a quarter of the game remaining, Clontibret were still three points to the good after Fergal Mone did well on the left to fire the ball over the bar 17 minutes into the second half.
And that was that as far as scores were concerned.
In a game marked 'stalemate' there were no further scores registered in the final 13 minutes of play or the four minutes of stoppage time that were added on by referee Brendan McMahon.
In clinching their first SFC title since 2002, Clontibret hinted at the possibility of another watershed in Monaghan football.
Could the winners of the UPVC Systems sponsored competition last October proceed on a run of title successes?
The team is young enough, skilful and mobile enough.
Competition is keen in Monaghan at the top level but Clontibret's Class of 2006 showed they have the class to stay on top for quite a sustained period.
Only time will tell though.
For the record, the team and subs that figured in the 2006 SFC final was as follows; Paul McElroy; Eoin Greenan, Eamonn Ward, Paraic Duffy; Darach Mooney, Dessie Mone (0-1), Martin Corey; John Paul Mone, Daithi McKeown; Padraig McGuigan, Niall Malone, Conor McManus (1-1); Michael Hughes (0-2), Vincent Corey (0-1), Noel Morgan (0-2). Subs; Damien McKenna for Eoin Greenan; Fergal Mone (0-1) for Padraig McGuigan; Brendan Og Magennis for Noel Morgan; Brian McSkane for Eamonn Ward.
Monaghan young player of the year 2006
Conor McManus created an indelible impression as Clontibret returned to the top of the Monaghan football pile in 2006. The exciting young attacker made the No.12 jersey his own, belying his tender years with a series of breathtaking displays both within the county and in the Ulster club championship. Collecting a SFC medal in his first full season on the senior starting XV was a truly remarkable achievement, suggesting that Monaghan GAA has an exceptional new prospect on its hands.
Though he had featured for the first team towards the latter stages of '05, it was during the course of 2006 that Conor McManus became a regular on Clontibret O'Neills' flagship side. Fearless, industrious and free-scoring, the 19-year-old marked his first full year on the senior team in consummate style, playing a key roll in the villagers' twelfth senior county championship heist.
As Clontibret booked the most coveted prize in Monaghan club football for the second time in four years courtesy of a 1-8 to 0-8 defeat of Magheracloone at Clones on Sunday October 22, there was no denying that McManus' presence was a decisive factor.
When Clontibret defeated the same opposition at the same venue in 2002, Conor was part of their U16 side that contested the curtain-raiser. This time, he moved to centre stage, firing the decisive goal in the tenth minute as a frighteningly young team condemned Magheracloone to another heartbreaking defeat. In the end, a personal haul of 1-1 made all the difference on the scoreboard.
Though they had eight U21s in their starting line-up, Clontibret displayed trademark big-day acumen as they reclaimed the county spoils. A fortnight earlier, the champions-elect were equally unforgiving as they accounted for Truagh by 1-12 to 0-9 in a tough semi-final at Scotstown.
While Clontibret had huge performances that day from captain Vincent Corey at full forward, John Paul Mone in midfield and Dessie Mone at centre back, a young half forward by the name of Conor McManus contributed three vital points to the winning tally - an input that encapsulated the entire season.
The Ulster club championship campaign was certainly for men, not boys. Clontibret drew a bruising encounter with Cargin of Antrim at Casement Park on Sunday November 12 but won the replay in Clones seven days later, with McManus putting in another unbelievably mature, selfless performance, covering every blade of grass on the pitch as the Monaghan champions romped to victory. The same player was on target three times as Clontibret scared the life out of Crossmaglen in an evenly-contested provincial semi-final in Cavan. The Armagh kingpins were decidedly fortunate to escape with a 1-9 to 0-11 win that day.
The result brought the curtain down on a memorable year for Clontibret and a dream breakthrough into the senior team for a young man who also collected the Young Footballer of the Year award for 2006. Looking back on the year, Conor was naturally delighted to nail down a starting place in the O'Neills first team but a little disappointed that the brave Ulster bid came to such a luckless and abrupt end.
The 19-year-old admits he was happy to earn his first full year on the Clontibret premier XV: "Towards the tail end of 2005, there were some players missing through injuries and unavailability and we got a chance to break into the team then. A few younger lads featured on the side that won the senior league. We brought it through into this year and players like Darach Mooney, Rodney Gorman and myself were all given a chance in the South Ulster League. Thankfully, we held our places for the rest of the year…"
Was Conor surprised by the ease with which he slipped into senior club football, coping with the physical demands and contributing greatly to his team's overall shape? "We took it one game at a time in the league and just concentrated on trying to play our own game. It was a new experience and the league games were a step up from any football I'd played before. We trained all year for the senior championship and that was our main goal. We stepped it up three or four weeks before the championship started and it worked out well for us.
"We were delighted to win the championship because that was our target from the start, after losing the semi-final to Latton in 2005. We wanted to do one thing in 2006 and we managed to achieve that. Even though we didn't qualify for the semi-final stage of the league, we kept our heads down and kept working. We played Magheracloone three times in the championship and never lost to them, so I think we are worthy champions."
Then came a good run in Ulster and a bit of bad luck at the end: "We knew when we won Monaghan that we had to make a mark in Ulster. It's not enough to win a SFC anymore and we tried to bring it on a step further. We were lucky enough the first day against Cargin in Casement Park but we then got ourselves together and beat them well in the replay. We had nothing to lose against Crossmaglen and we were unlucky. We came close to beating them but never got the breaks."
What was it like to suddenly be up against so many familiar faces? All-Ireland winners and men who are regular stars on The Sunday Game? "You can't think of it that way. Obviously Oisin McConville and the McEntees have All-Ireland medals and are proven footballers but you can't let that intimidate you. We played the game on its own merits and worked on the various aspects of our own performance."
Conor was a member of the Clontibret panel that garnered an Ulster minor club championship in 2002 and he also featured on the amalgamation with Cremartin that claimed the 2005 Monaghan MFC. He is delighted to have been given an opportunity to prove himself in the club's first team and pays tribute to the management set-up as well as the more experienced men on the team whose help and support have been invaluable.
Looking to the immediate future, the prodigious newcomer notes: "When a team wins a cup, you hope to retain it the next year. That's the difficult thing for any team in Ireland - club or county - and that'll be our main goal in 2007. It hasn't been done in Monaghan for a while. Everybody will be out to knock Clontibret off our perch but we have to resist that and hopefully next year will be every bit as successful as 2006."
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