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Very hard to articulate all of last week from rumours to reality.
Still cant wrap my head around the gk situation. pre game they where practicing hitting the wings (didnt look great). This inability completely narrowed the pitch and worked in favour of louth. Nothing against mooney, nerves would of been huge, maybe management seen enough against westmeath to fear mulligan would float his kickouts. dont know. where was Jack kiernan?
Can/Cant understand the mc anespie decision. There for legs, even though not played any full games all year
Felt all the subs where too late and mind boggling, exact same against donegal. still cant believe mc phillips wasnt brought on to field a couple of kickouts to give us oxygen last year.
Looking to next year:
1)Louis kelly, Gary Mohan, Gavin Mc Phillips, Matthew Carolan, Karl Gallagher, Bobby Mc Caul, mc nulty, mick hamill. bury the hatchet/blood/get fit absolutely non negotiables.
2) Management team shake up. Be it the manager or his team, it needs something. Mc Ginley,Mc Conville, Sherlock. Winners out there with real credentials. A dream ticket with mc cauge.
3)Credit to the current management team of blooding players, needs to continue.
4) S&C dont need to say anymore than that.
5) Never going to happen but would love to see aaron McCarey/mcdonnell working with beggan for the gk spot. No need for beggan until championship if you had either of those lads
I can only speak for myself, im gutted because i know we are close, very close.
monaghanfootballfan (Monaghan) - Posts: 39 - 30/06/2026 15:45:30
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I posted during the league Kieran Hughes should be approached to come back in. Hes no Michael Murphy, but younger, so i dont buy "hes passed intercounty" and here i am reading comments saying we had no ball winners in one of the biggest games in monaghan footballs history.
farneygael3 (Monaghan) - Posts: 741 - 30/06/2026 15:46:48
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Possible midfield line up if let play
8 b mcbennett
9 m mc Carville
10 k Gallagher
11 a woods
12 g mohan
Sub midfielders
Color Leonard
G mchillips
Matthew carolan
All good lads if given same time as m mccarville to develop but no we insist on 5 ft 7 lads 8 lads there and we had 2 on Sunday
Farneyblueandwhite (Monaghan) - Posts: 190 - 30/06/2026 15:52:59
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Replying To farneygael3: "Should Malone be taking over next year? He's done ok on the club front with blaney the last 2 seasons. You look at Westmeath and McHugh" Like your comment on Louth being in Croke Park by luck, I hope this one is also a joke?
Matchwatcher (Monaghan) - Posts: 43 - 30/06/2026 16:16:24
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Replying To Matchwatcher: "Like your comment on Louth being in Croke Park by luck, I hope this one is also a joke?" Take your comment but I will stand over Louth didn't beat Armagh or Monaghan, the two teams bate themselves.
farneygael3 (Monaghan) - Posts: 741 - 30/06/2026 16:46:20
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Replying To farneygael3: "Take your comment but I will stand over Louth didn't beat Armagh or Monaghan, the two teams bate themselves." Monaghan had a man advantage and still lost. Get over it. Louth beat ya fair and square and are simply a better team.
eddieSize5Balls (Donegal) - Posts: 453 - 30/06/2026 17:06:04
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Replying To Farneyblueandwhite: "Possible midfield line up if let play
8 b mcbennett
9 m mc Carville
10 k Gallagher
11 a woods
12 g mohan
Sub midfielders
Color Leonard
G mchillips
Matthew carolan
All good lads if given same time as m mccarville to develop but no we insist on 5 ft 7 lads 8 lads there and we had 2 on Sunday" Leonard won't be playing county football again
McGuirk1985@ (Monaghan) - Posts: 150 - 30/06/2026 17:15:33
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Replying To farneygael3: "Should Malone be taking over next year? He's done ok on the club front with blaney the last 2 seasons. You look at Westmeath and McHugh" I hope your joking he was found out sunday badly.
Their a good chance he suggested putting young Mooney in nets which was not fair on Jamie.
Different if young Mooney had 2 weeks to prepare or had debut already made.
He the man in charge of the press also & he balls that up too with a spare man for 63 mins.
He had plenty on time to get things right sunday & looking back at Armagh game.
i think the likes of Jack, Woods, McCartney & O hanlon took that game by the scuff of the neck themselves in the last 15 mins of normal time.
Paul O Connor has been the main man in blayney not Malone.
AlanD (Monaghan) - Posts: 33 - 30/06/2026 17:50:25
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Replying To McGuirk1985@: "Leonard won't be playing county football again" You don't see my point he was there for 2 to 3 years and never really played likewise all our other tall players 40 excuses can be given as to why these lads are and won't be on the panel but the wee fellas will be there because they know they will play much harder to commit if you have a fair idea the lad next to is 5 ft 7 is going to get playing time no 5 to 12 is tiny its embarrassing when you go to headquarters and see it, eg ciaran Byrne 6 ft 5 on our corner back 5 ft 9 winning of the game total mismatch unless we transition into getting rangy mobile lads. results will remain the same for all the good work that goes on were still stuck on this mentality of GPS tracking back with small lads and sure it will be grand bear in mind the mark is massive now it's gives you 5 seconds to clear 20 metres it takes pressure of the backs and it leaves monaghan in a much better place because its easier to play when you win primary possession at the minute were always backpedling instead of going forward much easier on everyone when we have possession and that can only be gained through height you can't coach against height with new rules height needed
Farneyblueandwhite (Monaghan) - Posts: 190 - 30/06/2026 18:17:00
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Replying To patmouse: "I hate to see posts like this, anytime we play the big boys in CP as you say, we come home with our tails between our legs .We would love to win Ulster." Cavan man is at it again. How sad.
Shelbourne1 (Monaghan) - Posts: 455 - 30/06/2026 20:32:14
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Just to echo the above, very disappointing, an opportunity squandered for Monaghan.
Louth just went for it, as you have to do in the championship.
Monaghan still could have won if they'd taken their chances but Louth deserved it.
However, the real reason Monaghan lost is that they got completely overrun in midfield and you just can't win if that happens, especially at this stage of the championship. That meant the defence was overrun.
Serious questions to be answered by management here.
First, Monaghan effectively took the field with one midfielder against a team that we knew were strong in that area.
Louth attacked what was effectively Monaghan's weakest area and got a series of mismatches and uncontested wins.
Second, there are clearly players on the panel that management don't really trust. The goalkeeper thing was Banty 2010 again, not a good comparison for a manager.
You make your plans and you have your second choice goalkeeper for the whole championship, he actually gets game time, makes a good save but has a couple of dodgy kickouts, so you instead of saying he's got some senior championship experience under his belt, that'll stand to him, you drop him for a guy who's never played before at this level, debuting in Croke Park in the biggest game of the season and you expect this to work?
What were they thinking?
GB said after the game that they'd only had 1 session to decide on the goalie. That is rubbish, he's had 6 months this season and last year to get this in place.
Someone above also mentioned that some players got plenty of minutes in the league but the big guys around the middle of the park were getting terrible treatment. This is exactly it. 30 minutes here, 10 minutes two weeks later. Off the panel for the next game. Back on the panel and on for 10 minutes.
It takes time, midfield is a bear pit, division 1 especially. You have to give guys time to get used to it.
It's physical and sneaky with players bunching and blocking and generally trying to impose themselves.
A couple of years ago people were complaining about McCarville. Not got good enough, try's to catch the ball with one hand. Look where he is now.
Monaghan bet the house on Gallagher, McCarville and Beggan for possession and it worked against Roscommon and Westmeath. But once Gallagher and Beggan got injured, there was no backup plan at all.
There is also the question of why Gary Mohan left the panel. Was he injured, did he walk, or was he excluded?
He's a guy with the attributes that were missing on Sunday and who's proved he can do it at this level and Monaghan can't afford to be without him.
If midfield isn't fixed Monaghan will be stuck at this level and will remain vulnerable to teams that overall might not be as good but have better ball winners around the middle of the park.
It's doubly painful because we've been here for years with regard to midfield.
Management need to chase players that might be in two minds about whether to commit. Other counties do it.
PolicemanFox (Monaghan) - Posts: 233 - 30/06/2026 20:56:28
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Replying To PolicemanFox: "Just to echo the above, very disappointing, an opportunity squandered for Monaghan.
Louth just went for it, as you have to do in the championship.
Monaghan still could have won if they'd taken their chances but Louth deserved it.
However, the real reason Monaghan lost is that they got completely overrun in midfield and you just can't win if that happens, especially at this stage of the championship. That meant the defence was overrun.
Serious questions to be answered by management here.
First, Monaghan effectively took the field with one midfielder against a team that we knew were strong in that area.
Louth attacked what was effectively Monaghan's weakest area and got a series of mismatches and uncontested wins.
Second, there are clearly players on the panel that management don't really trust. The goalkeeper thing was Banty 2010 again, not a good comparison for a manager.
You make your plans and you have your second choice goalkeeper for the whole championship, he actually gets game time, makes a good save but has a couple of dodgy kickouts, so you instead of saying he's got some senior championship experience under his belt, that'll stand to him, you drop him for a guy who's never played before at this level, debuting in Croke Park in the biggest game of the season and you expect this to work?
What were they thinking?
GB said after the game that they'd only had 1 session to decide on the goalie. That is rubbish, he's had 6 months this season and last year to get this in place.
Someone above also mentioned that some players got plenty of minutes in the league but the big guys around the middle of the park were getting terrible treatment. This is exactly it. 30 minutes here, 10 minutes two weeks later. Off the panel for the next game. Back on the panel and on for 10 minutes.
It takes time, midfield is a bear pit, division 1 especially. You have to give guys time to get used to it.
It's physical and sneaky with players bunching and blocking and generally trying to impose themselves.
A couple of years ago people were complaining about McCarville. Not got good enough, try's to catch the ball with one hand. Look where he is now.
Monaghan bet the house on Gallagher, McCarville and Beggan for possession and it worked against Roscommon and Westmeath. But once Gallagher and Beggan got injured, there was no backup plan at all.
There is also the question of why Gary Mohan left the panel. Was he injured, did he walk, or was he excluded?
He's a guy with the attributes that were missing on Sunday and who's proved he can do it at this level and Monaghan can't afford to be without him.
If midfield isn't fixed Monaghan will be stuck at this level and will remain vulnerable to teams that overall might not be as good but have better ball winners around the middle of the park.
It's doubly painful because we've been here for years with regard to midfield.
Management need to chase players that might be in two minds about whether to commit. Other counties do it." Exactly like there is one particular player 5 ft 7 and he is in and out of the team 8 years and still waiting for him to sparkle and burst onto scene but gets playing every other match wtf monaghan need to broaden there mind in cloghan and start smelling what's needed in croke Park in June July no need for small players (athletes)tracking back overturning opposition thats blanket defence nonsense is gone with new rules its the middle third 5 to 12 big lads and a couple of brave lads for the break( mcgorman and Hamil ) but we are going nowhere we are going to get wiped this time next year why don't we stay in div 2 develop these lads and then go at 18 months to 2 years plan were waiting for too long to beat a top 3 team time for cloghan to waken up and get with it big lads needed scrap the script
Farneyblueandwhite (Monaghan) - Posts: 190 - 30/06/2026 21:42:53
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2 u 20 s taken in there this last couple of months and named on the bench again no height good lads don't get me wrong meanwhile Matthew carolan doesn't get on the bench big lad can kick 2 pointers just like his companion with Carrick james maguire who scored 4 points Sunday its happening over and over again how does training matches work in cloghan when you have 1 midfielder available at times throughout the year ?
Farneyblueandwhite (Monaghan) - Posts: 190 - 30/06/2026 23:06:06
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Replying To Farneyblueandwhite: "Exactly like there is one particular player 5 ft 7 and he is in and out of the team 8 years and still waiting for him to sparkle and burst onto scene but gets playing every other match wtf monaghan need to broaden there mind in cloghan and start smelling what's needed in croke Park in June July no need for small players (athletes)tracking back overturning opposition thats blanket defence nonsense is gone with new rules its the middle third 5 to 12 big lads and a couple of brave lads for the break( mcgorman and Hamil ) but we are going nowhere we are going to get wiped this time next year why don't we stay in div 2 develop these lads and then go at 18 months to 2 years plan were waiting for too long to beat a top 3 team time for cloghan to waken up and get with it big lads needed scrap the script" Nonsense lad.
ORIELMAN85 (Monaghan) - Posts: 1139 - 01/07/2026 01:58:21
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Replying To PolicemanFox: "Just to echo the above, very disappointing, an opportunity squandered for Monaghan.
Louth just went for it, as you have to do in the championship.
Monaghan still could have won if they'd taken their chances but Louth deserved it.
However, the real reason Monaghan lost is that they got completely overrun in midfield and you just can't win if that happens, especially at this stage of the championship. That meant the defence was overrun.
Serious questions to be answered by management here.
First, Monaghan effectively took the field with one midfielder against a team that we knew were strong in that area.
Louth attacked what was effectively Monaghan's weakest area and got a series of mismatches and uncontested wins.
Second, there are clearly players on the panel that management don't really trust. The goalkeeper thing was Banty 2010 again, not a good comparison for a manager.
You make your plans and you have your second choice goalkeeper for the whole championship, he actually gets game time, makes a good save but has a couple of dodgy kickouts, so you instead of saying he's got some senior championship experience under his belt, that'll stand to him, you drop him for a guy who's never played before at this level, debuting in Croke Park in the biggest game of the season and you expect this to work?
What were they thinking?
GB said after the game that they'd only had 1 session to decide on the goalie. That is rubbish, he's had 6 months this season and last year to get this in place.
Someone above also mentioned that some players got plenty of minutes in the league but the big guys around the middle of the park were getting terrible treatment. This is exactly it. 30 minutes here, 10 minutes two weeks later. Off the panel for the next game. Back on the panel and on for 10 minutes.
It takes time, midfield is a bear pit, division 1 especially. You have to give guys time to get used to it.
It's physical and sneaky with players bunching and blocking and generally trying to impose themselves.
A couple of years ago people were complaining about McCarville. Not got good enough, try's to catch the ball with one hand. Look where he is now.
Monaghan bet the house on Gallagher, McCarville and Beggan for possession and it worked against Roscommon and Westmeath. But once Gallagher and Beggan got injured, there was no backup plan at all.
There is also the question of why Gary Mohan left the panel. Was he injured, did he walk, or was he excluded?
He's a guy with the attributes that were missing on Sunday and who's proved he can do it at this level and Monaghan can't afford to be without him.
If midfield isn't fixed Monaghan will be stuck at this level and will remain vulnerable to teams that overall might not be as good but have better ball winners around the middle of the park.
It's doubly painful because we've been here for years with regard to midfield.
Management need to chase players that might be in two minds about whether to commit. Other counties do it." I think Mohans conduct off the field was questionable
veterngaa (Monaghan) - Posts: 1078 - 01/07/2026 08:31:44
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Replying To Eddie the Exile: "We can give it the usual 'it was great to be in Croke Park' shtick, but we shouldn't. Because it wasn't.
Sunday was an abject failure in management, not just on the day, within the game, but going back a long time before. When the air thins and the margins tighten, you then see the accumulated weaknesses for what they really are. Sunday was that.
At 8:40am on Monday 21st, Peter Dooley and Gavin Devlin started planning for playing Monaghan in CP without Rory Beggan. Kickout strategy, loading midfield, packing the short spaces, McDonnell deep for any long options. It took until Thursday night for Monaghan to accept that reality. One short training game later and a decision was made that may have the effect of damaging the careers of two young goalkeepers, not just one. A decision of such recklessness that it is scarcely believable. Were any of the senior management setup in the Athletic grounds in April?
I said all last week that Dara McDonnell at 6 was key and a solution was needed. Did anyone watch the Louth Dublin and Armagh games and if so WTF were they looking at?? Woods had to drop in but not a bit of it. The red card was a get-out-of-jail moment and that was passed up too. Just go 14-14 and bring Hanratty on even if only to block on kickouts. Gallagher out was an obvious issue (it took 15 minutes to take him of after the injury v Westmeath BTW), but the lack of cover was the real long term problem. A year after the Donegal meltdown we are back to square one. Too many viable midfield options have walked away - you have to ask why. The hairy fella, ill-disciplined and all as he was, was needed in a crisis. No sign. Two more major midfield options not on the panel at all in 2026. A panel like Monaghan just cannot pass up on these lads. Stephen Mooney too was superb when he came in- should have started, probably instead of the un-droppable man. Harsh but the truth.
Even with all that said, Monaghan still led with 4 to go, before all sorts of panic broke out. It showed what could have been but wasn't. The control needed was absent on the pitch and on the line. An unforgivable meltdown.
I've truly admired what this setup has done for Monaghan football, they steadied the ship when we were looking very bleak after Vinnie's departure. I do think however that the time is up now. Two big opportunities missed in Croke Park, we cannot waste any more with this generation of players. The ruthlessness to win when it matters is missing and that's what's needed now. Simple question, would Monaghan have won if Devlin was running the show on Sunday? Go from there" Couldn't disagree with any of this. Very fair assessment.
Can someone tell me how our starting line up was so widely known on the eve/morning of the game? Louth were prepared for a game without Beggan as you said but surely we could keep news from the squad a bit more tight lipped?
ConyersHill04 (Monaghan) - Posts: 100 - 01/07/2026 09:32:07
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Replying To veterngaa: "I think Mohans conduct off the field was questionable" It what he does on the field that matters who gives a dam what he does of the field and then people are covering up here on this forum that he is injured he has height and experience we are going nowhere fast under current set up waken up div 2 is full of teams with good midfield size and height is a given going forward
Farneyblueandwhite (Monaghan) - Posts: 190 - 01/07/2026 09:47:05
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Agree on a lot of points made above. Its very easy to say "this man should have been in, that man should have been in".
What do people want, drop Mc carville, Gallagher, for a bit of the year and play Carolan and a few of the lads that have been tried, tested and failed over the last few years. I seen a lot of lads named above and all have either failed on the county stage, don't have the mentality, or are injured. In essence, bannigan got it right throughout the year, he persisted with the mc carville and Gallagher combo and I Listened to the slating of Gallagher all yr but at the end of the day he was a vital cog that came to the boil come champo.
I can assure you a lot of these so called players that should have been on the panel or team dont stand out with the top lads in cloghan week in week out, what is bannigan supposed to do, drop lads that will inevitably save us come champo to give lads that don't have the skillset, mentality or commitment to play at the highest level. I could name them all again but they are named above in a few posts.
The reason we lost v Louth was strictly down to injuries and injuries alone. Kelly, mc caul, Mohan, beggan, Gallagher, Hamill. 6 starters who would walk onto the team when fully fully fit. How many were Louth, Dublin, Mayo missing ?
At the end of the day we were a point up with 5 minutes to go and ball in hand with mc carville unto a free against us was given. That was the deciding factor, we hold that ball for 2 minutes and work a score and its game over.
monaghanmad (Monaghan) - Posts: 512 - 01/07/2026 09:55:42
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Replying To Farneyblueandwhite: "It what he does on the field that matters who gives a dam what he does of the field and then people are covering up here on this forum that he is injured he has height and experience we are going nowhere fast under current set up waken up div 2 is full of teams with good midfield size and height is a given going forward" Any context to this? Is he not injured? What has happened him?
countymonaghan (Monaghan) - Posts: 339 - 01/07/2026 09:56:00
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