hardcore (Monaghan) - Posts: 1366 - 21/03/2014 21:20:58    1563291

Have to say missed the first 15 mins or so of the game due to other commitment's, but when I arrived I was very surprised to see McKenna playing sweeper taught he was very infective at it, didn't seem to know when to push forward and when to drop deeper, and when Down pushed a man up on him when they went 5 down and went man for man we looked very vulnerable at the back. Was looking round to see we're Ryan Wylie was, didn't realize untill later that he had got a black card, was also looking for Adam Traynor believe he played great stuff for Truagh but didn't see him, but have to say he could have been there as I wouldn't be to familiar with a lot of the players, all in all was happy with the win but disappointed with the second half display and as you say we will need a big improvement to run Cavan even close but I think it's in these lads to produce it and Cavan could be in for a shock on April 2nd.

Pukefootball (Monaghan) - Posts: 377 - 22/03/2014 10:39:40    1563341

In my opinion if you are going to comment on a match, you should at least be at the game and have your facts right! Anyone who was at the match would know that Monaghan gave a super performance in the first half and led by 3 points at half time against a gale force breeze in spite of the fact that Ryan Wylie was sent off within 15 minutes on a black card. Within 10 minutes of the second half Monaghan were leading by 5 points and looking like they could run out winners by 6 to 8 points with the breeze at their back. However a decision was made to take Paudie Mc Kenna our most effective forward in the first half and put him in as a sweeper. The nett result of this was that Down had an extra defender and this allowed them to take short kick outs between then and the end of the game, this meant that Monaghan's midfield were not able to contest any ball and this also allowed the Down centre half back Mc Cartan to drive through the middle time and again, thereby putting the defence under constant pressure and with the new rules if you put your hand on a player you get a black card! Also the decision of the Monaghan goal keeper to use short kick-outs despite the wind at his back did not help matters. As a man beside me on the night said it resembled kids in a school yard chasing after a ball!! Tactics therefore in the modern game are key, and as we all know the players don't decide the tactics, they just follow them. To include , could I just remind hardcore that it was Daniel Mc Kenna that scored 1.7 in an all Ireland final and he is no longer u21, that feargal McMahon and Dessie Ward are from last year's minor team. My additions from last years minor team would be Ryan mc Anespie and Conor mc Carthy both of whom have been successful at the highest level, one with an ulster junior championship medal and the other with a monaghan senior championship medal, and if nothing else would be great impact subs in the last 15 minutes in any game. Finally, of course there would need to be improvement for the next match against Cavan, after all it is an ulster semi-final we are talking about but I'm sure the players and the manager will get it right at the next time of asking, because we owe Cavan one as they defeated us by a single point in extra time last year!

bedhead (Monaghan) - Posts: 34 - 22/03/2014 11:56:44    1563358

And Hardcore just to let u know Paudie McKenna is a natural back for club which he won an all ireland with where he was playing wing back. It was Daniel McKenna who kicked 1-7 that day. Yes Paudie scored 2 great points with left and right foot but he was safe in defence too. Would help if you knew who was playing before criticising. They will need to play like they did in first half and better for the whole game against Cavan but ive no doubt they will give Cavan a very good run.

countymonaghan (Monaghan) - Posts: 170 - 22/03/2014 14:40:12    1563400

So I'm not in tilted to give an opinion on a match cause I wasn't there for all of it, fact is McKenna played sweeper which was inafective for most of the match when I was there.
Yes we played well in the first half and led by 3 which we soon stretched to 5 and looked like we were going to run away with it.
Do you not think that Down's change of tactics and going man on man pushing up the field had anything to do with turning the game in there favor or did you notice this.
The reason we had to go short with the kick outs was because we we're be cleaned out around the middle, many balls were kicked long in the second half and Down won about 80% of them.
Yes I do think McAnespie and McCarty would be good additions to the squad, supprised there not in it already

Pukefootball (Monaghan) - Posts: 377 - 22/03/2014 14:45:17    1563404

Ive made a serious blunder here,just looked at the programme again and Padraig McKenna not Daniel McKenna was wearing 14 and was dropped back to play sweeper.Thank you for pointing this out to me,but let me be clear i wasnt running the players down,i was having ago at management who i taught were making a big mistake..........

Now this information make things even worse,Why is a decent back like Padraig playing full forward?

Again Conor McCarthy Ryan McAnespie Kevin Loughran should be on the panel but its not my call,just hoping we can give Cavan their fill of it.

hardcore (Monaghan) - Posts: 1366 - 24/03/2014 13:48:22    1564171

Also ment to add Adam Treanor to that list,another fine forward who we need against Cavan.

hardcore (Monaghan) - Posts: 1366 - 24/03/2014 14:10:46    1564188

Ryan McAnespie already played in the shamrock cup.. he must be out injured.

Farney (Monaghan) - Posts: 741 - 24/03/2014 15:00:05    1564236

i dont think bringing in all of the forwards from last years minor team will sort the problem because we wernt lacking in quality in the forwards. Midfield needs to be sorted out first of all, thats where we lost the 2nd half. We need someone who will sacrifice themselves for the teams performance and isnt worried about their own individual performance,
What were the management at bringing buckley into midfield for, not a midfielder in my opinion?
Why isnt conor forde in goals, he was selected ahead of d kirk 2 years ago at minor?
Thought conlon was poor at wing back, would bring in Buckley, mcenaney or malone instead.
I blame management for a poor 2nd half performance, poor team selection(except for forwards), badly chosen replacements during the match and poor tactics

pooper_trooper (Monaghan) - Posts: 108 - 25/03/2014 10:15:20    1564678

In my opinion for what it is worth I think that we are not actually looking at the big picture here, Monaghan used a sweeper to defend their lead in the second half. Down came very much into the game at this stage cause they used their extra defender to their advantage. If you thought that Monaghan were bad in the middle why did Down use quick kickouts? When we were up by 2points with minutes left in the game, our keeper was still taking quick kick outs and it was very nearly intercepted by the Down attack. I think all in all you could count on one hand how many balls were actually contested around the middle. Forwards were good in first half but lost their way in second half, again cause Down had an extra man. Twice in second half two goals missed. Far too much messing about with the ball.

tbc (Monaghan) - Posts: 26 - 25/03/2014 12:43:49    1564750

Confident of upsetting the odds (Cavan 1/3) on Wednesday? Did your u21s feature against Laois yesterday?

GallantJohnJoe (Cavan) - Posts: 310 - 31/03/2014 11:40:10    1567572

to quote a Cavan man - Prunty: "Say nothing 'till you hear more"

Farney (Monaghan) - Posts: 741 - 31/03/2014 14:30:20    1567783

For us to win we would have to stop Cavan's midfield from winning major ball,most of Cavan's attack starts there with Argue, along with half back Moyna.

Against Down we were poor massive improvement needed to even compete never mind win.

The Under 21's is about getting 3-6 players through to senior team,Ryan Whylie,Pauric Keenan,Paudie McKenna,all have done well with our seniors this year,Jack McCarron has won his place from last years team,if we could get 2-3 more to come through we would be in a very good place because at the end of the day its Senior titles every county is after,Minors and U21 are grand,but get them up through to senior slowly and major injury free.

Best of Luck Monaghan U21's give it your all,it's all anyone wants to see.

[\/][\]

hardcore (Monaghan) - Posts: 1366 - 31/03/2014 21:47:11    1568277

any idea why they are bringing us the whole way to armagh tonight? the whole traffic will be heading iin the one road. bound to long delays in and out?

sammaguire1 (Cavan) - Posts: 279 - 02/04/2014 09:00:39    1568995

Good luck to our U-21's to-night. Cavan are clear favourites and are aiming for more than a Four-in-a row Ulster title this year!

It's always good to see a core of the U21's making it at senior level. Just looking back at an old U21 programme from 1st April 2000 I see the name of Dick Clerkin at No. 6. Others on that team included Colm Flanagan, John Paul Moen, Rory Woods [a sub], Raymond Ronaghan and Tommy Freeman.

Dick, Rory and Tommy were still on the team in 2002 with Dick listed at No. 3. Additions to the team then were Eoin Lennon, Vinny Corey, Paul Finlay, Francis Doogan and Shane Duffy.

By the way on the opposing Tyrone team [200] were such players as Kevin Hughes, Brian Mc Guigan, Mark Harte, Eoin Mulligan, Cormac Mc Ginley, Ciaran Gourley, Stephen O' Neill, Pascal Mc Connell and the late Cormac Mc Anallen [R.I.P.]

drumlingael (Monaghan) - Posts: 40 - 02/04/2014 12:23:30    1569159

Best of luck to the U21s tonight. I think we have a decent side with a good core of players that have been blooded at senior. Here's hoping we can do a job on Cavan.

supermon (Monaghan) - Posts: 1071 - 02/04/2014 15:38:54    1569373

Drumlingael that was some Tyrone team , a lot of boys on it went all to win senior Ai medals , was that u21 final in 2000 or semi final ? What was the Monaghan team ?

mickduffy2009 (Monaghan) - Posts: 182 - 02/04/2014 19:42:42    1569581

I wasn't at last night's game. It seems it was a very close encounter until Cavan got a fortunate goal. Having said that one report states refers to goalie and Ryan Wylie making great save/ block from Cavan's J. Hayes. Apparently we had 7 wides in 1st half while Cavan had 5 in the 2nd half - while each playing with the wind. All in all we have to take it on the chin and move on.

If Cavan win a 4th title they'll have done it the hard way as I expect Donegal will be worthy opponents. It's a major achievement for our neighbours.

As far as the Monaghanj team in 2000 - it was a semi-final v Tyrone. The team as listed was:
S. Gorman
C. Casey P. Kelly G. Corrigan
P. Mc Guigan D. Clerkin C. Flanagan
R. Ronaghan A. Rooney
T. Freeman J.P. Moen B. Mc Ginnity
N. Clerkin E. Hoey F. Moen

Subs: K. Gormley, D. Mullen, R. Woods, P. Swinburne, D. F. Mc Kenna, S. Malone, G. Duffy, F. Smyth, C. Quinn

We played Tyrone again in the semi-final the following year.

drumlingael (Monaghan) - Posts: 40 - 03/04/2014 16:08:58    1570020