National Forum

Monaghan GAA thread

(Oldest Posts First) - Go To The Latest Post


Replying To Matchwatcher:  "Killeevan going well, in fairness. But Currin missing a few big players? Lorcan Kilpatrick is the one who makes them tick. Drumhowan looking strong. Doherty and Mc Elearney both played last night. Rockcorry are in transition at the minute. Small panel who had a good run a few years ago but injuries to main men since. Seans seem to be in the same boat. Junior table on site missing a few results. Drumhowan should be top with 11 points."
The Sarsfelds were missing 2 of their top men also last night. Drumhowan miles ahead of the rest.

ORIELMAN85 (Monaghan) - Posts: 1096 - 06/06/2026 17:56:46    2678346

Link

No joy for the minors yesterday. Will the management team be kept? Thought it was a guaranteed all Ireland when they won the league..

Monaghangaaman3 (Monaghan) - Posts: 9 - 07/06/2026 09:07:53    2678438

Link

Replying To Monaghangaaman3:  "No joy for the minors yesterday. Will the management team be kept? Thought it was a guaranteed all Ireland when they won the league.."
They will be kept on for one reason only……….overall a disappointing year of underachievement.. as the old saying goes - leagues are for playing in and championships are for winning..

mick2007 (Monaghan) - Posts: 674 - 07/06/2026 19:10:28    2678562

Link

Replying To mick2007:  "They will be kept on for one reason only……….overall a disappointing year of underachievement.. as the old saying goes - leagues are for playing in and championships are for winning.."
Like all minor teams, what's most important is that we get some potential players who can graduate to U20 and then senior. Some will embrace the lifestyle of county football, while for others it's just too much despite their talent. From what I've seen of the 2026 group there are 5 to 6 who have the potential to make the leap to county senior level but a lot of hurdles lie ahead of them to make that standard. This group had the talent at this level, but in in two crucial games , discipline let them down at key times :

red card V Donegal with 10 minutes to go
Black card v Louth when game was back to 1 point

Management I felt made some selection mistakes too and seemed unsure of what their best starting line up was.

sleater (Monaghan) - Posts: 205 - 08/06/2026 09:29:49    2678610

Link

Replying To Monaghangaaman3:  "No joy for the minors yesterday. Will the management team be kept? Thought it was a guaranteed all Ireland when they won the league.."
I think a progressive step is to appoint the current minor management team to the under 20 roles next year. Maybe Buggy as manager. It's important to start to bring this current crop through be it a 2/3 year project

farneygael3 (Monaghan) - Posts: 695 - 08/06/2026 11:36:32    2678631

Link

Replying To farneygael3:  "I think a progressive step is to appoint the current minor management team to the under 20 roles next year. Maybe Buggy as manager. It's important to start to bring this current crop through be it a 2/3 year project"
They'll be the next senior management ticket, the cycle starts once again.......

ConyersHill04 (Monaghan) - Posts: 86 - 08/06/2026 12:34:29    2678647

Link

Regardless of the result at the wknd, will GB still be the manager next year?
We have 2 wins from 11 competitive games.

MonaghanMan44life (Monaghan) - Posts: 218 - 08/06/2026 13:11:06    2678662

Link

Replying To farneygael3:  "I think a progressive step is to appoint the current minor management team to the under 20 roles next year. Maybe Buggy as manager. It's important to start to bring this current crop through be it a 2/3 year project"
Attended every Minor game this year and it was obvious this management how line out a team to start with. Also too many outside influences. Paul O'Connor must be left with the Under 20s' for the forseeable future to coach and prepare lads fo the Senior setup. A very talented bunch of Minors really under achieved this year. Time for change there.

ORIELMAN85 (Monaghan) - Posts: 1096 - 08/06/2026 13:57:21    2678675

Link

Replying To MonaghanMan44life:  "Regardless of the result at the wknd, will GB still be the manager next year?
We have 2 wins from 11 competitive games."
With a shadow panel for most of it. Of course he must stay for the next 3 years.

ORIELMAN85 (Monaghan) - Posts: 1096 - 08/06/2026 13:59:39    2678676

Link

35 minutes v cavan 20 minutes v derry 20 min v armagh 20 minutes v mayo, doesn't matter who were missing we should be competitive for at least 70 minutes plus this nonsense has to stop and go at roscommon like dogs freshen it up round the 50 minute mark and finish the job

Farneyblueandwhite (Monaghan) - Posts: 148 - 08/06/2026 14:01:20    2678678

Link

Replying To MonaghanMan44life:  "Regardless of the result at the wknd, will GB still be the manager next year?
We have 2 wins from 11 competitive games."
Yes, but the meath man has to go. We can do better.

monaghanmad (Monaghan) - Posts: 496 - 08/06/2026 14:27:52    2678686

Link

Replying To ORIELMAN85:  "Attended every Minor game this year and it was obvious this management how line out a team to start with. Also too many outside influences. Paul O'Connor must be left with the Under 20s' for the forseeable future to coach and prepare lads fo the Senior setup. A very talented bunch of Minors really under achieved this year. Time for change there."
And the 20s didnt under achieve??? with the players there?? wins over hurley counties is all that was achieved this year. Time for Joe Buggy & John to step up

farneygael3 (Monaghan) - Posts: 695 - 08/06/2026 14:28:33    2678687

Link

Replying To ORIELMAN85:  "With a shadow panel for most of it. Of course he must stay for the next 3 years."
I'm not so sure.
I've heard a lot of the senior players in around the squad in particular are very unhappy.

On the injury front, who gets the blame? Manager, Coaches, S&C or physios? There's a lot of money involved in senior intercounty football, surely the co board needs to ask questions around player preparation and hold whoever is deemed to be accountable..

MonaghanMan44life (Monaghan) - Posts: 218 - 08/06/2026 17:27:52    2678721

Link

Can we get away from the conversation of who is not available and start concentrating on who is available to beat roscommon I know injuries are chronic but we still have a squad of 26 who all played at some point this year so let's give give it our best shot and play for 70 minutes for the first time since roscommon in last years div 2 final every match since is bits and glimpses of what we're capable of doing eg when we go straight at teams we're unplayable cos opposition does not want to foul because of beggan tipping them over we have all these great speedy players but were not using them we need to cut teams open or get dragged down either way its a score and hopefully tighten up at the back but again it's a 70 minute game not over at half time it's time for management to step it up a notch or 3 and stop with the aftermath of hard luck could have should have its our last outing if we play like we have all year

Farneyblueandwhite (Monaghan) - Posts: 148 - 08/06/2026 20:22:01    2678740

Link

One way or another monaghan or roscommon will be gone by Saturday evening. Usually a decent tussle between us and them, often high scoring. Roscommon have had a brilliant year but questions will be asked if monaghan take them out. The problem for monaghan it's been up and down and a rollercoster. Can we get a solid showing to beat them? Injuries, midfield, defence looks a worry as well in the last two games. On paper roscommon are favourites but I have a sneaky feeling we can take them.

222 (UK) - Posts: 939 - 09/06/2026 18:26:41    2678780

Link

Replying To farneygael3:  "And the 20s didnt under achieve??? with the players there?? wins over hurley counties is all that was achieved this year. Time for Joe Buggy & John to step up"
The certainly did not. Five Minor All-Stars in 2023. Three of them missing for most of the Under 20 campaign. On top of that another couple of the '23 stars missed most of games also. You need to go to the games before you talk nonsense.

ORIELMAN85 (Monaghan) - Posts: 1096 - 10/06/2026 00:02:05    2678793

Link

Getting nervous now, not ready for our Summer to be over. Still waiting on that Monaghan game, the one where everything just comes together beautifully, the one that brings pure joy to your soul, the one that makes you smile for the week.
Hoping I get to witness that game on Saturday. It's a hoping, praying, staring at the ceiling at 3 am kind of week.

Blackcardnot (USA) - Posts: 113 - 10/06/2026 00:02:40    2678794

Link

Roscommon definitely strong favourites, they are playing consistently well.

In the last few championships Monaghan have lost closely to Galway and Mayo twice. These are the teams you need to beat to get a step further along the way.
Monaghan's record outside Ulster teams is quite poor (leaving out Division 3 and 4 teams) and most of the Galways and Mayos will feel that they can get over Monaghan, even if it's a struggle. Monaghan are a stepping stone for these teams.

So this is another huge game. It's either go forwards to the next level, or drop backwards.
Ending the season losing to Armagh, Mayo and Roscommon three games in a row at home would be a bad sign for future progress.

Monaghan need to put down a marker and show they can beat a team that's got a good chance of progressing deep into the championship. Otherwise it'll be the usual lip service and patronising bull to which I am sick of listening.

The first half against Mayo was really iffy, Roscommon won't dip the way Mayo did, so a consistent 70+ minutes performance is needed.

PolicemanFox (Monaghan) - Posts: 226 - 10/06/2026 09:21:44    2678812

Link

Replying To PolicemanFox:  "Roscommon definitely strong favourites, they are playing consistently well.

In the last few championships Monaghan have lost closely to Galway and Mayo twice. These are the teams you need to beat to get a step further along the way.
Monaghan's record outside Ulster teams is quite poor (leaving out Division 3 and 4 teams) and most of the Galways and Mayos will feel that they can get over Monaghan, even if it's a struggle. Monaghan are a stepping stone for these teams.

So this is another huge game. It's either go forwards to the next level, or drop backwards.
Ending the season losing to Armagh, Mayo and Roscommon three games in a row at home would be a bad sign for future progress.

Monaghan need to put down a marker and show they can beat a team that's got a good chance of progressing deep into the championship. Otherwise it'll be the usual lip service and patronising bull to which I am sick of listening.

The first half against Mayo was really iffy, Roscommon won't dip the way Mayo did, so a consistent 70+ minutes performance is needed."
Cop on. Transition takes time. Even Dublin with all their talent are finding that out. The Monaghan lads are getting the big game experience need to be a force in the coming years.

ORIELMAN85 (Monaghan) - Posts: 1096 - 10/06/2026 10:53:04    2678834

Link

Replying To ORIELMAN85:  "Cop on. Transition takes time. Even Dublin with all their talent are finding that out. The Monaghan lads are getting the big game experience need to be a force in the coming years."
Big game experience? A force in the coming years. Being hearing this type of stuff for years.
All this experience and whatever is for some vague time in the future.

What about last year's big game experience, and last month's and last fortnight's? It should be paying off now.

Monaghan aren't really in transition. 12 of the 15 who started against Donegal in last year's quarter-final and 4 of the subs who came on are still very much involved and I think 14 played against Mayo at some stage. If there hadn't been injuries to O'Hanlon, Kelly, and Mohan that number would have been higher and if Lavelle and Gallagher had been available last year they probably would have played against Donegal too.
Every team brings a few players through each year if they can, so what?

The major question for Monaghan is getting to the next level:
Leading the 2025 All-Ireland quarter final last year by 7pts at halftime and letting it slip.
Losing the 2026 Ulster final in extra time.
Losing by a point to Mayo with home advantage.

The problem is winning these big games and Monaghan's record against teams outside Ulster is poor. The last two Mayo and Galway championship games being an example. Close games but Monaghan on the wrong side.
If they lose to Roscommon it'll just be another Monaghan nearly season.

The talent is clearly there and Monaghan need to be winning these types of games. Now, not next year.

PolicemanFox (Monaghan) - Posts: 226 - 10/06/2026 13:18:21    2678860

Link