Bernardo (Monaghan) - Posts: 595 - 30/04/2023 08:59:19    2474649

Sobering enough day yesterday.
That derry side is awesome.
So well trained it's ridiculous. They could well go a bit further this year. However I believe at some stage individuality and innovation will be required and that's what they lacked recently against Dublin and last year vrs Galway.

Having said that Id possibly put them as second best team in the country

Think Gary mohan was a positive sub. Loved that big shoulder on glass. Knock him the f##k into touch. Why show these lads any respect?

Wonder are we missing a "hateful" player? Someone who shows the opposition no respect. Chrissy mckaigue is so hateful but I'd love to have him in our ranks.

Dessie mone used to be decent at it... I do see ward and mccarron getting tangled up in a bit of nonsense but they're not great at it.

Corduff won intermediate last year playing the dark arts alongside a rory Gallagher gameplan... None of them on the panel. Food for thought.

MalsBalls (Monaghan) - Posts: 180 - 30/04/2023 10:14:47    2474661

First up, fair play to Derry on a seriously impressive performance. They physically and tactically destroyed Monaghan yesterday. They found the holes in Monaghan's game early on, and like any good hunting pack went after those weak spots time and again. I don't think Armagh or Down will get anywhere near them in the Ulster final.

From a Monaghan perspective, can't say I was too surprised at the result but the gulf in performance between the teams was more than disappointing. Midfield was wiped out (that's 3 quarters of 4 played in championship), and there was no second half fade out by Glass and Rogers - quite the opposite in fact. The lack of pace and power in the inside forward line was badly exposed, and even led to the Derry goal. I will say one more time that McCarron and McManus cannot start these games together as it leads to huge overlaps and pressure on defence- Odhran Lynch made the situation even worse yesterday. Carey didn't make it count off the bench, and Gary Mohan was mile off the pace - huge work needed to harness that lad's abilities. It was clear, as mentioned, that Dessie Ward wasn't ready for a central role in this game. He could have started inside for Jack. McPhilips was actually suited to this game and probably should have started, while Ryan O'Toole was certainly targeted by Derry in the first half- they worked point after point from his position.

Big question for Vinny now is what to do with the upcoming games? To me they are effectively post-season development games for this team. He should take the pressure off the panel and prioritize getting championship time into new lads- the risk of a hiding or two is worth it. Leonard, Mulligan, Jones, McPhilips, Mohan, Gallagher and Irwin can get significant experience over the summer. They will need all of it because some of the old warriors will be done by summer's end.

Eddie the Exile (Monaghan) - Posts: 1057 - 30/04/2023 10:30:39    2474664

HB245 (Monaghan) - Posts: 206 - 30/04/2023 11:46:09    2474676

I don't think it was much of a suprise yesterday, Derry are so well drilled and coached and further ahead on their journey than monaghan. Vinnie is rebuilding to be fair and trying to build a new monaghan team, you'd suspect by 2024, at least 3-4 of that starting team will have retired, I think there age was shown up yesterday and I don't say that in any disrespectful way, terrific servants in the Jersey and warriors but you can't carry that going forward if we want to push on.
A new midfield is needed, a more coherent attacking game plan and fresh blood in defence. I never read much into the league and survival, monaghan beat a donegal team in total dissaray and were lucky mayo had nothing to play for on the last day. The next 6 weeks should be a time to blood new players. However I will agree with a previous poster, it's amazing from the three county champions in monaghan in 2023, they have give little to the county in terms of players.

222 (UK) - Posts: 693 - 30/04/2023 12:28:34    2474688

MalsBalls (Monaghan) - Posts: 180 - 30/04/2023 15:37:01    2474717

mick2007 (Monaghan) - Posts: 449 - 30/04/2023 18:23:57    2474768

MalsBalls (Monaghan) - Posts: 180 - 30/04/2023 19:11:44    2474789

Terrible stuff yesterday. Kicking the can down the road with an ageing squad really came back to haunt us. Manzy will retire on his own terms and is absolutely entitled to do so but Vinny needed to make big calls yesterday and failed the team in not doing so, Manzy was run ragged when Derry decided to drag him out of our their FF line, he was danced around for the goal. That game needed pace and athleticism in the first half to ensure we had a fighting chance come second half. We had no impact of the bench at all.

Ryan W has been getting roasted the past 3 years and is continuously being bailed out by his team mates & management, if a member of your full back line can't blott out his man then there's no place for him at this level. He got a roasting against Tyrone until he was switched, same again yesterday. Grimes, Hanratty are great talents and haven't had a look in this year.

Daren H was lucky he got out when he did because he was having a terrible day of it. My question here is where is our next midfield pairing coming from, what are we doing to develop this position? Reports at the game yesterday was Niall K isn't returning from travelling next year either so that needs to be taken into consideration also.

Derry probably a better team by 10 odd points which makes you wonder where we are in the pecking order. Tyrone got caught by us in first round and no doubt will be the better for it down the line.
A barren few years lies ahead.

Blueblood4life (Monaghan) - Posts: 200 - 30/04/2023 21:09:42    2474824

TheGreatRambo (Monaghan) - Posts: 79 - 30/04/2023 21:26:03    2474827

Hope we get Derry again, Louth for the craic and Cork for the spin.

Eddie the Exile (Monaghan) - Posts: 1057 - 01/05/2023 23:45:52    2474942

seanie08 (Monaghan) - Posts: 1799 - 02/05/2023 12:08:34    2474987

The Difference in our tackling when Derry crossed the 45 compared to their tackling when we did was night and day. Honestly, they were far more up for it. I Don't know what the story was with the tactics we went in with, I thought we would of learned from last year but we didn't. How did we stand off so much without putting a tackle? It was very frustrating to watch.

MonaghanGlory (Monaghan) - Posts: 738 - 02/05/2023 13:05:13    2475023

Derry/Armagh, Donegal & Kerry/Clare, tough group, a mini Ulster if you like

MonaghanGlory (Monaghan) - Posts: 738 - 02/05/2023 13:20:50    2475033

PolicemanFox (Monaghan) - Posts: 158 - 02/05/2023 13:21:01    2475034

Shelbourne1 (Monaghan) - Posts: 348 - 02/05/2023 13:52:41    2475067

seanie08 (Monaghan) - Posts: 1799 - 02/05/2023 13:55:09    2475072

Ill try and be positive. Out of the 4 provincial winners the ulster champions are probably our best bet of causing an upset. Donegal are in a poor state and we should be beating clare otherwise we have no business in last 8. Realistically through derry who will probably win ulster swatted us aside with ease so celtic park could be painful trip. Donegal have to have some kind of kick in them this summer and clare are v well drilled side who will have no fear of us probably expect to beat us.

seanie08 (Monaghan) - Posts: 1799 - 02/05/2023 14:09:53    2475085

Bernardo (Monaghan) - Posts: 595 - 02/05/2023 14:27:48    2475095

The possibility of playing derry twice in a row might not be a bad thing, at least we might have learned from the game at the first game, get better match ups right and better tactics and we could be in with a good chance going to celtic park. Realistically we should be beating clare at home and Donegal in a neutral ground, also donegal heading off to ennis is no banker in the first game, Clare could be coming to clones with a win under their belts which would be perfect for us.

monaghanmad (Monaghan) - Posts: 378 - 02/05/2023 14:30:14    2475098