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Monaghan GAA thread

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Replying To seanie08:  "Malachy O Rourke be free this summer by looks of things. Just saying !"
Doubt he wants to take a step backwards

Bernardo (Monaghan) - Posts: 618 - 24/02/2026 08:58:10    2658296

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Replying To Bernardo:  "Doubt he wants to take a step backwards"
Maybe I could be wrong but just have the feeling the monaghan lads aren't all that excited by the mgmt team this year. GB is a good man but he sounds a bit resigned in interviews. I noticed he didn't do his usual post match one on Sunday id say the dressing room was shut for a good bit after the game not about the defeat but the manner of it total capitulation. Andy Moran seemed to be v popular with the players and hasn't really been replaced.

seanie08 (Monaghan) - Posts: 1952 - 24/02/2026 10:29:32    2658309

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Replying To MonaghanBoi:  "There is numerous lads not on the panel who should be. Starting with lads who walked last year ( didn't come back) due to being mis managed - Barry McBennett, Jack Doogan, Sean Jones, Fergal Hanratty, Colm Lennon, Joel Wilson even Dean McDonnell.

Then you've the likes of Ronan Grimes, Jordan McGarrell, Sean McEnaney, Karl McMenamin, Jack McGeown, Stephen Finnegan, Barry Kerr, Thomas Kerr, Jack Gormely, Alan Kiernans who should be on the panel and are far better quality to be around the squad than the likes of some of our players.

I don't think conditioning is our problem. How do we go from having one of the fittest team last year to struggling this year and it's the same S&C coach. It's the quality of players, coaching and management decision making that is making us lose games. Being unfit is a cop out, no mater how fit you are if you've to constantly run up and down the field because the team can't hold onto the ball you're eventually going to get fatigued.

Massive question marks should be over our management and coaching team. Where else would you see our cornerback for 3/4 games all of a sudden start in an 11 playing position. Crazy"
What I feel about this is that guys like Barry McBennett and Joel Wilson for example were starting to establish themselves, particularly McBennet, and now they are gone. I felt McBennet didn't get credit for how he performed in 2024 when he looked to me like he should have at least been given a first shot at a starting place on the team. I know no one is entitled to play but he seemed to be gone very quickly having done very well in some of the championship games that year. It feels like a number of talented players have been let slip by.

PolicemanFox (Monaghan) - Posts: 210 - 24/02/2026 12:09:11    2658333

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Replying To Square_B:  "What's the view on the current lad? He was around a few clubs in Dublin that I'm familiar with and never won a tap so I'm curious why he got the job."
Thoughts in those clubs in Dublin is that he has a shelf life and that he is pretty hands off but creates the structure and environment for success but maybe doesn't have the tools when it goes sideways to recovery unless he has a good number two.

The loss of Andy Moran may be the catalyst for the same fate now with Monaghan

MrPBoylan (Monaghan) - Posts: 303 - 24/02/2026 13:32:37    2658354

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Replying To PolicemanFox:  "What I feel about this is that guys like Barry McBennett and Joel Wilson for example were starting to establish themselves, particularly McBennet, and now they are gone. I felt McBennet didn't get credit for how he performed in 2024 when he looked to me like he should have at least been given a first shot at a starting place on the team. I know no one is entitled to play but he seemed to be gone very quickly having done very well in some of the championship games that year. It feels like a number of talented players have been let slip by."

The talent isn't out there. If you list the absolute best players in the county regardless of their county status the two Hughes brothers, Beggan, Ward, Ryan Wylie are in the top 10 and all are over 30. Following that you can add McCarthy, O'Hanlon and Bannigan who are all near 30 - after that there's very little else worth talking about in comparison to the talent in Armagh, Donegal, Mayo, Kerry, etc..

Jjoniel79 (Monaghan) - Posts: 262 - 24/02/2026 14:17:30    2658362

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Replying To Jjoniel79:  "
The talent isn't out there. If you list the absolute best players in the county regardless of their county status the two Hughes brothers, Beggan, Ward, Ryan Wylie are in the top 10 and all are over 30. Following that you can add McCarthy, O'Hanlon and Bannigan who are all near 30 - after that there's very little else worth talking about in comparison to the talent in Armagh, Donegal, Mayo, Kerry, etc.."
U20s ? All ireland finalists 2 years ago what talent has armagh donegal coming through maybe derry and tyrone

Farneyblueandwhite (Monaghan) - Posts: 118 - 24/02/2026 18:32:59    2658436

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Replying To Farneyblueandwhite:  "U20s ? All ireland finalists 2 years ago what talent has armagh donegal coming through maybe derry and tyrone"
That group of players didn't win a medal as minors so I think we need to dampen expectations. Derry, Tyrone, Donegal and Armagh all very strong at that age.

MonaghanMan44life (Monaghan) - Posts: 161 - 24/02/2026 21:42:27    2658468

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When are the footballers jetting to Spain?

farneygael3 (Monaghan) - Posts: 540 - 25/02/2026 11:50:27    2658524

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Replying To farneygael3:  "When are the footballers jetting to Spain?"
Algarve is it not?

Between the Donegal and Cavan games I think.

ConyersHill04 (Monaghan) - Posts: 46 - 25/02/2026 14:12:24    2658563

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Replying To farneygael3:  "When are the footballers jetting to Spain?"
Pull the other one!

MonaghanMan44life (Monaghan) - Posts: 161 - 25/02/2026 14:29:41    2658568

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Replying To Farneyblueandwhite:  "U20s ? All ireland finalists 2 years ago what talent has armagh donegal coming through maybe derry and tyrone"
Enough talent not to get pumped by 19 points at home.

peiledoir20 (Donegal) - Posts: 1454 - 25/02/2026 14:36:23    2658569

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Replying To ConyersHill04:  "Algarve is it not?

Between the Donegal and Cavan games I think."
Thought it was before the Galway game

farneygael3 (Monaghan) - Posts: 540 - 25/02/2026 14:38:30    2658571

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Replying To peiledoir20:  "Enough talent not to get pumped by 19 points at home."
Ah now …. go easy plz .

Curlew66 (Roscommon) - Posts: 649 - 25/02/2026 15:25:28    2658588

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Replying To peiledoir20:  "Enough talent not to get pumped by 19 points at home."
I remember when you boys were the Bonnie Blues of football.. the good oul days

veterngaa (Monaghan) - Posts: 981 - 25/02/2026 16:00:08    2658599

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Replying To Farneyblueandwhite:  "U20s ? All ireland finalists 2 years ago what talent has armagh donegal coming through maybe derry and tyrone"
Apart from the Scotstown lads I didn't see a single one of them lads do anything of significance in the club championship - and not one of them is at the level that you'd say would make a big difference against mayo. Drop a young McManus, Walsh, Hughes, O'Connell etc in to that game and you'd say yeah they'd make a good impact on the game.

Jjoniel79 (Monaghan) - Posts: 262 - 25/02/2026 20:00:23    2658645

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Replying To Jjoniel79:  "Apart from the Scotstown lads I didn't see a single one of them lads do anything of significance in the club championship - and not one of them is at the level that you'd say would make a big difference against mayo. Drop a young McManus, Walsh, Hughes, O'Connell etc in to that game and you'd say yeah they'd make a good impact on the game."
Completely agree. Fellas on here hanging their hat on the U20s thinking they will be the saviors of Monaghan football. They competed well at minor level but won zilch unfortunately. Minor/U20 teams since have hardly been anything to talk about. Certainly there are lads with potential but look at Tyrone and Derry in recent years and how they have struggled to get minor/U20 players up the levels. No guarantee the U20 lads will feature with the seniors in a few years and not end up in Australia.

Monaghansclown (Monaghan) - Posts: 198 - 25/02/2026 23:18:16    2658667

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Replying To Monaghansclown:  "Completely agree. Fellas on here hanging their hat on the U20s thinking they will be the saviors of Monaghan football. They competed well at minor level but won zilch unfortunately. Minor/U20 teams since have hardly been anything to talk about. Certainly there are lads with potential but look at Tyrone and Derry in recent years and how they have struggled to get minor/U20 players up the levels. No guarantee the U20 lads will feature with the seniors in a few years and not end up in Australia."
Seems to be a good minor crop this year and they start this weekend at home to Armagh. Serious resources behind them. Shrude move by the county board to head hunt the management team when they overlooked the coaches who had been with them all the way up to that point.

farneygael3 (Monaghan) - Posts: 540 - 26/02/2026 12:47:19    2658732

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