Monaghan v Fermanagh

So this Sunday sees the second Ulster semi, a massive game for both ourselves and the Ernemen as obviously Ulster finals haven't been a regular occurance, 07/08 aside. It was all well and good hammering a deflated Armagh side but that won't count for anything if we can't get past Fermanagh.

I'm fairly optimistic, there's a very experienced, relatively solid team in place here now, with tenacious backs, ball-winners in the middle third and for a change a few real scoring threats up front. The team is as focused and driven as I've ever seen them and the preparation for this game will be second to none.

I can't help but be nervous though at the same time, years of following Monaghan has built this into my psyche. Fermanagh always do well against us, and usually beat us going on recent meetings. No matter what the standing of both teams is coming into a meeting, both teams are equal when they take to the field and we always struggle with them. They badly embarrassed us in Brewster Park two years ago, that was a defeat that took an awful long time to get over, that year Ulster was there for the taking for whoever wanted it, even in the final Armagh and Fermanagh did their best to mess it up. My only hope is that that beating will guard against any chance of complacency among the team in the build-up to this game, it will very much be in the thoughts of every player who was involved that day, I'd say 12/13 of the same players will start on Sunday. However, Fermanagh seem to have found a few new players who looked impressive the last day out, including Carson and Quigley who by the looks of it will give any defender their fill. We have a habit of self-destructing and giving away soft goals at vital times, particularly against Fermanagh, but hopefully we can put an end to that. JP Mone and Corey/Hughes should be more than capable of handling those big men, but we'll see how it unfolds.

It'll be very tough, and it certainly won't be pretty to watch, I'd imagine it'll be a war of attrition around midfield and stiffling defences. I'll hesistantly go for a Monaghan win by a few points, but I just can't help being awful nervous before meeting Fermanagh.

Any thoughts from the neutral?

Hard to see past a Monaghan win.

Id say Monaghan would win with 6-7 points to spare.

GAA-Fan wrote:Hard to see past a Monaghan win.

Id say Monaghan would win with 6-7 points to spare.

About that I'd guess...On MMM's point re: Carson ...OK he scored a couple of fine points the last day, but he's a "bustling chf" at best and only has the left foot...limited IMO and Corey will eat him up...

Interesting match up - On the form books Monaghan have to be favourites given their more impressive passage to this stage combined with much higher league pedigree.

Last year aside Monaghan showed good form in 07/08 - two impressive wins over Donegal through the back door and narrowly beaten by the Kingdom on two occasions in HQ in addition to giving Tyrone a reasonable test on a number of occasions in the later part of the last decade.

Fermanagh won the cavan game at midfield as an onform McGrath was well above anything that cavan had to offer, Monaghan should have enough to get 50/50 at midfield - Upfront notwithstanding the recent impressive additions the Ernesiders have hardly been prolific over the past few years in particular the 08 Ulster finals were too big a stage for their frontmen after some super strong running play from their backs (McCloskey in Particular)- I think in contrast Freeman, Jap and hanratty and co. when on form are a much classier proposition.

So in summary I think Monaghan have the firepower upfront to see this through
1-14 to 1-9

Fermanagh have a more potent attack this year but if Monaghan play like they did v Armagh they should win by 4 or so. No pressure.

i think i tipped this for a draw but have a sneaking suspicion that the boys in green will pull off a shock. o rouke has never had a good league campaign as manager of fermanagh but they are always well drilled come championship. monaghan are up for it and were absolutley ruthless against armagh . this could go any way one team may sneak it or blow the other out of the water. i expect that if there are goals in this game fermanagh will get more than monaghan. this could just see them across the line IMO blobby and quigley will give criac may be limited in ability but all they have to do is get lucky once off one of them bombs dropped in and thay are seen as being sucessful.

Dick Clerkin to rule the roost again for the mighty Farney on their unstoppable march to Ulster glory this year.
Paul Finlay to add the Joy de Vivre that Monaghan football has been so renowned for down the years.

I think Monaghan will win this, but I expect it to be closer than most of the rest of you think. Monaghan looked excellent against Armagh, but Armagh are a very average young side, and I felt that Monaghan were always strong favourites for that one.

Fermanagh have been awful for almost 2 years now, but they do look like they are turning the corner. They beat Cavan in Breffni, and will not fear Monaghan the way they would fear, for instance, Tyrone. Fermanagh are stronger in defence and midfield that Armagh, and they should be able to stop Monaghan from running up a big score.

Fermanagh probably wont score enough to win (although Ward & O'Brien were good against Cavan), but I certainly dont see this being a hammering.

i actually wouldnt be surprised to see Fermanagh win this (though i have tipped Monaghan in tipster) the problem for me is which Monaghan team will turn up - though you could say the say for the Erne men - that said i think the Grimley factor is a big plus for Monaghan - he is running the show for Monaghan and Banty is a silent partner if you ask me.

He will have them in the right frame of mind for this and wont have allowed them to get ahead of themselves after the tanking they gave the Orangemen. But Fermanagh are a fit hard working team and wont give Finlay and Freeman the freedom of the park like Armagh did.

It will boil down to frees for me such is the prize at stake it will be a scrappy tight game, thus the pendulum would swing in Monaghans favour as Fermanagh still have an issue in that department.

I'll go for a 2 point win for Monaghan

Likelihood is that Hughes may be needed between the sticks for this aswell.

Teams:

Monaghan:
D Hughes
D McArdle
JP Mone
C Walshe
D Freeman
V Corey
G McQuaid
D Clerkin
O Lennon
S Gollogly
P Finlay
K Hughes
C Hanratty
C McManus
T Freeman

Subs: S Duffy, F Caulfield, M McElroy, D Mone, N McAdam, H McElroy, R Woods, C Greenan, G Doogan, G Flanagan.

Fermanagh:
Ronan Gallagher
N Bogue
S Lyons
B Mulrone
D Ward
R McCluskey
T McElroy
J Sherry
M McGrath
D Keenan
R Carson
M Little
P Ward
Rory Gallagher
C O'Brien

Subs: C Breen, J Woods, N McGovern, M Jones, M O'Brien, D Kelly, K Cosgrove, R Jones, C Flaherty, R Keenan, C McElroy, B Cox, S Quigley, J Connolly, A McCarron.

Mid mon man,you got anything to do with mid mon lady?she gonna win any more races?

Thomas Clarke wrote:I think Monaghan will win this, but I expect it to be closer than most of the rest of you think. .

With respect TC, if Monaghan don't win this with ease (9pts up and concede 1 late goal and 2 frees) cutting the deficit to 4 then they can peg their caps at it. If they are to come into an Ulster final with any level of confidence they will need to win by 5+ and looking like See the Stars...(Loads in the tank left)..

So it's Mon by 5 for me..

beer baron wrote:Mid mon man,you got anything to do with mid mon lady?she gonna win any more races?

She's cooking him a fry in the morning prior to him painting the kitchen....

Boxtyeater wrote:

Thomas Clarke wrote:I think Monaghan will win this, but I expect it to be closer than most of the rest of you think. .

With respect TC, if Monaghan don't win this with ease (9pts up and concede 1 late goal and 2 frees) cutting the deficit to 4 then they can peg their caps at it. If they are to come into an Ulster final with any level of confidence they will need to win by 5+ and looking like See the Stars...(Loads in the tank left)..

So it's Mon by 5 for me..

I would go with that B. Monaghan have flattered to deceive over the last 4ish seasons. But they overwhelmed a limited Armagh side and as far as I am concerned Fermanagh are even more limited - though with a couple of forwards now. An Ulster win would be massive for the Farney so I expect them to brush Fermanagh aside and go for the big tilt against Tyrone.

Totally agree that they should be 6-7 points better than Fermanagh if they have serious Ulster title ambitions Boxty, but i'm not convinced that they will be.

Monaghan had a good league campaign, and have added a bit more of a scoring threat up front in McManus. But, I still think that they beat a very average Armagh side and won't get it as easy on Sunday. Fermanagh are possibly more experienced than Armagh, and they have a better midfield and defence. Like I said earlier, I still don't think that they will score enough to win, but I'd be shocked to see a 7-10 point win for Monaghan.

Thomas Clarke wrote:Totally agree that they should be 6-7 points better than Fermanagh if they have serious Ulster title ambitions Boxty, but i'm not convinced that they will be.

.

As a few lads are online and posting I have an opinion. The Fermanagh chf ..Carson I think (wearing 11 the day agin' Cavan) is full solid useless.... A big, well wintered lad, lotsa' bustle, lotsa' possession but milk would turn quicker than him...no right foot, no variation in style.....then he scores 2 good points and is MOTM...
Any middling CHB would show him the sideline and chase him there where it's "Goodnight Irene" for him..
I was impressing upon the War Office this opinion as we drank tae during a break in the baling, yet she said he won the MOTM.....

Yeah, Carson is very limited Boxty, but he is there to do a specific job. Although he wears 11, they actualy play him as a target man at full forward, with no-one to either side of him. The 2 corner forwards, Ward & O'Brien, play deeper and quite wide, trying to feed off the ball he wins, often by using their speed and moving across the field in front of where Carson is. Carson himself doesn't really have much scoring responsibility; he is there more as a nuisance.

Dublin tried something similar with Bernard Brogan up on his own against Wexford, but Keaney & McManamon were too far away from him, and Brogan became too isolated. The intention was probably to give Brogan more space to move into, as he is a far more mobile and better footballer than Carson, but he was just left with far too much to do on his own.

I'll hold my hands up on this one. Havent see any of it, but that is an impressive scoreline.

Thomas Clarke wrote:I'll hold my hands up on this one. Havent see any of it, but that is an impressive scoreline.

My sentiments exactly.
Whats the lowdown mmm? Is a Monaghan/Meath All-Ireland Final now a formality or what?

Roll on the Ulster Final!

mid-mon man wrote:Roll on the Ulster Final!

My mate Dermot from Donegal said the other day that the only thing to match an Ulster Final was a Connacht Final but that he'd never been to a Munster or a Leinster Final.
Odd folk them Donegals

mossbags wrote:

mid-mon man wrote:Roll on the Ulster Final!

My mate Dermot from Donegal said the other day that the only thing to match an Ulster Final was a Connacht Final but that he'd never been to a Munster or a Leinster Final.
Odd folk them Donegals

Sure are! I see the final is fixed for Clones, good choice, the only choice if you ask me!

mid-mon man wrote:

mossbags wrote:

mid-mon man wrote:Roll on the Ulster Final!

My mate Dermot from Donegal said the other day that the only thing to match an Ulster Final was a Connacht Final but that he'd never been to a Munster or a Leinster Final.
Odd folk them Donegals

Sure are! I see the final is fixed for Clones, good choice, the only choice if you ask me!

Proper order too. My mate Dermot refuses to recognize the result of an Ulster Final if it wasn't played in Clones!

Odd folk indeed

He took the Ulster final defeat in 2004 very bad then.