Ulster Final 2013: Dún na nGall vs Mhuineacháin

Originally posted by RMDrive

o all but one of the team that started the AI final last year will start agin Monaghan. Neil Gallagher is not back to full fitness and David Walsh comes into the half-forward line to allow Bradley to move to midfield. Gallagher is expected to play 20-30 minutes though and we could need him against Monaghan's midfield.

Jim reckons that the lads are as sharp as they have been since the AI final last year - I'd say there has been some savage work done over the last 3 weeks.

It's a clash of Division 2 teams teams in Clones. To get to the final Monaghan had a forgettable 0-11 0-06 win over Antrim and then struggled past Cavan 1-10 to 0-12. Donegal are the only team so far to play 2 teams that contested division 1 in 2013 - Tyrone and Down.

At the press night, MOR asked “Could you get Jim to pick the same team for Sunday next as he had for the Dr. McKenna Cup fixture in Ballybofey in January?” In the McKenna cup fixture it finished Donegal 1-5 Monaghan 3-16 Shocked . I'd be happy enough if we could keep Monaghan to the Donegal scoreline from that night. Indeed, Monaghan may struggle for scores. They have 11 in each of their 2 games so far and I don't think that will be enough to beat us.

The lads have a brilliant chance to make history by winning 3 Ulster titles in a row. Before Armagh's feat in 2006, you have to go back to the early 1960's to when Down did it. And of course Cavan did it so many times it's hard to count. To win on Sunday would certainly make this team the finest ever produced by Donegal and one of the best in Ulster in a long time.

Monaghan have had the upper hand over us recently though. They were the downfall of Brian McIvor and it's the early 80's since we beat them in Championship. I expect that to change this Sunday. Jim will have the lads ready to go and I don't think the Monaghan backs can contain the 3 M's sufficiently. Donegal in a hard-fought contest by 2-10 to 0-11.

Donegal v Monaghan in the championship:
2008 qualifer- Donegal 0-15 Monaghan 0-16 - Ballybofey
2007 qualifier - Monaghan 2-12 Donegal 1-7 - Omagh
1995 Ulster quarter-final - Monaghan 1-14 Donegal 0-8 - Ballybofey
1983 Ulster semi-final - Donegal 1-14 Monaghan 1-9 - Irvinestown
1979 Ulster final - Monaghan 1-15 Donegal 0-11 - Clones
1956 Ulster quarter-final - Monaghan 0-14 Donegal 1-5 - Carrickmacross
1955 Ulster quarter-final - Donegal 3-8 Monaghan 208 Bundoran
1946 Ulster quarter-final - Donegal 4-5 Monaghan 1-9 - Clones
1938 - Ulster quarter-final - Donegal 0-6 Monaghan 0-7 - Carndonagh
1936 - Ulster quarter-final - Monaghan 2-8 Donegal 0-11 - Carrickmacross
1929 - Ulster quarter-final - Monaghan 2-8 Donegal 0-1 - Bundoran

I expect this to be very tough and not particularly pretty. Monaghan will pack their defence and hit Donegal as hard as the referee allows them to. They will be trying to win ugly, but I doubt they'll manage it.

Chatting about this game last night with my father, he told me that if Donegal didn't start well he feared they would be blown away. I corrected him, saying 'Surely you mean if Monaghan don't start well...?', but he didn't. His view was that Monaghan would knock lumps out of Donegal, and that David Coldrick would let them. He felt that Monaghan would physically wear Donegal down by hitting them hard from the throw-in, and continuing throughout the entire game.

Well, the moral for me is to listen more to my elders, as this is exactly what happened. The Farney men were powerful, aggressive and hungry. At times their hitting was on the edge, but they were sufficiently controlled so as not to cross the line. They out-fought the champions from start to finish.

I thought that Kieran Hughes was exceptional, and was very surprised that Jimmy didn't switch the 2 McGees, as Eamon clearly couldn't handle him. Darren Hughes was brilliant too, as was Dessie Mone and many others. Malachy O'Rourke has done a brilliant job with this team, rejuvenating his older players, and developing his young lads. He has won an Ulster title by combining physical strength with a miserly defence - you could even say that he has done to McGuinness what Jimmy has done to everyone else over the last couple of years.

Donegal will find it tough to regroup in 6 days. That game will have been physically demanding, and while it will have helped the likes of Lacey, there will surely be a couple of others carrying knocks coming out of it (Mark McHugh being the obvious and major doubt). Laois will fancy their chances, and I think the next 6 days will be as big a test of Jimmy's motivational and organisational powers as he has faced to date.

Delighted to see Monaghan win today, nothing against Donegal as i really like what they've done since Jim Mc took over. Really happy to see some of those Monaghan players get their hands on an Ulster medal, as i said on twitter it is the dying kick for a lot of that team.

Can Jim reorganise the champs for next week? I think so.

Enjoyable match, nowhere to match Clones in high Summer.

Monaghan's level of intensity was breath-taking, not only for the opening 15 but throughout. Some great fielding and some beautiful long range point taking. I've complained about possession/defensive football, but you have to say that when mixed correctly it can be a great spectacle.

Donegal were forced into quick (and errant) shooting but won't face the same level of aggression from Laois and therefore have the chance to regroup. An hat-trick of Ulsters is indeed hard to do.

Disappointing, but well bet. Delighted for Monaghan great scenes at the end and the crowd reaction to freeman's cameo was one that had to be experienced to be believed.

Simple enough to analyse this one

Monaghan were hungrier. Feriocous in contact - and cleaned all breaking ball when it mattered.
I could count on five occasions today where in fifty / fifty ball the Donegal player flicked in a lazy boot instead of competing (McFadden 2 of those)

The second issue is that I don't think Donegal have ever been 4 points down under McGuinness and couldn't work out what to do. The first twenty minutes roasting aside they had enough of the game thereafter to get in terms. They had there usual purple patch 40- 60 minutes but instead of winning the period 7-2, I think they lost it 4-3 though at that stage Gallagher was cleaning midfield, they just didn't know what to do. Murphy was in then out then in the small square then out hen in again
They didn't have the confidence to reel in 4-5 points went for goals and when 2 hail Mary's failed to pay off the game was gone.
Though when McFadden missed a 25 harder after 15 minutes the portents were not good in any case.

Tactically I think we slipped in a few places e.g put the sweeper on McManus who duly headed out to the 50
With 2 men leaving E McGee isolated on Hughes which didn't work out so well.

Next week will tell a lot. I'm sure McNulty will have today taped, but I still feel they can turn it round.

OMAR, hunger & ferocity come easy when you are not given a chance by all & sundry against a side who have to be beliving their hype a little. Perhaps losing their Ulster crown could be a boot up the jaxie Donegal need to jolt them back into the groove they had last year. I think they'll have a say still on where Sam goes.

Draw is set up nicely for a Cavan - Monaghan QF in Croke Park at 7pm Saturday the 3rd.

Inniskeen Road: July Evening.

Patrick Kavanagh.

The bicycles go by in twos and threes -
There's a dance in Billy Brennan's barn to-night,
And there's the half-talk code of mysteries
And the wink-and-elbow language of delight.
Half-past eight and there is not a spot
Upon a mile of road, no shadow thrown
That might turn out a man or woman, not
A footfall tapping secrecies of stone.
I have what every poet hates in spite
Of all the solemn talk of contemplation.
Oh, Alexander Selkirk knew the plight
Of being king and government and nation.
A road, a mile of kingdom, I am king
Of banks and stones and every blooming thing.


The great bard and less than great goal-keeper is probably re-working this epic piece tonight.

''My black hills have never seen the sun rising,
Eternally they look north towards Armagh.''

"From Carrickmacross to Crossmaglen
You'll find more rogues than honest men"....

Anon.

Hi guys,

Tactical analysis of Monaghan's stunning Ulster Final win here
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Emmet

Loyal2TheRoyal wrote:Draw is set up nicely for a Cavan - Monaghan QF in Croke Park at 7pm Saturday the 3rd.

That would be pretty epic. Battle of Breffni 2: Croke Park Boogaloo.

Well done Monaghan. They experienced a feeling that is still fresh in the minds of Donegal people - and it's a magnificent one. I'm delighted for them.

Worrying performance from us - while we may regroup somewhat, we look like a mentally tired team. More anon (if I can stomach it).

great result for Monaghan and was well impressed with their performance did nt think they could keep it up for 70 minutes but they did and then some.

They were fitter & hungrier and certainly were not buying into the hype that all Donegal had to do was turn up. Jim was outwitted by O' Rourke and it didnt appear like he had a plan B. Maybe this management melarky isnt as easy as some of us think it is, when the chips are down its hard to stem the tide and turn a game around.

I suppose the result raises two questions
1) is that the end of Monaghans season - have they achieved more than they honestly thought they could and will now celebrate for days and come their Q/F them wont be able to replicate the hunger from yesterday?

2) can Donegal turn things around and get their season back on track against Laois or will the effects of yesterday be too much, they looked tired and uninterested and alot of weaknesses of the past have resurfaced.

a highly enjoyable game yesterday but once again i would question the referee, he showed great composure in going to his officials to disallow Kavanaghs point however while some would argue Monaghans tackling was close to the edge i felt Donegal weren't far behind them and in particular Walsh was very lucky to see half time without getting a red, having already being booked he committed two further fouls both of which were bookings but the ref let him off with a warning one of these being a pull round the neck which is a yellow every time. And yet in the second half Conor McManus done the exact same thing and was booked straight away.

I know there are those of you who will say a sending off would have ruined the game however its not the refs call on whether a game would be ruined or not if its a booking its a booking regardless of whether the player has been booked before.

Agree with you Boc, was listening to RTE radio and one of the pundits was banging on about a sending off in the Tyrone game, saying that it took away from a game of that importance! The rules state that if a player has 2 yellows tgey have to go, if the foul is serious enough then they must go straight away. The importance of a game is irrelevant, an under 14 game should be reffed the same as a county game, that under 14 game is the most important match to those under 14 players! Only alternative is to do away with bookings & sendings off & replace with a report system akin to that in AFL where a panel review any reported incidents in hindsight and ban players for matches accordingly. Not sure i'd like to see that system though!

bocerty wrote: I suppose the result raises two questions

1) is that the end of Monaghans season - have they achieved more than they honestly thought they could and will now celebrate for days and come their Q/F them wont be able to replicate the hunger from yesterday?

2) can Donegal turn things around and get their season back on track against Laois or will the effects of yesterday be too much, they looked tired and uninterested and alot of weaknesses of the past have resurfaced.

1) If it was another provincial game in Breffni or Enniskillen or the likes, I'd be worried. However, Monaghan's next match is an AI q-final in Croke Park, and I think that will be sufficient to focus the minds and hopefully lift them for another big effort. I also think that O'Rourke is a good manager, and will bring them down to earth over the next couple of days.

2) It's a huge ask. Laois will fancy their chances, as they are now on a reasonable run, while Donegal a lot of the Donegal players will be feeling the affects of yesterday. Most worrying, perhaps, is that the template for beating Donegal is now out there, and their aura of invincibility is gone. Donegal are a better team than Laois, but this is a big challenge. However, if they get through it, they'll be the side to avoid in the quarters.

TC the template for beating them has been there for a while its just no team was able to carry it out for 70 minutes. We came close twice with the same template but just couldnt see it through.

bocerty wrote:TC the template for beating them has been there for a while its just no team was able to carry it out for 70 minutes.  We came close twice with the same template but just couldnt see it through.

I don't think we used the same template at all, Boc.  We carried the fight to them and were picked off on the counter.  Monaghan were much more defensive.  Monaghan also had 2 ball winning inside forwards and split the McGee with fast ball to the corners.

Bocerty we should rename you the cliché king.

A couple of clichés which I've had enough of by now:

"No Plan B" - What is this about? Every team prepares for weeks and months before a big game. Their plan is to prepare well and to be ready. After that, the plan is to win. If you're losing the game, you try to get back in front. But you don't plan to be losing so that Plan B can kick into action. In fact, what team in the history of sport - when finding themselves behind in a big game - have executed a plan B. One example will suffice. Eugene McGee dedicated a whole article to Plan B's in the paper today.

"The template is there" - The template is always there. A football match is a football match. You'd think it was an invention or a discovery or something, once one solves it, it becomes apparent to everyone how it's done. It looks so easy now.

The great big secret is that there is no secret. Donegal worked harder than everyone else last year. If you want to beat them, you work harder. You prepare better. That's the template.

Didn't think Monaghan were any more physical than any Ulster team in recent years though Gollogly took McHugh out of the game (and himself). If anything Donegal should have been down to 14. David Walsh came on after 11 minutes and could have seen red twice so no wonder Jimmy took him off at half time. But McGuinness can't seem to make up his mind with this guy nonetheless and his confidence cannot be high over the last couple of seasons.

Donegal's collective effort and cohesion has been very effective over the last three seasons and has made some players look better than they actually are. Yesterday the likes of O'Reilly, McLoone and Thompson looked very ordinary and none saw half time. It will be interesting to see how they react, especially now the aura of invincibility and the 'Jimmy Mojo' has been shattered.

Ulster football is finished and thank god for that.yesterdays game was pure muck,Donegal have mayo to thank for winning an all Ireland because they would never beat the dubs,I expect Dublin to win the all Ireland as they wish there is no team on this island capable of living with the pace they bring to the game

Yawn!

champers wrote:Ulster football is finished and thank god for that.yesterdays game was pure muck,Donegal have mayo to thank for winning an all Ireland because they would never beat the dubs,I expect Dublin to win the all Ireland as they wish there is no team on this island capable of living with the pace they bring to the game

The Olympics were last year

Fair play to Monaghan on a great victory but I find their parading of the Anglo Celt all over the county last night most strange. Yes it was 25 years since they won but they are a fortnight away from an All Ireland QF. Dublin hurlers won a Leinster after 53 years but there was no parade – the lads want more. Similarly Limerick hurlers bridged a 17 year gap but want more. In 2011 Donegal won their first Ulster in 19 years but their eyes were on the bigger prize.

I am sure Monaghan were not drinking or partying but I can’t see how they will re-focus for Sam. It’s obvious their eyes were only on the AC and in these situations it is very difficult to replicate the hunger when it has been already sated. I think they will find it impossible to repeat anything near the Ulster final display and may go out with a bit of a whimper. They may reassess the celebrations when their season finishes.