Monaghan are fucked this year. Darren Hughes has broken his ankle. Niall Kearns, our find of 2018, has had a heart operation and will probably never be the same again. I don’t see any chance of beating Tyrone or any of the top teams. I’d be happy if Monaghan just beat Cavan in the Ulster quarter final.
The mood in the county is dark, cynical, negative… just the same as usual really.
Thread for the Monaghan 2019 season…
Time for Malachy to move on?
None of it’s his fault. Although it was unbelievable how shit they were in the league.
Might be time for a fresh face. Lot of mileage on some of those guys, probably time for Monaghan to rebuild and it’s not easy for a manager who has enjoyed success to do that and come out the right side of it.
It worked out ok in the end of Mickey Harte. There’s no point in getting rid of Malachy O’Rourke unless there’s someone else as good or better available.
It did but Mickey is a stubborn and defiant man and battled through quite a fair bit of pressure both inside and outside the county.
Monaghan have continued to do well at underage since O’Rourke has taken the job but they haven’t really added too many stellar players in that time. McAnespie has really developed into a top player and Kearns looked decent last year. I’ve been a bit disappointed in McCarthy if I’m honest - the game doesn’t really cater for his type that much anymore. Garland is probably another player in that bracket.
O’Hanlon is a good prospect, it’s around the half forward line and midfield where Monaghan are struggling. They won’t do much with the likes of McAdam, Doogan, Duffy, Carey, Malone etc starting around there I’m afraid.
That’s another big problem for Monaghan this year. I’m told that McAnespie has moved to London for teacher training and is flying in just for matches. It is a balls.
Not ideal, McGeary did the same last year for Tyrone and we’ve lost Mark Bradley this year as a result. Monaghan is a small county though and can ill afford absentees like that building up. It’s pretty much the same group of players as when O’Rourke took over, of the regular starters in the last year or two only O’Connell and McAnespie have really added something and you’d have to say some key players are now in decline, you’ve lost Lennon, Clerkin and Finlay and Mone and Corey are really getting on now.
McCarron was pretty good in the league. I think they’ll beat Cavan, I think they’ll narrowly miss out on the Super 8s.
McAdam is the only player I’m properly embarrassed about.
McCarron is always good in the league though, when the pitch dries up and the ball moves quicker he can look lost.
Cavan is a 50/50 for me now. Young Madden is a real talent and exactly what Cavan have been crying out for years. If they can hold McManus reasonably well then I’d fancy them.
I wonder if McAdam was pasty and ginger would he get the same criticism?
We’ve had the perception of an older team ever since 2013 when Freeman/Clerkin/Jinxy/Lennon/Finlay were on their last legs and the team was probably better last year than it was then. Again, there’s a sense of impending doom around this time every year when the rest of the country feels this is the year Monaghan will be found out and put back in their rightful place. And every year, Monaghan upset the odds.
The league was shit this year, we have 2 half backs in midfield, Mansy has the hip of a 60 year old and O’Rourke needs to go…Ulster final and a Super 8 spot, book it in.
Hope you’re right.
I’m an awful racist. Nah seriously, he’s slow as fuck. When has he ever had a great game? He was a good footballer when he was in the Sem but not amazing. He gets playing far more than our other shit players… And he fucking loves himself 
Monaghan have been knocked out in Ulster by Down and Fermanagh in previous seasons. Last year they had the benefit of a fairly handy draw to the Super 8s and really clicked into gear then, for a team that has a lot of miles on the clock they will need to make things as straightforward as possible for themselves.
Do Monaghan not have any big lumps of young lads they could give a go in midfield? With Kearns missing for the whole league I really thought they might try out some natural midfield options there.
There can be no excuses for Cavan in Breffni this evening.
Niall Keirns and Darren Hughes definitely out. Gavan Doogan and Neil McAdam with niggling injuries. I fancy Cavan to win it.
Kearns on the bench.
No Jack McCarron but they have a few decent options off the bench.
Is this on TV?
Sky
Could they not at least have gotten rid of the spellcheck FFS