Ciarraí V Muineachán

[Schkite]

I was wondering why I didn't hear Tommy's name, just assumed he didn't start.

Hughes' long-range free-taking is a good weapon to have, usually very accurate and jaysus he can hit them some distance.

[Main Street]

Monaghan end up being the highest placed Ulster team in the league.

Rory Woods replaced Tommy Freeman early on, by the sounds of Weeshie on Radio Kerry he did alright on Tommy Griffin, he scored 2 points and won the penalty.  O'Sullivan's sending off was also harsh by accounts, it was in extra time but I think it was a straight red.
Weeshie was purring whenever Galvin got on the ball and appeared to be well pleased with him or  possibly he had a vision of another Sam slowly appearing on the horizon.

Radio Kerry coverage of the game was nothing short of excellent.

[Main Street]

Monaghan penalty on You Tube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n25ZOZAg4IE

Clear enough penalty decision

Good Monaghan crowd there, in the vip seats.

[timmyot501]

We were unlucky in some of the other games this year at times but we must have bottled it up and popped the cork yesterday. Kerry should have been out the gate at half time and a right hiding wouldn't have flattered us. Monaghan were just not at the races in the first half yesterday. Only the penalty kept us in it and god knows how we were only 2 points down. Scanlon, Galvin and Donaghy were all in superb form and a couple of Donaghys scores were unbelievable.
As the second half progressed however and the players became aware that scores still counted Monaghan did manage to put over some good scores and had some fine moves.  But Kerry were always comfortable. It was good to see monaghan battle right to the end all the same and the bonus of staying up was hard earned. 
We are probably punching above our weight a bit in Division one but in every match we have been competitive.  Yesterday though we did look a bit out of our depth and had Kerry brought their shooting boots that would have been the case.  But to get Kerry, Mayo and Dublin visiting Monaghan next year is something to look forward to.

[Main Street]

Monaghan's survival chances were literally dead and buried midway through the 2nd half,  well behind, well off their game, no Tommy Freeman then Woods gets a second yellow.
Tyrone were close enough to Dublin and Derry only 3 points ahead but were almost home and hosed.
The last 1/4 saw Monaghan get point after point while the scoreline stayed frozen in Galway and the Dubs took control as Tyrone fizzled out.
The players on the pitch could not have known how close it really was and had plenty of reasons to throw in the towel, but they didn't.
I'm sure all Monaghan folk had a wide smile at the end.
IMO it's a bigger achievement to survive another year in Div 1 than it was to get promoted.
Enthusiastic enough high fives all round.

[upmonaghansayswe]

IMO it's a bigger achievement to survive another year in Div 1 than it was to get promoted.

Definitely. Id even go a step further. When some of the older players look back on their footballing days yesterday could rank as one of the sweetest. It does with me anyway. For the 4th smallest population on this isle (according to yesterdays programme) to retain Division 1 status is some achievement. Not saying its the limit for this team and yes, yesterdays game could have been a hammering but credit where its due. Well done to all.

Severely pissed off that i had to miss the "blow out" last night too. Id say theres a few sore heads today. Anyway, great weekend and i cant wait for another year at the top table. If only we could slip in a wee ulster title between now and then........

[Kerry Mike]

Happy enough with the performance yesterday and we won pulling up in the end I'd say.  Decent crowd of nearly 7 thousand in Killarney and picked up a bit of sunburn for my sins.

We lorded most of the ball in Midfiled where Scanlon and later Quirke won an amount of marks, Monaghan continue to lack some big men in the middle though Clerkin tried hard, they need to get Eoin Lennon back, was surprised Hughes was not moved out as he has the height and strength out there. Paul Finlay does not have the strength in the middle and his shooting is missed up front , espeically when Freeman went off early. McManus, Hanratty and Gollogly tried hard on the ball but they all lack strength and they seem to get bottled up too easily and it did seem that playing the long ball into Woods was overused too much at times

Woods did well on Tommy Griffin though I think he engineered the penalty pulling Griffin into him, and a stupid sending off when he was on a yellow but got a rush of blood when he saw Galvin in front of him and gave him a hand off into the gob , Clerkin did the same trick to Galvin and then a sneaky dig on Declan for which O'Sullivan was stupid to react and get himself a red card.

Monaghan's backs were under pressure all day and seemed to be well off the pace, Donaghy had a field day on John Paul Mone but alot of the ball he got was in the corners though he kicked 2 great points from out the wing and laid off the goal well , though the Monaghan marking was very poor for the goal.

Paul Galvin was in great form and kicked 3 excellent points and was involved all over the field and Tomas O'Se made a couple of great runs and scored a great point in the second half , great to see him back and the hunger still there. And with Mike McCarthy returning to the panel it give the half back line added strength.

I have concerns about full back where Griffin got the run around from Woods but Marc O'Se looked comfortable.

Losing Gooch early was disapointing but Barry John Keane saw alot of the ball and did well, Bryan Sheehan scored well but again needs to contribute more, he gave the ball away too much. Darren ran hard all day and Declan also tried his best. Anthony Maher faded after a good start and there is still a midfield berth up for grabs. Daniel Bohane carried the ball into attack many times and will be a good option come the summer.

Overall a poor league from us winning just 3 of 7 games but given the poor start we did well to rescue the Div 1 status for next year which is important, you need decent opposition coming into the championship.

So a win-win for Kerry yesterday (2 points and Div 1 Survival secured) and a Lose-Win for Monaghan and I am happy for them and their loyal supporters who travelled in good numbers to Killarney , and a reasonably peaceful house with the outlaws in KM's house last night.

[Kerry Mike]

Kerry goal v Monaghan on Sunday

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdCOmKRetQM