Derry v Monaghan

[Keane]

At what stage was the Monaghan red card? Who got it?

Standout players for Derry? Heard P Bradley got six.

[Maguire01]

Poor performance from Monaghan. Wasn't at the game, but from listening to it on the radio, it seems we were cleaned out at midfield for the second game in a row. That's a big problem for us. I think Darren Hughes is wasted at #3 and should be brought into midfield. As well as helping 'steady the ship' there, he's also more likely to pick off a few scores without leaving the defence exposed.

[Oak Leafer]

I Can't understand the placing of Darren Hughes at full back either! Especially when you have Dessie Mone and Corey there for FB.
Hughes is an exceptional footballer and a real powerhouse. If it were my team he would be CHB of MF.
On a couple of occasions he burst up the pitch before playing an accurate kick pass to FF line, then had to turn on his heels and sprint back to his man!

[sheamy]

Poor performance from Monaghan. Wasn't at the game, but from listening to it on the radio, it seems we were cleaned out at midfield for the second game in a row. That's a big problem for us. I think Darren Hughes is wasted at #3 and should be brought into midfield. As well as helping 'steady the ship' there, he's also more likely to pick off a few scores without leaving the defence exposed.

If Dick Clerkin would quit trying to write men off and start playing football, the midfield would be better off. I thought he said in that book recently he had grown up after his previous antics in Celtic Park. Not on last nights performance.

[J OGorman]

At what stage was the Monaghan red card? Who got it?

Standout players for Derry? Heard P Bradley got six.

I missed the Monaghan red and still havent a tinkers cuse as to why Forrester got the road

Bradley had a super game, is making great strides to being back to his best.Even in Healy Pk a few weeks ago, most of the Derry team didnt want to know, Bradley was still bustin his hole showing for every ball...some man for one man

The entire defensive unit played well. McKaigue was excellent @ fullback, best Ive seen him in the senior jersey

Mark Craig was my standout player. Sean Leo was everywhere as usual, great block to deny a goal in the 2nd half, some engine

PJ and Friel cleaned Lennon and Richard out in midfield...Lennon was pushed into ff and McKaigue handled him well

Half forward unit did well, Forrester had another good game, brings some much needed speed and energy to the party. Barry McGoldrick landed an absolutely thumper of a point in the 2nd half

But you have to put the performance in context by asking how off were Monaghan? The next few weeks should answer a few questions

[charlie linkbox]

Monaghan were atrocious and a number of things annoyed me.

1.   We set up far too defensively in the first half and all that did was (A) invite Derry onto us and (B) gave us no outlet to move the ball up field when we had it as we were playing with no half forward line. At one stage for a couple of minutes we had one player in Derry's half (Kieran Hughes) and he was standing at full forward. The nearest teammate to him was in our half!!! Who was going to be able to kick it into him against that wind and if they did, what was he supposed to do on his own?

2.   Donal Morgan (a corner back) was named at #11. The tactic was obviously to withdraw him to cover the full back line and play an extra man back there but this back fired completely. As the Ticklemister says; we set up our defensive blockade too far out the field meaning that all Derry had to do was kick it in over our boys' heads (which was easily done with that wind) and there was still plenty of space for their full forward line to wreak havoc, which they did.

3.   If we were going to drop Morgan back an play an extra defender why not give him a man to pick up (he's a corner back anyway) and make Darren Hughes, our best player, the free man as this would allow him to get on much more ball and influence the game more?

4.   We didn't get out of the blocks at the start at all. Derry were about 6 points to nil up before we did anything and what did we lose by? 6 points.

5.   We ended up with Eoin Lennon at full forward? Has anyone ever seen this before? I don't recall it ever happening. Clueless and desperate management. And then when we moved a big man in there two of the four balls that went in to him were the "out in front" type balls that the likes of Tommy Freeman or Kieran Hughes would want. If we're going to go desperate and put a big man in there then do it properly and bombard the square any chance we get.

6.   Derry cleaned us out in midfield, either fielding cleanly or mopping up the breaking ball. We needed more men in there to compete for the breaking ball. All too often a Monaghan man was jumping to compete for the ball with two or three Derry men around to pick up the breaks.

7.   On a more general note; I just can't stomach this management team. Whether it's setting the team up all wrong in Derry or standing on the sideline with their arms folded in Tullamore watching Offaly destroy us in the qualifiers last year and doing nothing about it, there is an air of cluelessness in everything they do (or don't do). I don't like saying that and I'm not one of those keyboard warriors who goes round slagging and giving out but I just can't warm to this set up. I hope they prove me wrong but I doubt it.

Silver linings???

Great to see Tommy Freeman back. He looked sharp when he came on and will no doubt improve our scoring threat, which is blunted without him.

When we did start to play there was commitment and effort there. It was just too late in this game. I don't really blame the players for the bad start in a way. The management set them up all wrong and must accept responsibility for that. I don't think we're as good as 0-17 against Kildare would suggest but we're not as bad as 0-8 against Derry would suggest either.

Anyway, roll on Louth!!! A must-win and a can-win game.

[J OGorman]

was good to see a couple of Asian folk @ Celtic Pk on Saturday, seemed to enjoy the evenings entertainment

[camanchero]

delighted with the win, one swallow not making a summer and all that but we know Derry have talent. Monaghan Ithought did also but just obv had a bad game.

Derry never cease to surprise us - good and bad.

[babarino]

If Dick Clerkin would quit trying to write men off and start playing football, the midfield would be better off. I thought he said in that book recently he had grown up after his previous antics in Celtic Park. Not on last nights performance.

What book would that be?