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Such a roller-coaster. An absolutely sickening end and yet an occasion that may never be matched. Normally it's people outside the county giving platitudes to Monaghan but yesterday there was an atmosphere in Clones that I haven't experienced in 20 years watching Monaghan.

You knew it driving in the Roslea Road. 3pm, the placed jammed and all Monaghan. Yes, there's been bigger crowds for Ulster Finals but the Monaghan crowd in the ground an hour before the match was something to behold. The cheer as they came out and returned in for their warm up. The roar when they did sprints across from the Gerry Arthur to the Pat Mc Grane before the start. It was like a plead from the crowd for Monaghan to go to war with Kerry, and they did. And for that I`m terribly proud of them today.

Enda McGinley summed it up saying yesterday felt like Monaghan`s historic moment and for 72 minutes it felt like it was happening. Yes, we should have been more than 3 up at the end and errors were made but of all days I just can`t begin to analyse or criticise decisions or moments by any player. For me today is about acknowledging what yesterday was.

The 2-week break will do them good. They have time to hurt for a few days but must rise again for Galway. I just hope that as many as possible Monaghan supporters make the trip west. Yesterday's occasion was special, I can only imagine the players drew something from it as well. We all owe it to them to try and replicate it in Galway.

What did Harte do on the sideline lads that he was losing the head?

Noice to see the Farney Army enjoying themselves yesterday in the rain and today in the lime light.

Like ourselves they're gracious in victory which shows how little beating us means to them.

Nothing on the sideline. Peter swinging his fist.

Ah I enjoyed seeing a few posters setting themselves up for the fall.

Big name heading towards the backdoor in May.
Hope Monaghan come through that though.

In all honesty monaghan are an average enough outfit but are dogged as hell which keeps them in many a game.
If, and it's a big If, they don't resort to the dirt, off the ball shenanigans and sly hits we should win by 3+.

I could never fathom Monaghan as a serious threat to Tyrone... almost ever, aye course they're gonna win a few games occasionally especially in the league... but championship is a different story and  if Tyrone play to a decent level they'll win end of story.
They cant even revert to the dirt when they're stuck anymore as Porter and O'Rourke are actually from the heartland.

Monaghan are finished------Tyrone 1-16  Monaghan 0-10

Monaghan will bring plenty of dirt and off the ball antics on Sunday. The best way to counter this is to play an open brand of football and stretch them all over the field.
Either way I expect a win by at least 3 points

Hmmm......

Great stuff by Monaghan. Whatever about meeting Tyrone later in the championship, there wasn't going to be anything between the two yesterday and I took Monaghan at 2/1. To be 5 up with a few seconds left, Harte losing the head and fans leaving early was a rare sight. It made the long wait in traffic afterwards much easier.

At half time in 3 of the last 4 championship games, 2001, 2015 and 2017 the score was 9 7 to Cavan. There was even 16 points in the first half of 2013, 1-5 to 8.

Seeing that we have taken Donegal's honour in Letterkenny and Ballybofey, it's now time to make our mark in Ballyshannon, if we succeed, then the whole county is ours.

Monaghan team is unchanged.

Never thought we would be back in Ballyshannon for a league game. Have vague memories of playing Donegal in 2004 there. Remember thinking Jason Hughes mightn't have got sent off if he hadn't worn luminous gloves - you could spot every dig he was giving a mile off..

You cant get any later than this!..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZmuOSjrEko

Some 10 mins of hurling either side of that goal. Was great to watch!. Gleeson was lucky to stay on the pitch, although punching someone with a helmet was a strange sight. I thought the other Waterford fella was lucky to stay on too. Is pulling a faceguard not a straight red?. Would have changed the gamed entirely if they both went.

No doubt there will be post after post about the level of cynicism in this game.

Disgusting from the keeper there.

How do you know?

The Monaghan player pushed the ball into his face. You never got a clip on the end of the nose?

J70 your one of the more level headed posters here but stop trying to defend the indefensible.

Fair enough. (Not that I wasn't genuine with my reservations, but clearly I'm in a tiny minority)

Strange having a referee involved from team in other semi final plus the fact that one of Joe's umpires is a Monagahan man.

Joe wasn't down to referee it. Branagan from Down was supposed to.

Dick putting that maor foirne p***k on his hole was one of the highlights of the evening.... Linesman telling him to get up and piss off made it even better..

[Ger Gilroy and Joe Molloy, are Kildare lads.]

Have you ever listened to Off The Ball....the most high profile sports show in the country. The two main hosts, Ger Gilroy and Joe Molloy, are Kildare lads. They worship the man  & can't talk about him enough, or praise him enough. He was the focus of their newspaper review (Brollys article) on Sunday. They had the man himself on again last night - at the Coppers 20th anniversary party, no less. It was non stop Geezer, the Man, The Myth, the Legend.  Or The Unbelievable Craic Merchant, if you believe Senan Connell. 

I was at the show last night. The sound was pretty crap so i didn't hear Kieran and Gordon that clear but Senans 'remember the time we all had a laugh with Kieran' segment was very cringy. It was like a tribute piece.

Semis are a double header at Tullamore on Saturday the 16th.

Dubs v Mayo 2.45 pm
Monaghan v Cork 4.30pm

Crowd wise, you would think we would be first.

Super result for Monaghan last night. A real joy to witness!

I thought the first half somewhat mirrored the start of last weeks game. Well mostly, Armagh didn't do a mini Haka beforehand... Tyrone looked that bit more fluid up front with some fine scores while Monaghan seemed to be hanging on a small bit, not helped by some poor shooting. Brennan and Fox (who should have been booked early on for his efforts at tailing Ryan for every Monaghan attack) looked very sharp and had they have been kept in the game in the second half Tyrone would have been hard stopped. The sideline kick was crazy against a wind that didn't know what way it was blowing. But credit to Monaghan they kept going and went in just one down. The first 15min of the second half won that game. Tackles, turnovers and improved shooting with McCarthy really getting into it, turned the game around and albeit with a bit of clinging on at the end, Monaghan were worthy winners. The free from Meegans pressure off Tyrone's kickout was a real lift for the team. I thought Forde in goal had a shout for MoM. Some inch perfect kickouts in the first half as well as the double save. He seems well capable of playing senior in the years to come.

It was great to see some of the senior panel players playing against their peers as well. People are quick with the 'what's all the fuss about' line when younger fellas are brought on for the seniors, especially with the nature of this year`s league where all games were critical. Watching McGinn, McAnespie, McCarthy as the likes of Ward, Loughran, Meegan performing over the past few games bodes really well for the future as long as they are managed correctly... whatever that means!

Upmonaghansayswe!

Read McAnespie is a Tyrone man also, whats the deal there?

Agaloo I presume?

Lives in Aughnacloy, went to St. Ciarans High School.
Plays his club football for Emyvale though

A bit misleading.. He lived and played football in Emyvale for years before moving to Aughnacloy.
   

Mc Anespie had a great game in lasts years league (the worst game of county football i`ve ever seen). He was impressive for the U21s in Newry on Wednesday night too. I hope next Wednesdays final takes priority. Cant see him playing the full 70 anyway.

Corey religiously marks Murphy in these games so he`ll start. Kieran will too - we need to see a resemblance of a fielder round the middle before summer and this is the last chance. Hopefully Darren plays out the field too as the FF plan hasn't worked. On kick outs, the more we persist with short ones, the more focus the odd long one gets, which we inevitably lose and revert to type. You can feel the zero confidence we have in midfield which badly needs overhauling.

preventing quick ball into our FFs FF.

Thats half the problem!..

Did he do much damage does anyone know?. Didnt think it was too serious at the time...

Ah yeah, sure a few of us will wander down for a look!. Hopefully its third time lucky away in Cork for this group. Been 5 years since our last trip!. Weekend of the 2011 Election if my memory serves me.