Muineachán v Laois - 15/07/12

[Maguire01]

A bit late in the day and no thread on this game - probably speaks volumes for the general indifference. If Monaghan win, meh, no big deal... if they don't, then at least that's 2012 wrapped up and maybe we can (hopefully) look towards a new management team for 2013.

Monaghan will have unpleasant thoughts of heading to the midlands for a qualifier after last year's defeat to a poor Offaly side, and on paper, Laois should be a lot stronger. Although I have very vivid memories of Monaghan's 2009 game in Portlaoise where Laois were on the wrong end of a 20 point hammering. That day everything that could go right did go right. Monaghan have fallen well back since.

Monaghan's team:

M Keogh
D Wylie, V Corey, C Walshe
K O'Connell, D Mone, K Duffy
O Lennon, D Clerkin
P Dooney, D Hughes, J Turley
P Finlay, C McManus, T Freeman

Interesting that Darren Hughes is in the HF line - suggests an attacking game by Monaghan maybe? Also good that O'Connell and Dooney get to start, with K Hughes on the bench - suggests that recent form is being considered. Having Hughes, Hanratty and McGuinness on the bench, along with Gollogly, leaves some good options in attack. I have absolutely no idea why Finlay would ever line out at #13.

[Hardy]

What to say about this game?

Colour clash.

[Main Street]

I think Vinny Corey at fullback has bomb scare potential, he's too slow and cumbersome in there.
I'd have expected K Hughes to be in at FF with Freeman and McManus either side of him and Finlay to float between midfield and the half forward line.
It still looks to be the strongest team Monaghan have put out this year.

Is Northern Sound the only coverage of the game we can expect?

[Maguire01]

I think Vinny Corey at fullback has bomb scare potential, he's too slow and cumbersome in there.

I agree - he's not as reliable as he once was in the back-line - maybe he could offer more further up the pitch? Although I suppose we're not really stuck for forwards at the minute.

I'd have expected K Hughes to be in at FF with Freeman and McManus either side of him and Finlay to float between midfield and the half forward line.

K Hughes hasn't been that consistent in recent games and probably deserves to start this one on the bench. Agree with you on Finlay - he's be wasted at corner forward.

Is Northern Sound the only coverage of the game we can expect?

You'd think a mouth-watering game like this would be live on at least two channels, wouldn't you? 

[Maguire01]

Laois 2-7 Monaghan 0-8

Monaghan sounding poor, considering they were 0-05 to 0-02 up.

Still, the ladies are 24 points up against Donegal in the ladies Ulster final... in the first half!

[laoislad]

Laois the better team by a distance so far.
Bit of controversy over our first goal if it went over the line or not.

[Maguire01]

And still no substitutions from McEnaney.

[Maguire01]

Not much to celebrate in Portlaoise, but the ladies worth a mention with a 30 point win in a provincial final!
Monaghan Ladies ULSTER CHAMPIONS 2012 Monaghan 5-25 v Donegal 1-7

[armaghniac]

Monaghan Ladies ULSTER CHAMPIONS 2012 Monaghan 5-25 v Donegal 1-7

I take it that Donegal Ladies prefer not to use the blanket!

[Main Street]

By all accounts, an easy well deserved victory for Laois. Only one team has the blues.

[laoislad]

Comfortable enough win for Laois by 2-12 to 0-12.
But of debate about first goal but not sure it would have mattered in the end.

[Main Street]

The Monaghan commentators didn't debate the legitimacy of the goal.
Nudie Hughes has been driven demented by the Monaghan display, into the most incomprehensible babble of a review at the end of the match, into what went wrong and where to go.

[Maguire01]

From division 1 to division 3 in the League and one win from 5 in the Championship. Hopefully this draws a line under a sorry two years. And let's hope McEnaney and his management team have the good grace to call it a day.

[All of a Sludden]

From division 1 to division 3 in the League and one win from 5 in the Championship. Hopefully this draws a line under a sorry two years. And let's hope McEnaney and his management team have the good grace to call it a day.

McEnaney has indeed called it a day.

Eamonn McEneaney has stepped down as Monaghan manager following the team's championship exit on Sunday.
The Farney men suffered a 2-12 to 0-12 defeat by Laois in the All-Ireland SFC round two qualifier in Portlaoise.
The former Louth boss took Monaghan to the Ulster semi-finals this year before losing to Down.
Use accessible player and disable flyout menus

McEneaney was Monaghan boss from 1996 to 1999 and returned to the post in October 2010 after the departure of Seamus McEneaney.
"I have given it all I can. The job that has to be done now will take somebody else three or four years to do," said McEneaney.
"I think it is time for somebody to come in and do that. I will be talking to the county board about it.
"I have given Monaghan 20 years as a player and a manager. I have done my level best over the last couple of years.
"I am not a good loser and it is hard to take. I cannot thank all the lads enough for the effort thay have given."
Monaghan's season really turned on that remarkable semi-final defeat by Down in the Ulster semi-final.
They had led 0-11 to 0-2 at the Athletic Grounds but went out 1-14 to 1-13.

[babarino]

Yet another massive disappointing exit from the Championship for Monaghan. The Down game highlighted the edge needed to turn good footballers into winners. Small things needed from the sideline were absent. As an example, when Down were chasing the game, their management had their man, behind the Monaghan goal, harassing Keogh for time wasting. It took at least ten minutes for the ref to intervene and send him back to the dug out. When have we seen this level of business from a Monaghan background team?

Before today's game to hear that Finlay had transferred to play with 'Donegal' in New York, and is travelling in the morning, said a lot about Monaghan's general approach to this qualifier campaign. It was half hearted, as the display in Portlaoise showed. All our eggs were placed in winning an Ulster title. When that didn't happen we needed to be going full throttle through the back door, like Tyrone did against Roscommon. That's where team rebuilding begins, in the heat of Championship.

Eamon McEnaney has been a great servant to Monaghan football, as has Paul Finlay and both don't deserve any crap. Many 'supporters' have been very critical of Eamon harshly. Both have been loyal to Monaghan's cause and deserve immense credit. We need Monaghan men with the will and the required passion to bring us to the level we're capable of playing at. We shouldn't need to be looking outside the county for this.

Where to now? We clearly need a new attitude that looks beyond the 'do or die' in the Ulster Championship. Division 3 is where we can to start blooding new players to benefit from the experienced. As Eamon said, it's going to take 3 years.