Muineacháin v An Dún 5ú Meitheamh Ulster GAA Football Senior Championship

[From the Bunker]

No gimme games in the Ulster Championship! 

Winning the Ulster Championship is a war of attrition! 

[ardtole]

Poorest ulster championship i remember.

[mrdeeds]

The four semi finalists are all division 1 next year so semis should be much closer.

[ardtole]

Assuming donegal beat fermanagh.

[FermPundit]

Hopefully we'll put it up to Donegal. How did Down get to Division 1? They could follow Westmeath and drop down the divisions

[Rossfan]

Time for financial help for Ulster counties to promote football.
Their champions should be a shop in for Sam going by the logic used here by many to explain all Kerry's AIs.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Time for financial help for Ulster counties to promote football.
Their champions should be a shop in for Sam going by the logic used here by many to explain all Kerry's AIs.

Which outlet, in particular, might that be?

[Main Street]

 I was only able to watch the 2nd half, which by the sounds of it was different from what went on in the first half.  Monaghan had Down in their pocket from the 2nd half throw in, that wasn't down to fitness.
I thought the ref was good, played the advantage well. Great to see Finlay and Clerkin come on, it's a boon that they are intent on making the panel.
Winning gap should have been much wider but I suppose it will do.

[tonto1888]

I was only able to watch the 2nd half, which by the sounds of it was different from what went on in the first half.  Monaghan had Down in their pocket from the 2nd half throw in, that wasn't down to fitness.
I thought the ref was good, played the advantage well. Great to see Finlay and Clerkin come on, it's a boon that they are intent on making the panel.
Winning gap should have been much wider but I suppose it will do.

First half was very even. Down gave away a few silly frees and hit a few bad wides. Could easily have been them 3 up at half time

[GrandMasterFlash]

There's no doubt Down should have been ahead going in at HT. In terms of their scores, some of them were clever in that the likes of Poland/Maginn were able to create space/probe openings. If they had of continued with that more measured approach. However, some of their shot selection in the first half was poor and the Wylies/Duffy managed to keep them out wide and in the corners, forcing them to shoot from difficult angles. Monaghan were sluggish in the first half IMO, and have shown this a few times this year. Bar the frees, McManus hardly touched the ball. Once Monaghan got to grips in MF (due to Down completely fading in this area/Turley black card) it was one way traffic.. I thought Darren Hughes done a mountain of work, he both won and carried a lot of ball. He opened the Down defence several times with his trademark runs. Kieran was a handful in FF also and scored a great goal which finished the game as a contest.

It was a bizarre atmosphere in the sweltering heat. The supporters didn't know which way to look on the way out, both sets..

Monaghan will definitely not get it as handy again, no matter who comes through..

[Maguire01]

Yep, very lucky to be ahead at half time. Down's shooting was awful. We definitely won handy frees, but I thought Down won a share of easy ones too - my bias, or was it that their frees weren't in scorable positions or weren't converted?

It was very clear after 20/25 minutes when Monaghan pushed up and it was 15 on 15 for the kickouts that the game turned. Monaghan cleaned up midfield (and it's not often you see that).

Great to have 11 players on the scoreboard too, and for Finlay and Clerkin to get some game time (and a great reception).

Looking forward to the semi-final now - it would be a phenomenal achievement if Monaghan reached a fourth consecutive provincial final.

[Orior]

Down were missing about 5 or 6 first team players all who oped out for very different reasons. Would bringing them in have changed the result?

[The Subbie]

Down were missing about 5 or 6 first team players all who oped out for very different reasons. Would bringing them in have changed the result?

Have the explained their absence to Fearon?

Until they do they are not worthy of our time and their silence should dilute them in our eyes......

[babarino]

Went into the game thinking that there wasn't a major gulf in class between the two teams and an upset wasn't far fetched. We've managed to pull it off against teams when we were at a low ebb.

The black card on Turley was when the game was turning. He was the best player in the middle when the sides met in the league. His black card can't be disputed and bore the hallmarks of a player that was running out of steam.

The Down heads dropped showing signs of a team with no confidence. Most teams when they're being outplayed show a bit of aggression to test opposition in another way. Not so Down yesterday.

[Jinxy]

A lot of the Down players seemed to have their heads down and their tongues hanging out for much of the 2nd half.
I think the top 6 teams are so comfortable with their systems of play that they use their energy much more efficiently and spread the load.
I think nowadays, when the legs start to go against a well-drilled outfit like Monaghan, then you are liable to concede a cricket-score.
This explains why so many games are even enough up until half-time, and yet they still end up in a hammering by the end.
I don't think it's a massive gulf in quality per se.
More of a gulf in coaching & conditioning.