Monaghan v Kildare

[The Konica]

I wouldnt say Woods is useless,but he doesnt have the physique to be out in the half forward line,If hes going to play at this level,it would have to be in the FF line where he can use his strength.

Woods has ability, but he's never been fit enough to play or have serious effect at Intercounty and probably never will at this stage.

Balls. Woods hasn't had a good year, but he's put in some great performances for Monaghan "at intercounty". Off the top of my head, he was MOTM for our game against Kerry in 2007 and the qualifier against Donegal in Ballybofey in 2008.

Don't agree. Woods has talent, but not fitness. Certainly not for anywhere other than the FF line. I don't think Woods is or has been lean or fit enough to finish a game strongly for Monaghan that I've seen, which is why his frustration comes out as he tires or can't get back to tackle men.

[The Konica]

Honestly think this Monaghan team is crying out for a fresh face in charge. Nothing  against McEneaney but I think he stayed on 1or 2 years too long. They seem a very dour bunch of lads and maybe need to play with a bit more carefreeeness.

Hard to disagree.
The first year he got the job, the County Board really only gave it to him because he had the Brother in Law on the backroom team, Monaghan & Scotstown legend, Gerry McCarville and I think Bernie Murray (?0
After the first year (or maybe it was the second year) he dropped his whole backroom team and brought in new faces.
This really seemed to work also as the new faces and voices refreshed things.
McElkennon came in then after he left Cavan and that improved their fitness, but it was also the start of a more negative style, which Monaghan have been accused of.
Of course Grimley comes in this year, has a limited effect

Banty may have stayed on too long - OR maybe he needed to drop his whole backroom staff and bring in two new men?
Banty certainly doesn't owe Monaghan anything and he'll be afforded 6 months if he wants to make his mind up and rightly so, but new blood or new ideas are probably needed.

The problem is, once McEnaney goes, 4 or 5 are heading with him.

Yes, I'd imagine Freeman, McQuaid and McArdle would be considering their future. McArdle must be now 33 or 34 and apart from Dooher there's not many as old as him playing.
I don't think there'd be a deluge though.
Guys like Tommy Freeman, McManus, Hughes x2, Hanratty, Clerkin, Walshe etc all are good players and all have a few years left at the highest level and there would be players available to move into spots for Damien Freeman, McArdle or McQuaid.

The only guy Monaghan would probably worry about would be Lennon. They don't see to have many options at midfield at the minute and if he were to go they'd be in trouble or would struggle.

Though if you look at the way Tyrone played them, perhaps him retiring would be a great way to reassess the way they play midfield.

Ok, rambling now ... but to sum up, I don't think that would be the end of the line if managed properly and depending on who they replace Banty with.

Relatively impressed with kildare yesterday. A good side but lack a bit of class to make them a top team. Monaghan were knackered yesterday. Not sure Banty can bring anything else to the table at thsi satge.

Agree. Options are ...

Banty Stays
- One more year with Grimley to give him a proper shot at changing the team
- Brings in another selector? (Martin McHugh)

Banty goes ...
- Grimley takes over (Very little Chance)
- McElkennon takes over (No Chance)
- Grimley & McElkennon joint role (No chance)
- Monaghan set up a Check point on the Armagh road and Hijack Pete McGrath on his way to the interview for the Cavan job and see if he's interested (A chance)
- Big Joe leaves Galway, Monaghan send a snatch team across the border at Cullaville and offer him the job (No Chance)

- Monaghan Native takes over
- Gerry McCarville (No Chance)
- Bernie Murray (Chance)
- Declan Lougman (Good Chance)

Who else?

[Bord na Mona man]

Finally did anyone else think that both goals yesterday in the kildare v monaghan game should have been disallowed?
Kavanagh too a 'Martin Lynch' type of 8 steps with the ball along the end line before passing over for Sweeney to superbly flick the ball to the net?

It looked about 7 or 8 steps. Also John Doyle gave the ball to Kavanagh with a one handed throw.
It again shows how farcical the refereeing of the handpass was in the first couple of weeks of the championship.
Yesterday in Croke Park there was only one thrown ball penalised all afternoon, even though there were several blatant occurrences.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Finally did anyone else think that both goals yesterday in the kildare v monaghan game should have been disallowed?
Kavanagh too a 'Martin Lynch' type of 8 steps with the ball along the end line before passing over for Sweeney to superbly flick the ball to the net?

You're being kind to Martin LB. I think it was 13 steps for that goal against Wicklow! 

[Maguire01]

Guys like Tommy Freeman, McManus, Hughes x2, Hanratty, Clerkin, Walshe etc all are good players and all have a few years left at the highest level

A few years left? 
The Hughes brothers are 20 and 23, Hanratty is 23, McManus is 22 and Walshe is 19...

The only guy Monaghan would probably worry about would be Lennon. They don't see to have many options at midfield at the minute and if he were to go they'd be in trouble or would struggle.

Monaghan shouldn't worry about Lennon at all. He's hardly our most consistent player and some of his shooting is woeful. Darren Hughes may well be a long-term answer for midfield.

[The Konica]

(You left out Tommy, he must be 28 or so now?)

Midfield will be a problem.
Think, who ... apart from Hughes is there? And Hughes isn't a natural midfielder either, he's 6'1" max and is more a CHB.
Neither Lennon nor Clerkin are outstanding MFer's who can carry a team and if you look at who else there is, there's no one.
Who else have you? Francis Caufield?

Monaghan would best best try and keep Lennon & Clerkin playing as long as possible until you can get a replacement trained in.
It's funny that would be one criticism of Banty in not bringing on cover for MF. (You did have a guy, big lad last year or the year before, but he got no football - McKenna lad was it?)
 
Do you expect Banty to stay on?

[Maguire01]

(You left out Tommy, he must be 28 or so now?)

I left Tommy and Dick out as they're the only ones you listed who are probably limited to a few years. Tommy is 29, Dick 28.

[The Konica]

Exactly - Which is my point and is why I think Monaghan wouldn't be such a bad team for a good manager to take over if Banty decides to go.

You'll have a few retirements, but there's enough talent there to attract a good manager and possibly do something with.

[Dinny Breen]

Jayzuz Dinny - a bit heavy with some of that ! Would you have said kildare were a top 8 team 6 weeks or two months ago !! Hardly!
As for the above- kildare are currently one of the top three maybe top four teams in the country on FORM right now.
However that imo doesnt mean they are one of the top 8 or 10 best sides.

Nothing wrong with a bit of eulogising after a good win, 2 months ago were Kildare top 8, of course not they crumbled in Navan, ill-prepared mentally and physically imho but that is one of the vagaries of championship football, statistical Kildare have been in the last 8 3 years in a row that is all I mean by a top 8 side. Kildare now expect to be in the last 8 every year, nothing wrong with belief, you won't win anything without it.

[Maguire01]

Jayzuz Dinny - a bit heavy with some of that ! Would you have said kildare were a top 8 team 6 weeks or two months ago !! Hardly!
As for the above- kildare are currently one of the top three maybe top four teams in the country on FORM right now.
However that imo doesnt mean they are one of the top 8 or 10 best sides.

Nothing wrong with a bit of eulogising after a good win, 2 months ago were Kildare top 8, of course not they crumbled in Navan, ill-prepared mentally and physically imho but that is one of the vagaries of championship football, statistical Kildare have been in the last 8 3 years in a row that is all I mean by a top 8 side. Kildare now expect to be in the last 8 every year, nothing wrong with belief, you won't win anything without it.

Kildare are probably top 8. it's baffling that they haven't made any impact in Leinster.

[lynchbhoy]

Jayzuz Dinny - a bit heavy with some of that ! Would you have said kildare were a top 8 team 6 weeks or two months ago !! Hardly!
As for the above- kildare are currently one of the top three maybe top four teams in the country on FORM right now.
However that imo doesnt mean they are one of the top 8 or 10 best sides.

Nothing wrong with a bit of eulogising after a good win, 2 months ago were Kildare top 8, of course not they crumbled in Navan, ill-prepared mentally and physically imho but that is one of the vagaries of championship football, statistical Kildare have been in the last 8 3 years in a row that is all I mean by a top 8 side. Kildare now expect to be in the last 8 every year, nothing wrong with belief, you won't win anything without it.

confidence - is the key requirement for any team to posess if they are to make the breakthrough. Flourbags have it in spades right now ! btw See how much better sweeney played when he was further out the field yesterday!

[Dinny Breen]

See how much better sweeney played when he was further out the field yesterday!

True but he got a kick up the hole by being benched as well 

[lynchbhoy]

See how much better sweeney played when he was further out the field yesterday!

True but he got a kick up the hole by being benched as well 

dreadful decision, the guy always give 100% and putting him in FF was never going to work with the kind of ball being sent in (actually not sent in until last 15 mins when he was gone) - the ball was being delivered to hf line.
He doesnt play well with back to goal - he is a great man for breaking ball and heading towards goals with ball or as an option.
Apart from the breaking ball winning ability now in kildare, I still have yet to be convinced by the rookie manager - he is doing v well for a rookie but the likes of tommy Carew imo would have them even better prepared!

[Schkite]

Lads I'd be surprised if Banty stays on now but the fact he's not saying anything yet wouldn't be a good sign. He's done alot for Monaghan football in getting us out of the doldrums and getting up to a relatively high level, but it seems like he's taken us as far as he can. Thing is if he goes we'll have a few retirements on our hands, which means the team will require a bit of rebuilding, in defence especially.

JP will quit regardless I'd imagine, and there's a good chance McArdle and Damien will go too(they're both 34 now), and possibly McQuaid aswell. That's 4 of our first choice defence, leaving a big hole there. I'd like to see Colm Greenan tried at full-back in the league if JP goes, think he's the future at full-back and did very well in the league until he got injured. Neil McAdam also did well in the league so he could come in and try and nail down a wing-back spot, these 2 lads along with Walsh and K Hughes showed well in defence when the older lads were out or injured during the league. Also at wing-forward Dermot Malone looked very promising before his unfortunate injury, even looking like he could have nailed down a championship spot in the same way that Walsh and Hughes did. The experience these young lads acquired in this years league will stand to them and it's important they get as big a role in next years one imo, and hopefully a few new lads are unearthed in the league to be tried out in the league. Konica is right though, a new midfield option is desperately needed, Caulfield isn't the answer I don't think. James Conlon looked like he could be an option but last year was out in different areas of defence and subsequently left the panel. He wouldn't come back under Banty but with new management he could be worth another look, depending on how he does this year.

[The Konica]

I think you can cover those 4 retirements Schkite. (JP Moen has been in and out of the team I think for a while now, you managed without Freeman and McQuaid for a bit in the League and McArdle too) and you seem to have a few U21's comin along, so I think you can manage in defence.

Conlon!
That's another guy I thought was a very good option for you about 2 years ago. I was actually thinking of Benny McKenna (?). But no you're right Conlon is a far better option. What happened him?
From what I saw (and it's a while back now) he was a FAR more natural footballer than either Clerkin or Lennon and would be a perfect foil for one of those along side them midfield - or even as CHB, interchangeable with Hughes, though like I said I think Hughes might lack an inch or two for MF.

But even imagine a very athletic footballing MF of Conlon and Hughes against Tyrone 2 weeks ago? If you look at what Tyrone did, they more or less avoided MF and played the wings, almost completely neutralising the Monaghan size and strength advantage there. If you had Hughes and Conlon - or two like that - they wouldn't dominate in the air at all, but they'd have a great workrate, very comfortable on the ball and intelligence to match the Tyrone midfield game plan better.

I hope you made the right move if Banty goes.
It could be a critical few months for you. I don't see Banty deciding for a few weeks or even until September or October - which is as long as he deserves considering what he has done.