Monaghan v Kildare

[Donnellys Hollow]

Plenty of pundits going against Kildare in the past few days which is good to hear. We never seem to perform when people start talking us up.

Monaghan are going to throw the kitchen sink at us tomorrow and Kildare will have to be tuned in from the start. If we can weather the inevitable early backlash from Monaghan I'd be hopeful Kildare have enough in them to come through. The second half performances in Belfast & Derry were back somewhere near the level we were at last summer. We'll have to put two of those halves together tomorrow.

I wouldn't be overly concerned with the five games in five weeks. A lot of pundits are talking it up as a big factor but all of those games bar the Antrim draw were long over before the final whistle. Kildare have found a settled team along with some form and momentum. I'd much rather be coming into a game on a bit of a roll rather than lying idle for a month.

Dermot's fitness is a concern but he has to be on the field for his leadership alone. Flynner has being playing out of his skin all year and hopefully he'll keep it up tomorrow. It wouldn't surprise me if Grimley advised Banty to put Clerkin on him in an effort to wind him up. He seems to have curbed his temper though and I'm confident he'll show the kind of restraint he showed down in Thurles if it gets physical.

This game will be won and lost around the middle. Both midfields are even enough on paper but in the likes of Leper, Flaherty and Paudie, Kildare have players who are very effective at hoovering up the breaks. Monaghan are missing Mone and Corey from the heart of their defence but being able to play Hughes out the field is a big plus for them. If Kildare get a decent supply into Smith and JD and Kelly and McGrillen can put the shackles on Freeman and McManus we can get over the line. I can't see there being more than two or three points in it either way though.

[Maguire01]

Playing in Croker will liberate them too, in many ways it'll be easier than playing at home in Clones for them and I expect them to empty the tank this weekend.

I believe our last championship win in Croker was 1930. Very liberating.

Grimley came in and has tried to bring in attacking positive football, but based on last week and his knowledge of the Kildare camp, Monaghan will tighten their defence as tight as anyone can and go back to last years style of badger everything that moves.

I'm not so sure. The attacking brand worked against Armagh and Fermanagh. I wouldn't throw the baby out with the bathwater on the basis of one result. A bit of tweaking needed maybe.

Lennon and Clerkin will have big games, because they had nothing to do last weekend!!! (Ok a bit harsh), but they'll be angry at how Tyrone won and neither stepped up after the League they had.

Please enlighten me with the league that Lennon had - I missed it.

[Schkite]

I actually think we could have a relatively high-scoring game, but that's probably just being a bit optimistic. I fancy our main forwards to step up to the plate tomorrow after the no-show they had against Tyrone, and I'm hopeful we can get a decent supply of ball into them - if we can do that I think they'll do well. The midfield battle is of course vital, but again I think we can do well in this area. Earley not being fully fit is a plus for us, and Dick and Lennon can win their fair share in there - they caught a decent amount against Tyrone(in the first half anyway), the problem was making use of it afterwards, and that aspect will hopefully have been rectified in the meantime. Then of course we are a bit light at the back with JP and Vinny being absent, and a flying Kildare attack led by Johnny Doyle in fine form can punish any and every mistake here. Hopefully we can put the shackles on these boys but that'll be tough, and so I think we need our top men up front to be in scoring form to edge us ahead into the quarter-final. It's probably a bit naive to expect a shoot-out, I'm just hoping to see a good game! But I suppose I don't care what type of game it is if we prevail.

Konica, good shout on Hughes being a possible MOTM, if the game does turn out to be a tight, defensive game it could be someone like him that will get it. Expecting a big performance from him tomorrow, despite losing he had a great game against Kildare in the league last year. Excellent young player, and imo a future Monaghan captain. Hopefully he can fire over a couple of these beautys tomorrow!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dhrv_zCVyc

A tough and intriguing game ahead, I'll keep the faith and predict Monaghan by 2 pts.

[Main Street]

Hard to say what theories will prove to be more accurate on the day. Monaghan overrated by some or still good enough despite being overrated.
Monaghan in despair or Monaghan to bite back at full steam. Monaghan missing JP Mone and Corey or have adequate replacements. Freeman and McManus can be frozen out of it again or maybe not? Finlay has 2 right feet permanently now  or not? Monaghan to continue  running blindly up cul de sacs or not?

Damien Richardson regards it as one of the beauties of sport, that it gives you a serious kick in the rump every now and again. We'll soon see how Monaghan respond to their kicking.

[Maguire01]

Our 2-12 to 1-07 win over Donegal in the 2007 fourth round in Omagh remains one of my favourite Monaghan games. That was coming off an Ulster final defeat. A similar display tomorrow would do nicely.

[Maguire01]

Another worry for Monaghan is that they are totally unproven against teams from outside Ulster. Their only victory against non-Ulster opposition in 5 seasons (and there have been few enough games I know) came against Wicklow I think in 2006. Two league victories this year came against Tyrone and Derry.

Other than a defeat to Wexford in 2006, I can only recall Kerry in 2007 and 2008. I wouldn't read too much into that. Although it's good to get a run outside of Ulster.

[Maguire01]

From Hoganstand:

Monaghan delay selection
23 July 2010

Monaghan manager Seamus McEnaney won't be naming his team to face Kildare in tomorrow's All-Ireland football qualifier until just before throw-in.

The Farney County have injury concerns over goalkeeper Shane Duffy, full back JP Mone and the versatile Vinny Corey, who missed last Sunday's Ulster final defeat to Tyrone, and have decided to delay announcing their side until the last minute.


What do they do for the match programme in those situations? Do they just throw them out a dud?

[Main Street]

Do you ever remember the first time you asked someone who AN Other was?

What was the deal about the jersey numbers last week, was the decision made so late in the day?

[Maguire01]

What was the deal about the jersey numbers last week, was the decision made so late in the day?

Not at all. Monaghan got fined for having to change numbers for the Armagh game - you have to play your players in the numbers you announce. They obviously had an outfield jersey printed with a #1 - maybe just in case, maybe not - to get around this.

[Dinny Breen]

It's a very hard game to call, before the Tyrone game Monaghan had impressed everyone and no-one could foresee that Ulster final capitulation. A lot of pundits are keeping faith with Monaghan which is fair but Senan Connell who tips Kildare brought out a stat on the Last Word tonight that no team since 2001 has won after losing a provincial final and having only 6 days to turn it around, that team by the way was Dublin. Senan also to his credit singled out Flynn and Callaghan as Kildare's two best players whereas the likes of Barr and Tommy Carr still roll out the tired cliche Kildare are too dependent on Doyle for scores etc etc..Senan needless to say tipped Kildare, as have the Hoganstand and Setanta in the Monaghan corner we have Tommy Carr, Keith Barr and RTE. RTE tipped Derry last week citing Kildare had only beaten weak sides but conversely said that Derrys win over weak sides had given them confidence Rolling Eyes  Having seen Monaghan in the flesh last week I find it very hard to see anything but a Kildare win but it really is all on the day. Lets hope for a good hard game of football and may the best team win.

[Main Street]

RTE use different pundits, this week it's Leonard.

What you are trying to say Dinny, in a roundabout way, is that the smart pundits are backing Kildare and the thick ones are backing Monaghan.

[never kickt a ball]

From Hoganstand:

Monaghan delay selection
23 July 2010

Monaghan manager Seamus McEnaney won't be naming his team to face Kildare in tomorrow's All-Ireland football qualifier until just before throw-in.

The Farney County have injury concerns over goalkeeper Shane Duffy, full back JP Mone and the versatile Vinny Corey, who missed last Sunday's Ulster final defeat to Tyrone, and have decided to delay announcing their side until the last minute.


What do they do for the match programme in those situations? Do they just throw them out a dud?

Will somebody tell McEneaney, McElkennon and now Grimley that it doesn't suit Monaghan to do "cute hoorism". Nothing is ever straightforward with Monaghan. Rumours abound in the run up and the morning of the game, they have an outfield player wearing number one, they don't wear the proper kit etc etc etc. To be honest I think all this sh1te interrupts the teams preparations. I fancied Monaghan for this fixture but if they continue this "cute hoorism" then the pendulum is swinging towards Kildare.

[Donnellys Hollow]

RTE use different pundits, this week it's Leonard.

What you are trying to say Dinny, in a roundabout way, is that the smart pundits are backing Kildare and the thick ones are backing Monaghan.

I'd say Dinny is more pointing out the general laziness of certain analysts when it comes to Kildare - reliance on JD/Earley etc. At least Senan Connell could name more than two or three of our players. Tommy Carr is probably still sore that he never managed to beat Kildare when he was over the Dublin team (the two minutes of magic in 2000 still hurts!). Keith Barr is just a spoon. How himself and Bernard Flynn get paid to write/talk about football, I don't know.

Speaking of cute hoorism, KFM had O'Connor down to start tomorrow with Smith on the bench. 

Surely either Smith or Flaherty óg will play.

Really looking forward to hitting the Big Smoke tomorrow morning. Cill Dara Abú!

[Dinny Breen]

RTE use different pundits, this week it's Leonard.

What you are trying to say Dinny, in a roundabout way, is that the smart pundits are backing Kildare and the thick ones are backing Monaghan.

Is there such a thing as a smart pundit, the problem I  suppose it's the tipping against Kildare because we are too reliant on John Doyle (Kildare have scored 5-76 and he has contributed 1-34 I think) and Dermot Earley (who is by some distance our 2nd best midfielder this championship), they're the two household names, there is no matchups, no highlighting of weaknesses (McLoughlins ability to give away soft frees and his tendacy to give up an early yellow, Kildares defenders giving away the ball easily when put under pressure, Tyrone we are not, how we have demonstrated very poor decision making in a lot of our games, our lack of discipline in a physical game). We all read the pudits because we like to see our county being tipped to win, we are all just looking for some comfort of reaffirmation.

Joe.ie also tips Kildare (based on the Ulster final defeat and 6 day turnaround) which is the only reason Kildare are favs which I think is fair enough because on paper Monaghan are the better side, I don't think anyone will argue that on equal footing and both teams at full strength Monaghan should always get the nod but it's not a equal footing, no JP or Corey, a confidence shattering defeat and only 6 days to turn it around.

From here on in it is gladiator football where only the winners survive, sport at it's purist, it's not won in the papers or gaa forums, victiory will only be achieved when our 15 warriors go for the juggular and fight over every inch, there is no better feeling than having left everything in battle, lying on the ground victorious.

Cill Dara ABÚ

[Maguire01]

From Hoganstand:

Monaghan delay selection
23 July 2010

Monaghan manager Seamus McEnaney won't be naming his team to face Kildare in tomorrow's All-Ireland football qualifier until just before throw-in.

The Farney County have injury concerns over goalkeeper Shane Duffy, full back JP Mone and the versatile Vinny Corey, who missed last Sunday's Ulster final defeat to Tyrone, and have decided to delay announcing their side until the last minute.


What do they do for the match programme in those situations? Do they just throw them out a dud?

Will somebody tell McEneaney, McElkennon and now Grimley that it doesn't suit Monaghan to do "cute hoorism". Nothing is ever straightforward with Monaghan. Rumours abound in the run up and the morning of the game, they have an outfield player wearing number one, they don't wear the proper kit etc etc etc. To be honest I think all this sh1te interrupts the teams preparations. I fancied Monaghan for this fixture but if they continue this "cute hoorism" then the pendulum is swinging towards Kildare.

How exactly?