Round 4 Qualfier: Kildare v Monaghan

[seafoid]

Surprised this is top of the bill, Kildare won't be bringing a big support.

84 years since Monaghan's last championship win in Croke Park 

Are these the 2 counties with a good level of football who are most desperate for an all Ireland ?

[Syferus]

Surprised this is top of the bill, Kildare won't be bringing a big support.

84 years since Monaghan's last championship win in Croke Park 

Are these the 2 counties with a good level of football  most desperate for an all Ireland ?

Yes. Can't think of anyone else. Definitely not.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Kildare were neither attacking or defensive against Clare. No real guile up front but the lads who came in helped no end in that sense. The forwards need to step up again if they want to beat Monaghan.
I'd argue that both big man at full forward options should be left on the bench and we go for movement inside with Smith, brophy and mulhall.
Despite having no real threat up front at times the defensive unit was porous against Clare so McManus and Hughes will make hay unless that is sorted. This is not so much a dig at the lads playing 1-6 but those out the field who are not putting pressure on the ball.

Mulhall has been in good form with Athy. He kicked 5 points against Naas on Sunday. Him and Smith together with Brophy dropping deeper is something I would like to see. 

[Captain Scarlet]

Kildare were neither attacking or defensive against Clare. No real guile up front but the lads who came in helped no end in that sense. The forwards need to step up again if they want to beat Monaghan.
I'd argue that both big man at full forward options should be left on the bench and we go for movement inside with Smith, brophy and mulhall.
Despite having no real threat up front at times the defensive unit was porous against Clare so McManus and Hughes will make hay unless that is sorted. This is not so much a dig at the lads playing 1-6 but those out the field who are not putting pressure on the ball.

Mulhall has been in good form with Athy. He kicked 5 points against Naas on Sunday. Him and Smith together with Brophy dropping deeper is something I would like to see. 

Well one local journalist tweeted Mulhall had 1-3 inside 25 mins. That inside line can get their own ball and leave the Monaghan boys guessing. If Kildare play OConnor the Farney lads are being handed the play book.

[Go home ref]

If Mulhall is fit he has to play he's the best forward in the county IMO, personally I'd play Smith Fogarty and Mulhall

[babarino]

It's official, Monaghan are over it. We have debriefed, gone through the grieving process, taken the blows on the chin and now looking ahead hungrily to the next game,

Darren Hughes refuses to dwell on final performance
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/gaa/darren-hughes-refuses-to-dwell-on-final-performance-30447591.html

Good to hear that the lads are tuned in to the next game. The longer break after the Ulster final is welcome.

Monaghan have to focus on the big one now, one game at a time. Don't know much about Kildare either. Glad to see John Doyle has hung up the boots. Surprising that Louth turned them over early on, but they've got good momentum now and it should be a good game. Apart from the defeat to Tyrone last year, this squad have shown they like playing in Croker.

And it's good it's non-Ulster opposition.

[macdanger2]

It's official, Monaghan are over it. We have debriefed, gone through the grieving process, taken the blows on the chin and now looking ahead hungrily to the next game,

Darren Hughes refuses to dwell on final performance
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/gaa/darren-hughes-refuses-to-dwell-on-final-performance-30447591.html

Good to hear that the lads are tuned in to the next game. The longer break after the Ulster final is welcome.

Monaghan have to focus on the big one now, one game at a time. Don't know much about Kildare either. Glad to see John Doyle has hung up the boots. Surprising that Louth turned them over early on, but they've got good momentum now and it should be a good game. Apart from the defeat to Tyrone last year, this squad have shown they like playing in Croker.

And it's good it's non-Ulster opposition.

You don't know much about Kildare alright  , they hammered Louth and then got hammered for 45-50 minutes by meath before coming back and getting closeish to winning.

I saw Kildare beat mayo in the first league game and they looked good but it's been mixed at best since then although if they'd held on against Tyrone they'd have stayed up. I'd be surprised if Monaghan don't win this by 3-4

[babarino]

Oops. It was Westmeath that were beaten by Louth, which was surpising, but I'd have rated Kildare a lot better than Westmeath anyway. It'll be good getting to know yis.

[Ohtoohtobe]

What we reckon is that Kildare are scared of meeting Dublin, therefore they will be glad to see the exit door.

Winner of this is not necessarily playing Dublin. If Armagh and Kildare win, for example, they'd be in a draw.

[charlie linkbox]

Here's a go at a team for Kildare;

Rory Beggan
Kieran Duffy
Drew Wylie
Colin Walshe
Dessie Mone
Vinny Corey
Karl O'Connell
Darren Hughes
Kieran Hughes
Paul Finlay
Stephen Gollogly
Eoin Duffy
Dermot Malone
Chris McGuinness
Conor McManus

I would set up as follows (assuming Kildare play two inside forwards like everyone else – I don't know if they do or not);

                             Rory Beggan
                   Drew Wylie    Colin Walshe
                            Kieran Duffy
   Dessie Mone       Vinny Corey       Karl O'Connell
Kieran Hughes     Darren Hughes     Dermot Malone
    Paul Finlay     Stephen Gollogly     Eoin Duffy
         Chris McGuinness     Conor McManus

I think Ryan Wylie is still a bit too light for this level. Kieran Duffy has been unlucky to lose his place imo; he hasn't done a lot wrong and provides more of a physical presence covering the full-back line.
I'd give Karl O'Connell a go at wing back. He has done well when coming off the bench and his pace offers a considerable attacking threat from wing back.
Dermot Malone gets the freedom of the field to win the dirty ball.
Dick did super work against Tyrone and Armagh but he found the going tough against Donegal. We can't afford to get cleaned out at midfield again so I think the time has come to bring Kieran Hughes out the field for his aerial presence and ball winning ability. He'll be missed in the full forward line but needs must.
This frees up a spot in the full forward line for Chris McGuinness who I think deserves a starting role after his last two contributions as a substitute. He's a dangerous inside forward and his goal against Donegal was a top class finish.
Lastly I'd give Eoin Duffy a go at 12. He may be a bit rusty after his lay-off but if he was fit enough to come on against Donegal he's fit enough to start imo. He also offers a scoring threat in the half forward line which has been severely lacking and hopefully he can repeat the MOTM performance of his last visit to Croke Park.
Overall I think we're solid enough at the back so starting O'Connell, Eoin Duffy and McGuinness should make us more potent up front.

There's the team that'll beat Kildare!

[babarino]

I don't know enough about Eoin Duffy's current form to say if he should be included in the starting 15. 

Fintan Kelly deserves to start. He's been playing well, apart from one below average game against Armagh, compared to the previous against Tyrone. In the final he made that hard run to get into position for what should have been a penalty. If he'd got the pass earlier who knows.

Understandably you have Kieran Hughes in midfield. This is where we will most likely be up against it. I'm afraid to ask...how's Eoin Lennon?

[charlie linkbox]

I've been told that Eoin Lennon will be out until the end of August.

And even if we are still in the Championship at the end of August he won't be match fit as he will have very little training done so I'd say we can write him off for the season.

I said as soon as I saw him limp off in the league final that I was afraid that that could be the last we see of Eoin Lennon in a Monaghan jersey and I still fear that to be the case.

[charlie linkbox]

I don't know enough about Eoin Duffy's current form to say if he should be included in the starting 15. 

Yeah Eoin Duffy is a gamble, but my thinking on this type of situation is that if a player is on the fringe of the team then it's better to start him and take him off if it's not working out rather than bring him on, which heaps more pressure on him to deliver as you're probably bringing him on because things aren't going well and you've given him the role of being the game changer.

I used to think the same with Ciaran Hanratty. I used to prefer him starting as at least if the thing went tits up for him he could always be replaced. When he was brought on I always felt that he felt a greater pressure of having to deliver and that his performances were more erratic and error strewn as a result.

There are questions about Duffy's match fitness alright but if he starts and produces another performance like that against Meath in the league final last year then happy days. If he doesn't then take him off and put on Paudie McKenna or move Kieran Hughes to the half forwards and put on Gavin Doogan. No big harm done. If you bring him on then you're banking on him to deliver which is a greater gamble imo.

[GrandMasterFlash]

I don't know enough about Eoin Duffy's current form to say if he should be included in the starting 15. 

Yeah Eoin Duffy is a gamble, but my thinking on this type of situation is that if a player is on the fringe of the team then it's better to start him and take him off if it's not working out rather than bring him on, which heaps more pressure on him to deliver as you're probably bringing him on because things aren't going well and you've given him the role of being the game changer.

I used to think the same with Ciaran Hanratty. I used to prefer him starting as at least if the thing went tits up for him he could always be replaced. When he was brought on I always felt that he felt a greater pressure of having to deliver and that his performances were more erratic and error strewn as a result.

There are questions about Duffy's match fitness alright but if he starts and produces another performance like that against Meath in the league final last year then happy days. If he doesn't then take him off and put on Paudie McKenna or move Kieran Hughes to the half forwards and put on Gavin Doogan. No big harm done. If you bring him on then you're banking on him to deliver which is a greater gamble imo.

Don't disagree CL with your rationale but can't see there being too many changes TBH. To me an over-arching attribute of MOR is his trust in the team; as evidenced by the fact he played the same team in the Armagh replay as the drawn game. I can't see him chopping and changing too much.

I think it would be slightly unfair on Kelly to not get the start as he has been consistent all year, bar the last 2 games.

I'd definitely have McGuinness on from the start, and even in the half forward line (where score generation is needed), as he is an instinctive scoring forward i.e. get the ball and head for the sticks..

I don't think we'll need to be as ultra defensive in this one as in the Ulster games so his type is more suitable to this game IMHO. I've seen Kildare play Down; they're very athletic and pacy but Down were v.poor (apart from 10 mins at the start of the second half when they kicked 5 without reply) that day. Monaghan certainly won't give them the time and space on the ball that they got against Down..

[charlie linkbox]

I'd definitely have McGuinness on from the start, and even in the half forward line (where score generation is needed), as he is an instinctive scoring forward i.e. get the ball and head for the sticks..

That's why I'd have McGuinness in the full forward line.

When he gets the ball, beats a man and heads for goal he might as well be through on goal as having to face another line of defence.