Donegal vs Monaghan 08/03/2015

[Bingo]

Big result with half a team 

All about the result today, so whatever it took.

[Schkite]

Wasn't at the game so can say nothing other than that's a huge two points. From the score alone it seems to have been an awful game, and reports suggest the same. But sure it's a win on the board so we won't care.

Holding Donegal to 5 scores at home is fair going though, and we seemed to respond well to the goal, and McManus going off didn't shake us too much. So despite what sounds like an awful game, there are positives we can take from it.

[J70]

The Times aren't holding back...

Donegal 1-4 Monaghan 0-9

In one of the worst games ever witnessed in the county, Monaghan were worthy winners against Donegal in O'Donnell Park, Letterkenny.

The very good attendance of around 5,000 were expressing their discontent midway through the first half as Monaghan pulled all their players back behind the ball and Donegal looked clueless trying to break it down.
When Monaghan got the ball, the Donegal bus was then parked around the '45' and by half-time supporters were wondering if they could get their money back.

But if they thought the first half was bad, then the second was even worse as Donegal,with the wind at their backs, could only manage one score - a fisted goal from Michael Murphy after 43 minutes.

That score put the home side two points ahead, 1-4 to 0-5, but it was Monaghan who had the stomach for the battle for the remainder of the game and they notched four points before Padraig Hughes blew the final whistle.

Those points came from the boot of Paul Finlay (two frees) to level matters with 13 minutes left and then four minutes from the end Monaghan 'keeper Rory Beggan landed a free from the 45m line to edge them in front.

In added time Fintan Kelly sealed the victory to bring an end to a miserable day for the home team.
It had looked good for Donegal early on as they led by 0-3 to no score after 11 minutes with Michael Murphy (2) and Patrick McBrearty notching frees.

However, by half-time Monaghan had fought their way back on level terms thanks to points from Kieran Hughes (the only point from play in the opening half), Conor McManus and Finlay frees.

Monaghan lost Conor McManus to a black card ten minutes before the break, but the loss did not affect the Farney men as they had a much greater desire on the day.

Donegal manager, Rory Gallagher, said that he made a lot of changes because he felt players yellow carded would be sidelined: "The lack of scores was a concern.

"In the first half after going up 0-3 to 0-0 we only got one more point from play and it wasn't good enough.
" Monaghan made it very difficult for us to break them down and we knew that was going to be the case. We were too predictable and easy to close down."

For Monaghan manager Malachy O'Rourke it was an important victory but was not a defining moment for league survival, he said: "Defeat today wouldn't have meant that because we go out and try to take every game on its merits, we try and get a performance in all then games and try to win them all.

"A defeat today would have looked like that but now depending on how the other results go, there are a lot of teams on the same number of points and it is all to play at both ends of the division."

Donegal P Durcan; P McGrath, N McGee, E McGee; E Doherty; K Lacey, F McGlynn; N Gallagher, O MacNiallais; C Toye, M McHugh, R McHugh; P McBrearty (0-01,f), M Murphy (1-03,3f), M O'Reilly. Subs., A Thompson for Doherty; M McElhinney for Toye, both ht; C McFadden for Lacey 36; D McLaughlin for McBrearty; E McHugh for E McGee, both 54; G McFadden for MacNiallais 65.

Monaghan: R Beggan; C Boyle, D Wylie, V Corey; D Mone, F Kelly (0-01), K O'Connell; N McAdam, D Hughes; P Finlay (0-04,4f0, D Malone (0-01), R McAnespie; C McManus (0-01,f), K Hughes (0-01), D McKenna.Subs., T Kerr for McManus, blk card 24; O Duffy for McKenna 48; D Clerkin for McAdam 66
Referee: P Hughes (Armagh)

[donegal lad]

Diabolical stuff today from donegal. To only score 1:04 is bad enough but all 4 points were frees and the goal was lucky enough IMO. We looked like a team with no plan at all simply content to pass the ball over and back the pitch with no penetration at all.

The decisions from the management on the sideline didn't make much sense either. Toye was 1 our best players in 1st half yet he was taken off at half time, taking mcbearty off (who been 1 our best players this year) to replace him with McLaughlin was another strange move.

The other thing I've a issue with is sacrificing Ryan mchughs game to accomadate his brother mark. IMO Ryan is being played in the half back line to free up a position in the half forwards for mark which is wrong IMO as Ryan offers so much more to the team in an attacking sense than mark does

[GrandMasterFlash]

Game was poor, ref was poor, result was great! Jaysus it was hard to watch but Monaghan definitely deserved it for their grit and determination. Had a great night last night in Leitir Ceanainn so all in all a good weekends craic!

[timmyot501]

We have endured worse refs so far this year gmf but that isn't saying much in his favour. Terrible match to watch and that is down to both teams really. Difference was we had a bit more purpose with the ball. Most important thing was the 2 points. And more or less without McManus too

[cluaineois]

Did anyone see what Mc Manus got black card for. The ball was nowhere near where the incident took place. There were a few more obvious black card fouls.

[Main Street]

We have endured worse refs so far this year gmf but that isn't saying much in his favour. Terrible match to watch and that is down to both teams really. Difference was we had a bit more purpose with the ball. Most important thing was the 2 points. And more or less without McManus too

When you go up against the AI champs and runners up  from recent times, there's a reasonable expectation that you would be meeting a team that can play football, that those players of undoubted ability would be set up to play football, to outwit the inferior opposition,  there's an expectation that you would be meeting a team that can play football. So in my opinion, the onus is on the superior team, the team of champions,  to be positive and when they set out their stall to be grimly awful and  negative on their own home ground, what do you expect a small team like Monaghan to do? The responsibility for that dire game lies in the hands of the team that has stiffled their own positivity and enforced a Stalinist type of conformity.

[babarino]

Firstly very well done Monaghan - we had an off day last week, were rubbished by many and bounced back in difficult circumstances to get the 2 points.

RTE gave scant coverage of the game, on radio and none on TV (despite a tweet saying they would cover it on League Sunday)

The radio commentators more or less said today's was a freak result and that we're heading for demotion along with Derry. We're not given a chance against Kerry or Dublin. We'll get at least 3 points from remaining games.

[J70]

We have endured worse refs so far this year gmf but that isn't saying much in his favour. Terrible match to watch and that is down to both teams really. Difference was we had a bit more purpose with the ball. Most important thing was the 2 points. And more or less without McManus too

When you go up against the AI champs and runners up  from recent times, there's a reasonable expectation that you would be meeting a team that can play football, that those players of undoubted ability would be set up to play football, to outwit the inferior opposition,  there's an expectation that you would be meeting a team that can play football. So in my opinion, the onus is on the superior team, the team of champions,  to be positive and when they set out their stall to be grimly awful and  negative on their own home ground, what do you expect a small team like Monaghan to do? The responsibility for that dire game lies in the hands of the team that has stiffled their own positivity and enforced a Stalinist type of conformity.

FFS you're a Division 1 team and recent Ulster champs, not Leitrim or Waterford.

[Sleater]

Firstly very well done Monaghan - we had an off day last week, were rubbished by many and bounced back in difficult circumstances to get the 2 points.

RTE gave scant coverage of the game, on radio and none on TV (despite a tweet saying they would cover it on League Sunday)

The radio commentators more or less said today's was a freak result and that we're heading for demotion along with Derry. We're not given a chance against Kerry or Dublin. We'll get at least 3 points from remaining games.

Yeah, a bit odd for RTE to say they were going to show it and then not. Saying that, if it had been shown the game would have been further slagged off as the bane of all that's wrong with football. From a Monaghan perspective, the win with such a depleted squad was very heartening. Great spirit this time, especially when McManus went off so early. It leaves the division wide open and mid table very congested. Next week's game with Derry is important as 6pts may not be enough  to stay up, the way the division is playing out.

[Bingo]

Fairly obvious that RTE couldn't find any highlights so just saved themselves the effort.

[Main Street]

We have endured worse refs so far this year gmf but that isn't saying much in his favour. Terrible match to watch and that is down to both teams really. Difference was we had a bit more purpose with the ball. Most important thing was the 2 points. And more or less without McManus too

When you go up against the AI champs and runners up  from recent times, there's a reasonable expectation that you would be meeting a team that can play football, that those players of undoubted ability would be set up to play football, to outwit the inferior opposition,  there's an expectation that you would be meeting a team that can play football. So in my opinion, the onus is on the superior team, the team of champions,  to be positive and when they set out their stall to be grimly awful and  negative on their own home ground, what do you expect a small team like Monaghan to do? The responsibility for that dire game lies in the hands of the team that has stiffled their own positivity and enforced a Stalinist type of conformity.

FFS you're a Division 1 team and recent Ulster champs, not Leitrim or Waterford.

Donegal on their home ground (against an almost B team) and still they stick to the negative game plan.
Whoever Donegal play (Kerry, Monaghan or Leitrim) and  even when it's in their  home ground, they stick to the same stiffling formula.
There's no way Monaghan could respond with anything other than a similar ugly game and come away with the points.
Donegal can carry the burden of shame for the quality of the game, considering the class and ability of their players.

[Main Street]

Fairly obvious that RTE couldn't find any highlights so just saved themselves the effort.

I think the camera crew just didn't bother making the trip from Cavan to Letterkenny.

[J70]

We have endured worse refs so far this year gmf but that isn't saying much in his favour. Terrible match to watch and that is down to both teams really. Difference was we had a bit more purpose with the ball. Most important thing was the 2 points. And more or less without McManus too

When you go up against the AI champs and runners up  from recent times, there's a reasonable expectation that you would be meeting a team that can play football, that those players of undoubted ability would be set up to play football, to outwit the inferior opposition,  there's an expectation that you would be meeting a team that can play football. So in my opinion, the onus is on the superior team, the team of champions,  to be positive and when they set out their stall to be grimly awful and  negative on their own home ground, what do you expect a small team like Monaghan to do? The responsibility for that dire game lies in the hands of the team that has stiffled their own positivity and enforced a Stalinist type of conformity.

FFS you're a Division 1 team and recent Ulster champs, not Leitrim or Waterford.

Donegal on their home ground (against an almost B team) and still they stick to the negative game plan.
Whoever Donegal play (Kerry, Monaghan or Leitrim) and  even when it's in their  home ground, they stick to the same stiffling formula.
There's no way Monaghan could respond with anything other than a similar ugly game and come away with the points.
Donegal can carry the burden of shame for the quality of the game, considering the class and ability of their players.

You're actually serious?

In that case, Monaghan must never get men behind the ball EXCEPT when playing Donegal. Is that right?