Monaghan v Longford - AIQ Round 2B - Clones 9 July at 6.30 pm

[Unlaoised]

Longford have some record in the qualifiers they beat Down in 2002 in a shock ...hammered Monaghan in 2004 in a shock got to round 4 in 2006 beating Derry and offaly on the way...Before giving kerry a game in fitzgerald stadium

Kerry only beat them with a last min goal in round 3 in 2009

Beat Mayo in 2010 ...

Hammered Cavan in 2011 in breffini before loosing narrowly to Tyrone

Hammered Derry in 2012

Beat Derry again in 2014

Beat Clare away in 2015   

for a county that nearly looses its first game in Leinster every year they have some impressive results....

I predict an upset.....

[GrandMasterFlash]

Longford have some record in the qualifiers they beat Down in 2002 in a shock ...hammered Monaghan in 2004 in a shock got to round 4 in 2006 beating Derry and offaly on the way...Before giving kerry a game in fitzgerald stadium

Kerry only beat them with a last min goal in round 3 in 2009

Beat Mayo in 2010 ...

Hammered Cavan in 2011 in breffini before loosing narrowly to Tyrone

Hammered Derry in 2012

Beat Derry again in 2014

Beat Clare away in 2015   

for a county that nearly looses its first game in Leinster every year they have some impressive results....

I predict an upset.....

Hmmm.. most Monaghan folk will tell you that Monaghan have started slowly in both league and championship games so far this year. If they do that again they could be in trouble, as trying to recover a 4/5 point margin is not easy.. If however, they show the form the are capable of, Longford will do well to stick with them..

I predict a Monaghan win.....

[imtommygunn]

On paper Monaghan should win by 5 - 10 points. They are a decent side and merit being in division 1.(though are just about top Down have their inner struggles and they would probably tell you themselves they didn't deserve to be. Down on this years form are a division 3 side hence why Longford beat them.

[Aristo 60]

After taking one Ulster scalp time to move up and take another.

100% record in Clones in the championship against Monaghan. Great win back in 2004 (ish) when it went to extra time.

Longford hammered Meath in a challenge game the other evening so that bodes well.

See ye Farney boys in Clones next Saturday.

Ye didn't scalp us. Ye were merely the gust that removed our wig.

[barking mad]

Monaghan by 6 to 9 points
They are a professional bunch who 6 day turns around won't effect in the slightest.

[J70]

Monaghan should win this handily if they're up for it.

[Shamrock Shore]

If ever Longford GAA need a spindocter I think even I couldn't surpass what Unlaoised did there.

Some liberal usage of the terms "hammered" and "losing narrowly"

Well done for not mentioning dark times in the AIQs like being savaged last year by an awful Kildare side (look what Kerry did to them) and Tipp the previous year when our cunning 1-14-0 formation kinda backfired.

It's usually feast or famine for Longford. And none of us are too fat on the feasting.

TBH if we beat Monaghan it will be an astonishing win.

[Schkite]

With respect to Longford, I'd be extremely disappointed if we didn't win this one. Quick turnaround, but I don't think the heads will be down as much as they would have been at this stage a few years.

Most of of those players have a couple of Ulster medals, and while the goal was of course to retain it, another focus was to be playing football into August again and start winning in Croke Park. Despite the tough side of the draw we still have that opportunity, and we should get back to winning ways here.

With the quick turnaround this game is a chance to make a couple of changes and freshen the team up a bit. I'd give starts to Boyle, McCarthy and McCarron. And if he's fit again I'd like to see McGinn at some point, but I've a notion he's still out.

[timmyot501]

Mcginn named on the bench. Think its danial mckenna who misses out on the 26.

[GrandMasterFlash]

Mcginn named on the bench. Think its danial mckenna who misses out on the 26.

Through injury, according to HS: http://www.hoganstand.com/monaghan/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=257831

They have the players, both on the pitch and on the bench. It's an improvement in form we need in my opinion. I can't see Longford coming at them like Donegal did so I'd be confident our defence will hold strong. Donegal worryingly opened them up a few times (in both games) and it is this area I would like to see most improved if we have any ambitions of going anywhere. We could sell scoring forwards on eBay, they just need the ball..

It's that simple.. 

[Schkite]

Good to hear McGinn is in the squad, hopefully he'll see 15-20 minutes anyway.

[Shamrock Shore]

Irish Times describes today's game as "shooting practice" for Monaghan.

Dems fighting words 

[Jinxy]

There's only one answer for that.

[Qwerty28]

Anyone have a spare copy of the programme from the 2004 in Clones available let me know!

[Main Street]

Perhaps playing the game on a cold wet windy evening in hostile Longford might not have suited our pampered lads, but Clones as a venue will keep things civilized.