Muineacháin v Fear Manach

[GrandMasterFlash]

Monaghan ( Armagh 'c' team) are no longer a surprise packet

The 'c' team that humbled Derry last year in the championship and beat the Armagh A-team this year in the NFL.

[Maguire01]

Between Oak Leafer and Billy the Kid, Derry fans are a miserable bunch of whingers. Is this all due to one match last year?  Interestingly, if we're talking about discipline, Bradley only played that game after appealing suspension! (Not that it made any difference on the day - bar a sloppy late goal he might as well have been at home.)

It is possible to play hard and within the rules.  At the same time, there'll always be wayward tackes (intentional or accidental) that will go unnoticed by a referee, for all teams, but to suggest that referees have to cop on to Monaghan is ridiculous.
I'd like to see the stats compiled from last year as to how many yellow and red cards Monaghan collected as opposed to any of the other teams in the Championship - including Derry.

[Oriel Man]

I think for the good of Ulster football hopefully Fermanagh will prevail. Monaghan ( Armagh 'c' team) are no longer a surprise packet and referees surely can't continue to let them assault opposition forwards. Fermanagh will run at them and try to play gaelic football by the rules. WHo is refereeing the game?

...  I know I've the rose tinited glasses on but I am not getting this whole Monaghan are a dirty/defensive/cynical,____________ (insert negative here) team. I feel they play an open brand of football who run at teams.. Fermanagh are a very similar style and I think it's a breath of fresh air to be honest.....

I totally agree GrandMasterFlash!!!
Only last year, all pundits were agreed that Monaghan played a very attractive open brand of football ! !
Now a few begrudging supports (...mainly from some of our northern neighbours I might add) are trying to paint us as a dirty team.
Facts are... we try to play hard and fair when defending, and we try to play open football when attacking. We don't always succeed, but there in no dirty intent in out football!!!

Here's to a long hot summer. Up the Oriel!!!!

[BallyhaiseMan]

Best of luck to Fermanagh on Sunday 

[GrandMasterFlash]

Best of luck to Fermanagh on Sunday 

No harm to ya BHM but if you think you're gonna get a rise when your strapline is calling for the immediate removal of your manager you've missed the point big time lad... 

[cavan4ever]

Best of luck to Fermanagh on Sunday 

No harm to ya BHM but if you think you're gonna get a rise when your strapline is calling for the immediate removal of your manager you've missed the point big time lad... 

He doesn't know what he wants GMF.    Anyway hope this is a good game there hasn't been much to entertain us on the tv this year yet.

[Main Street]

Use to be that everybody (outside Cavan) took pity on us for our sufferings.

It's a good sign of the times that we have made a few twisted enemies from the other counties.
Makes me feel better about the game on Sunday.

[gwan-ye-boy-ya]

Best of luck to Fermanagh on Sunday 

best of luck to armagh in a few weeks....

[GrandMasterFlash]

Enough of this petty b*llshit... Goto Cbeebies any man want to partake in childish chat.. 

Right, it's time to make a hard call on this! I'm stickin with Monaghan by 2pts after a frenetic entertaining contest...

[Mid Mon]

Fermanagh 1-08 Monaghan 2-12

[Oriel Man]

Really hard game to call..
With all due respect to Fermanagh (who have had a brilliant league campaign and are a really good team), it all depends on which Monaghan team turns up, and how they have reacted to the disappointing end to the league.

On a tactical front, we need to see how Banty had address the midfield problem.... we must win at least the majority of out own kickouts if we have any chance.

Personally I have faith in Banty's Team and the Players...... Monaghan to win by 4pts

[thebandit]

Really hard game to call..
With all due respect to Fermanagh (who have had a brilliant league campaign and are a really good team), it all depends on which Monaghan team turns up, and how they have reacted to the disappointing end to the league.

On a tactical front, we need to see how Banty had address the midfield problem.... we must win at least the majority of out own kickouts if we have any chance.

Personally I have faith in Banty's Team and the Players...... Monaghan to win by 4pts

I would imagine that Monaghan will play 3 across the middle (Dick, Spindley and Jap) with Woods not too far away delivering the ball in.

Actual Lineup (I suspect)

              Duffy

Dessie        JP         Strimmer

Damien    McQuaid    McGuigan

Dick       Lennon         Jap
             Woods

     Jinxy           Manzie
     Tommy        Corey

[johnpower]

I expect Monaghan to win by 4/5 points .I expect they will have improved on last year

[ExiledGael]

With all due respect to Fermanagh (who have had a brilliant league campaign and are a really good team), it all depends on which Monaghan team turns up, and how they have reacted to the disappointing end to the league.

That's the attitude I like to see. Patronising, arrogant, probably over-confident, you've gave me hope.

On the Clucker debate, I'd be amazed if O'Rourke takes him out of chb to man-mark Tommy Freeman. As was seen in the Ulster final last year, and many other times, even a brilliant player like Conor Gormley, who did really well on Tommy, is still going to concede a bit to the wee ginge, 1-2 that day. Clucker has played every league game at No 6, and been our outstanding performer, along with Womble.
He was moved back to mark Forde late on in the NFL final, but was really exposed with our midfield tiring at that stage and Forde probably had his best spell of the match at that time. Goan is a very similar player to Tommy F in terms of stature and is probably our quickest defender so I'm hoping he can hold Freeman to something like 1-1 of four points. If he can be restricted to that I think we might have a chance.
McCluskey will be key in front of all that an chb and reads the game excellently, hopefully he can help to cut out ball to Freeman and Corey where possible.
Don't even want to go into the full-back situation, hope Brady can hold his own and not concede too many frees
I'd imagine Mark Little will be instructed to annoy the shite out of Damien Freeman in simple terms. Can't allow him to be the platform from the back going forward and Little has the stamina to stick with him. I seen Monaghan cruise past Derry last year in Casement and everything went through him at some stage. That breaking ball battle, as always will be crucial. Neither Lennon or Clerkin would be noted for their foot passing so the deliveries will come through Finlay, Damien F and Woods. Sherry needs to get stuck in there for us and do something he's not used to, win the dirty ball, Ryan Keenan also.
One massive thing I haven't seen discussed is the referee, Derek Fahy from Longford, need a bit of a John Bannon about him.

[FermGael]

Really hard game to call..
With all due respect to Fermanagh (who have had a brilliant league campaign and are a really good team), it all depends on which Monaghan team turns up, and how they have reacted to the disappointing end to the league.

Have to agree with that exiled.  Great to see such arrogance from the Monaghan men. Obviously by that reckoning its Monaghan game to lose.  And we thought that Tyrone people had notions about themselves.  At least they have won an All Ireland or two!!

I'd imagine Mark Little will be instructed to annoy the shite out of Damien Freeman in simple terms. Can't allow him to be the platform from the back going forward and Little has the stamina to stick with him. I seen Monaghan cruise past Derry last year in Casement and everything went through him at some stage. That breaking ball battle, as always will be crucial. Neither Lennon or Clerkin would be noted for their foot passing so the deliveries will come through Finlay, Damien F and Woods. Sherry needs to get stuck in there for us and do something he's not used to, win the dirty ball, Ryan Keenan also.
One massive thing I haven't seen discussed is the referee, Derek Fahy from Longford, need a bit of a John Bannon about him.

If Freeman wants to bomb forward i would say let him.  If he leaves Lyttle(or M Keenan who i think will actually start) free then Fermanagh will do damage up front.  Freemans first job is to defend and if there is a weakness then it could be here.  If Lyttle plays, then Freeman should be more concerned in marking him.  If he does not then Fermanagh will have a great attacking outlet.
As for the referee ExiledGael, he hopefully will have a good game and will not have  have a bearing on the outcome of the game. 
Really looking forward to the minor match as well.  should be a cracker.  Fermanagh have a good mangerial team in place in Donnelly, McGinnity and Blake.  They have the guts of the beaten st Michael's McRory team from this year.  Monaghan will be backboned by their All Ireland winning vocational team.  It really should be a cracker and one not to be missed