Muineacháin v Fear Manach

[Main Street]

So overall, Fermanagh deserved to win, but i'm not sure they'll overcome the semi-final.  As for Monaghan, this was always the potential banana skin, and we slipped on it.

Usually in sport that 'potential banana skin' idiom is used when a good team goes to meet a lesser team and there is some potential for an embarrassment.
There was no banana  skin in Brewster Park. Fermanagh were obviously a better team and would beat Monaghan 9/10.
A very poor Monaghan team was easily beaten by a Fermanagh team that didn't even have to shoot straight to maintain superiority.

[donelli]

Very disapointed.
Monaghan were destroyed at midfield for the kick-outs.
it'll be 21+ years for an ulster title now....
hit the leaba...have had enough of today...

[Zapatista]

Can anyone tell me what happens if a blood sub gets a red card?

[theskull1]

Is yer man McQuaid a bit of a loose cannon? Looked to me to be trying to get sent off a good 10 minutes before he actually did. Did anybody else see him throwing the elbow out as McBarron went past him? Nothing spur of the moment about what he done in the end. A bad sign for any team.

[Zapatista]

Is yer man McQuaid a bit of a loose cannon? Looked to me to be trying to get sent off a good 10 minutes before he actually did. Did anybody else see him throwing the elbow out as McBarron went past him? Nothing spur of the moment about what he done in the end. A bad sign for any team.

I did see that. It's hard to understand what he was at. He was sent off for stikeing I suppose but could have went for stamping before that. It was a sad affair and I'm sure the guy regrets it. I would say the strike was the final act of many different parts. There can be no excuse for it but it was so blatant and random I just find it hard to understand what was going on in his head. Thankfully it didn't sprial into a brawl.

[Maguire01]

So overall, Fermanagh deserved to win, but i'm not sure they'll overcome the semi-final.  As for Monaghan, this was always the potential banana skin, and we slipped on it.

Usually in sport that 'potential banana skin' idiom is used when a good team goes to meet a lesser team and there is some potential for an embarrassment.
There was no banana  skin in Brewster Park. Fermanagh were obviously a better team and would beat Monaghan 9/10.
A very poor Monaghan team was easily beaten by a Fermanagh team that didn't even have to shoot straight to maintain superiority.

Yes, i acknowledge that Fermanagh was by far the better team, but Monaghan was a team with sights on an Ulster title and with all due respect to Fermanagh (and all the best of luck to them in the semi-final), Monaghan would have had to play teams that were much tougher 'on paper' to win the provincial title. Monaghan were favourites for this game remember. Monaghan should have been a 'good' team, but it didn't happen.

[Maguire01]

Just to come back to a few earlier quotes:

Monaghan (fans) and the media got caught up in running a Kerry team in second gear, close last year. True Monaghan qualified for the AI Quarter finals, but really, they hardly beat any quality team on the way.

I was quite happy with wins over Down, Derry and Donegal, two of whom we hadn't beaten in years.  Derry and Donegal aren't bad teams and there are no easy games in the Ulster Championship. Tyrone and Kerry games were both very close and those two are regarded as the best in the country. So please pardon Monaghan fans (deprived of success for many years) to get a bit enthusiastic over a good run.

Theyre doing fine against the breeze at the minute, now 2-7 to 0-8. A wee test for Monaghan now.

The breeze was going cross-field for the game - no advantage to either team in either half, just messed up the game and was without doubt a contributing factor to a number of wides.

I knew Monaghan would get beat when I heard about this ridiculous press ban. Who the hell do they think they are? I think thon banty man is to caught up inhis own self importance!

Yes, because it was the press ban that beat us.  Nothing to do with Fermanagh cleaning our midfield. What a ridiculous conclusion.

[screenexile]

I think Brolly and O'Rourke hit the nail on the head yesterday. Monaghan's tactics last year worked great as underdogs. They fought like dogs to win breaks in the middle of the field and had a system for getting ball into Freeman and Corey that revolved around Woods getting good ball into them. In fairness Monaghan have players like Hanratty and Gollogly who are average enough but did play well in last year's setup.

The level these guys played at last year was always going to be difficult to maintain and remember this Monaghan team have been on the road for a while now. For them to do well this year they had to change their tactics again because teams with a decent management would identify the best way to play them and would make it extremely difficult for them.

Malachy O'Rourke was the man... he dropped Little back in the first half to sweep up breaks then he became Fermanagh's playmaker for loose ball when they were leading in the second half. Monaghan to my mind didn't try anything different and if you stand still in this game you are going to get caught... which is exactly what happened!

[timmyot501]

It was just a very disappointing performance yesterday but it has to be said it was building up to this.  Cleaned out at midfield against Cork and Westmeath at the end of the league should have set the alarm bells ringing.  Benny McKenna at 6'4" may not have been the answer but why wasn't he tried against Cork and / or westmeath.  We had no alternative to Lennon, Finlay and Clerkin.  I think we just hoped it would work - it didn't

Also the goalkeeper change was always harsh on McBennett.  I thought (as did many others) that he had a good league.  There was the question of us not winning enough of his kickouts and the finger seemed to be pointed at him by many.  Well I think Duffy proved that it doesn't matter who hoofs the ball out if you are getting slated at midfield.  Again yesterday was calling out for a quick short kick out but it never happened.

By the way well done to Fermanagh.  The best team and should have won by far more.  McGrath was excellent in midfield and that set a platform for their forwards to score and miss lots of chances.  Monaghan failed to create near as many openings.

[FermPundit]

A great win for Fermanagh yesterday. They played with great passion and commitment and they were worthy winners. Reading this thread over the last number of weeks I couldn't believe how confident Monaghan people were. Regardless of what some may argue they completely under estimated this Fermanagh side and they paid the penalty for it yesterday. Malachy O'Rourke has been the main contributing factor behind Fermanagh's impressive performances so far this season. His tactial awareness from the sideline and his ability to make changes at crucial times have benefited the team greatly. With regards individual performances I thought Peter Sherry and Tommy McElroy with particular impressive. McCluskey was pure class but sure he has been all year. I think a special mention has to go to Hugh Brady at full back. Many Fermanagh fans thought we would be vulnerable in the full back line but full credit to Brady, he did a superb job yesterday. At midfield Marty McGrath seems to be back to the form he showed in 04 and Womble got through a lot of work. Up front Ryan Keenan had an excellent game, McBarron did well at full forward and Shane McCabe showed why Fermanagh fans wanted him back in the county set up. My concern would be the inability of the Fermanagh forwards to turn possession into scores. Fermanagh should have beaten Monaghan by a lot more. The amount of scoreable frees we missed is also a worry. I wouldn't be surprised if Tom Brewster starts the next day solely for his free taking ability. Overall it was an encouraging performance from Fermanagh but there is plenty of work to be done if we are even going to compete with Derry/Donegal in the semi final. However, our main objectives for this year have been achieved and anything else will be a bonus. We'll be underdogs to win Ulster but it's a tag we've enjoyed over the years and this season is no different.

[Hardy]

Fermanagh got the tactics spot on for the occasion yesterday, but you'd ave to worry about their prospects of going any further. Given the amount of possession they enjoyed, it's amazing to consider that they'd have been beaten by two points but for two goals that owed more to luck than intent.

[bingobus]

Monaghan were woeful yesterday, 4 points flatter them although the second goal was a killer blow and very avoidable. They got what they deserved.

Bantys tactics or lack of them were apparent for all to see. No plan B and using the same gameplan as last year. Did he not think that teams would be aware of it and be able to counter it? His re-introduction of Woods was a joke. If a player is subbed at HT, its for a reason and that player is gone, out of the game mentally and physically. To put him back on is criminal. It wasn't Canavan going back in as part of a masterplan for feck sake. The subs must feel right planks and then he'll expect them to bust a gut again for another few months.

Midfield was cleaned. So much for the return of Duffy. His kicking was terrible and repeatedly went to the same areas. Monaghan didn't match Fermanaghs hunger on the breaking ball. If Dick Clerkin wants to play Intercounty football he should move to London, cause thats his level. His distribution is terrible, handling was very bad and decision making poor - and that isn't just based on yesterdays display. Lennon needs help/or a break. Not at the levels he can or has operated at. Freeman was only one who won any breaking ball.

Monaghan looked like a team dead on their feet. Second to the ball and never looked like competing with Fermanaghs running game. The petty, constant fouling was embaressing and then they think the media is against them!! They played like a team who's best years are behind them, while this shouldn't be the case. They are a young team. Dermot McArdle is oldest at 30, Lennon and few others at 27. They should be in their prime. In my view they have been going at it too hard since before christmas. Even in the last month they have had to play league games for club after tough sessions with the county the night before. Something has to give.

Also this media ban nonsense is laughable. The Banty wouldn't even write a note for the programme. Its a joke, taking themselves far too serious, do they think they are Man United? Cloghan a closed shop, even heard that the County Camoige team where told to wait in their dressing room one night till the seniors where finished!! Lighten up and relax.

Thank god the club championship is on this weekend (and then 3 league matches in 10 days), just to give them a free period before the semi....oopss, roll on the qualifiers  . It'll be back to the few hundred or so who went to the Armagh match in Clones a few years back.

Ps Well done Fermanagh.

[Fermanaghandsam]

Great win and great day yesterday. Fermanagh played so well and worked so hard. Monaghan seemed far to confident before the game, and I honestly dont know why. Also think the media ban done them no favours.

Best for fermanagh was Pete Sherry, Tommy McElroy, Marty McG, Keenan and Little. McBarron done well at full forward, but should be told to never ever shoot  . Donegal/Derry will be very tough, and it would be a surprise if we beat them, but who knows!!!! But roll on Omagh.

P.S Monaghan should have a good run in the qualifiers, but need to find a way to score if Freeman is held!!

[Maguire01]

They are a young team. Dermot McArdle is oldest at 30, Lennon and few others at 27.

Just consulting my programme and of those who played - D Freeman is oldest at 31, then McArdle at 30, then JP Mone at 29, McQuaid at 28 and Woods, Tommy and Lennon at 27.

Also, have to say the programme was nce for £2/€3 considering the league programmes were the same price and were a pile of crap.

Still can't agree with any ideas that the media ban had any negative effect on the game.  It may not have worked as a positive, but i don't see how it could have influenced the performance negatively.

[thebandit]

Jesus that was terrible.

The lads looked dead on their feet at an early stage. Midfield was wiped out completely. Why wasn't Corey sent there for 10 minutes as it wasn't working for him at FF? Or Put JP to midfield and Vinny to FB? Clerkin was terrible and changes were needed.

Well done to the minors, who put a poor first half behind them to beat a fancied Fermanagh team. Full back line was outstanding in the 2nd half, Declan Farrell did well at CHB, Aaron McCarey is some prospect at 16 years of age. The big change was Keiran Hughes and Pete Dooney coming on, and we won far more posession as a result.

Btw Bingobus, is Strimmer not more that 30?