Muineacháin - An Cabháin - El Classico II

[bigpaul]

I see we now have a 'vertical ball'!

[Jinxy]

I saw McManus getting a punch in the ribs out around midfield, close to the sideline.
I didn't see him getting an elbow in the face.

[Niall8100]

Monaghan now favourites at 11/8 to lift the Anglo Celt with Donegal out to 2/1. Madness I say after such a leaden rusty performance from Monaghan, but should Monaghan and Donegal reach the final, I'd expect Donegal to be very warm favourites.

On Paddy Power Monaghan are 13/8 to win Ulster, not 11/8. The main reason Monaghan have better odds is that even with today's performance, they're the only team in the semi final so far, and barring an upset will be in the final, while everyone else still have some tough matches ahead of them.

[Farrandeelin]

Thought that was a fine entertaining game today. Fair play to Monaghan for coming back to win it. I was sure they hadn't a hope when Cavan went 5 up. It all started to fall apart for Cavan at that stage, or one could counter that it was the Monaghan men who stood up when the game was there to be won. I for one thoroughly enjoyed this game compared to last week's one.

[Westside]

What in the name of God was Cake Curran talking about?? Diagonal ball to Clerkin.. it was about a metre off being parallel to the sideline, that's a diagonal ball now?. Vertical ball after that.. What's a vertical ball?! It's as if he was given a list of words he had to include for a bet. Mindless stuff.

[Jinxy]

He also referred to 'Damien' Hughes and Stephen 'Maloobey' (at least that's what it sounded like).
They need to give up this guest analyst craic if Benny & Cake are the best they can get.

[clarshack]

Thought it was a boring enough game tbh. No real intensity.
Also, Cavan need a free taker just like Tyrone do.

[Ohtoohtobe]

Found it enthralling. When people come on after 31 scores in a tight derby championship match in front of a fairly big crowd with a good balance between defence and attack and say it was boring you'd wonder what football has to do to please them.

I must say apart from the failure to award Mone a penalty and the odd soft free handed out, the ref contributed to the entertainment, not letting too much go, not spoiling it by being overly officious either.

By the letter of the rule he had no choice but to give Reilly a black but I wonder is that the type of offence the black card was brought in for. I'd argue it isn't. It reminds me of Emmet Bolton's dismissal against Monaghan last season which was also correct under rule. But neither of them were overly cynical and both had a big bearing on the outcome.

Finally I'm starting to wonder is there a more valuable corner-forward in Ireland than Conor McManus. He was unreal in very testing circumstances.

[Jinxy]

Thought it was a boring enough game tbh. No real intensity.
Also, Cavan need a free taker just like Tyrone do.

The quality & quantity of sledging left a lot to be desired.

[beer baron]

Plenty of sledging from "some" of them lovely Monaghan lads towards Gearoid Mc Kiernan after the game. Go shake his hand and proceed to roar abuse at the lad and one player hit him a punch in the back. Classy stuff. Fair play Gearoid for not retaliating.

[Jinxy]

In fairness, punching someone in the back is a sign of affection in Monaghan.

[Bingo]

Decent game that came to life after a stop/start first half as the two teams got to grips with each other. Think Monaghans bench and also the Mgts experience to change what was happening on the field, were the big factors. Subs had steadying influence.

Thought Monaghan carried the ball into the final third a bit too much and were reluctant to shoot, maybe the breeze was off putting, I was in the stand and couldn't feel it but the flags where certainly flying over the other end. Twice Jap seemed free to shoot from inside the 45 and he never looked like he was going to, kept the ball moving.

Was a good keen and hard fought battle on the field. Drew Wylie was lucky in second half, Argue moved out to the field from his FF position and Wylie was looking for instruction to follow him, he did so but then decided that he'd just go through the back of him with no sign of the ball. The Cavan Mgt went ballistic with the linesman over it.

McManus is just out on his own, lives off scraps but when you need him to step up, no one more willing or more capable.

Was never going to be easy and was about getting the result, Monaghan clearly risked the fitness of Hughes X 2, Wylie and Walsh on this. All of them heavily strapped and not moving as freely as they normally would as the game went on.

Also got a nice surprise in the match programme to see picture of Bingoette Jnr in her Monaghan jersey from a game last year.

[Sleater]

That was never going to be easy for Monaghan. During the week I was fretting over if Monaghan would win and I was cautiously optimistic about it rather than bullish. Because that's a decent Cavan team and Monaghan have always found it tough playing them in their own back yard. Monaghan's injury situation was also casting dark clouds over the team. It wouldn't be a Malachy O'Rourke line out without springing a few surprises and I definitely didn't see Shane Carey starting. McAnespie deserved his start, he did alright and he's got a good chance  of starting the semi final. Carey for all his athleticism made some poor decisions which should cost him his place for the next game. Great to see D. Hughes, the Wylies and Colin Walshe come through the game unscathed. They'll undoubtedly be in even better condition for the semi final. Monaghan's experience and superior bench made the difference in the end. That performance was enough to get out of Breffni but some way off being what's required if you want to win an ulster championship. You'd imagine it will be Fermanagh in the semi and they are no pushovers. If Monaghan repeat the first 50 minutes of yesterday's performance  and show complacency  Fermanagh will punish Monaghan for sure.

[Captain Obvious]

Unlucky Cavan deserved a draw at least in my opinion.

[yellowcard]

Not sure if it was mentioned already in this thread but the Cavan number 2 pulled out of a blatant ball in the second when he was facing the play whilst Darren Hughes jumped and caught it over his head. Hughes had no right to win the ball and in normal circumstances would have been clattered by the corner back. However he decided to step aside and Hughes duly popped the ball over the bar. For that one incident alone Monaghan deserved the win.