Scairbh

Na

gCaorach

EMYVALE

Monaghan Minors in Ulster Final

I arrived in Clones with plenty of time to spare and so a quick read through the programme was the thing to do. I did not get very far as when I began to read the previews of the Minor final I gave up and just passed to the team pages and looked at the line-outs. Why did I skip - well the writer said that Monaghan last won the Ulster title in 1945 which he/she claims is ‘77 years’ ago. Where was I for that extra decade? The second writer then referred to the Monaghan manager as ‘Colm’ McAree. Now if that is the standard of work for the Ulster Final programme then I’m glad that I got one free.
Anyhow I have written about that as there was little to write about in the game itself. I watched the Tyrone V Kerry game on Saturday and was disgusted with the cynical type of football being played where body challenges and late tackles were the norm and went unpunished. On Sunday the same was happening - late tackles after the player had passed the ball or got rid of it out of fear. I was close enough to hear some of the insults and jibs being exchanged, which led to physical retaliation and could have earned a red card. However it did succeed in taking a good player out of the game as his concentration was on getting the upper-hand of the verbal battle instead of ball possession. A change of position might have allowed him into the game.
In the end the better team won but Monaghan could have made more of it had they all shown the same commitment as Padraig Keenan, Ryan Wylie and Ryan McAnespie. David McAllister struggled as did Adam Treanor though I would have changed both players to different positions before replacing them. Colin Hughes tried hard when he was brought on but the game had passed many of his team mates by at that stage and he found it difficult to do what he normally can do. His long range point was a beauty but too little too late. Colin McAree and his team did a good job in the preparation but his charges were unable or not allowed to deliver the goods when and where it mattered.