Monaghan Match Report 1st Half

Both sets of players went out on the much talked about Clones pitch with the intention of letting their football do the talking.

It showed,

As the game got off to a lively start, and ‘Mr Lively’ personified Tommy Freeman who Started for the game Monaghan kicked their opening score with his left foot.

Louth Started the game without Paddy Keenan, Ray Finnegan and Adrian Reid, Mick Fanning was replaced at the 11^th hour.

As a result Darren Clarke Started, Conor Rafferty came in on the Forty, Decie Byrne at right half back, Pops to his usual corner back slot.

Mark Brennan started at full forward with Ronan Carroll at Midfield and it was the New Target man that got us off the mark, Derek Maguire made a great run cut back and the Mattock Man shot over from Close Range. Darren Clarke then gave us the lead he collected a good Derek Crilly Ball to turn steady up on his left and fire over.

Jap Finlay as predicted with 13 on his back started on the forty with Gerry Hoey picking him up he got fouled and Owen Duffy obliged to level with a free

Four scores in the first five minutes, No Blanket defence is sight!

The openness of game continued with Pop Rath gliding up from the back with a great solo run for Decie Byrne to slot over, Then Jap Finlay caught the ball over Gerry Hoey’s head to slot over. Andy McDonnell once again gave us the lead after a neat interception by Derek Crilly.

At this stage Monaghan were choking us in the middle of the field. Without Paddy Keenan we didn’t have the platform we usually do, the absence of his synergy told on Brian Donnelly especially, Aerially and on the ground Monagahn were winning break after break and they worked the ball into the key area’s where Christopher McGuinness and Tommy Freeman were on hand to put Monaghan in the driving seat. With Derek Maguire getting loose to give us a reply.

Dermot Malone and deep runs caused us a lot of Problems early on, his high centre was punched over the bar by a bombing Eoin Lennon.
Malone’s marker Andy McDonnell got booked and Management felt that was enough to take him off for Adrian Reid, Straightaway Reido won a breaking ball to feed Derek Maguire who kicked a wonderful score out on the right wing.

Maguire highlights Louth fans frustration with him with the next play, He turned over a ball he had in hands which led to a Dick Clerkin score.
A St Marys Ardee Reunion saw Ronan Carroll find Darren Clarke inside to score after a nice dummy gave him the space to score with his left again.

At this stage both sides were set up the same, playing a similar style but you could tell Monagahan were more familiar with it.
Like us Monaghan left their most dangerous inside forwards in on their own but unlike us they found them a lot easier than we could and they were threatening to expose at any time.

One of these dangerous inside forwards Christopher McGuinness eventually did expose us, he isolated Dessie Finnegan and a ball from the wing over the top allowed him to collect on the run and finish convincingly and he tagged on another point straightaway from the resultant kick out.

Owen Duffy finished the blitz with another free.

Eventually Mark Brennan had to swap with Ronan Carroll and Derek Crilly switched with Brian Donnelly to help us compete in that area. Brennan sent a direct ball in and a half chance of a goal for Darren Clarke but it was knocked out by the Keeper. Clarke dusted himself down and kicked the badly needed 45.

With direct ball not an option with Louth players tendency to over carry and after a succession of handpasses across the field Adrian Reid got fed up and he launched a score from way out.

Brian Donnelly took confidence from Adrian Reid’s long range effort to kick a bombing free from beyond the 45’ yard line in middle of the field off the ground.

With Monaghan’s superior possession we were lucky to be only three points adrift at the break And luckily there was no half time row Monaghan learnt their lesson!