4W Monaghan

WHO: Monaghan
WHAT: Round 4 of Division 2
WHERE: Clones no Drogheda no Clones no Crossmaglen no seriously Clones
WHEN: 2:30pm

As if a local derby wasn't tense enough We have a whole host lot of mini subplots to deal with also

-The fiasco beforehand regarding home advantage
Monaghan are Unbeaten there this year but How this affects both sides is hard to tell until ironically they are out on the field in Clones!
Louth will have no problem (bar the bus trip) playing away in the wide open space that Clones provides but Monaghan now have all the pressure after fighting tooth and nail to gain that right. They will now feel they owe it to the people of Monaghan and themselves to make use of it. 

-Eamon McEnaney facing his old county with his native county
A lot actually all of what has been good about Fitzer's reign is down to Eamonn McEnaney.
Eamon worked hard to put the professional set up in place- the meals, , the Gym structure's giving a generation of players a start and sense of what's to be expected to play at inter county. (Adrian Reid,Derek Crilly,Ronan Carroll, Brian White, Mick Fanning,John O'Brien and Paddy Keenan to a certain extent)His organisation, discipline and work ethic approach may not be everyone's cup of tea but the players who served under him did and are reaping the benefits of his work to this day and maybe to his detriment come Sunday.

-The possibility of his son facing him


 Imagine Mrs McEnaney serving them Sunday Dinner after Jim kicks the winner to pile the pressure on his Dad or Eamon pulls a masterstroke to defeat us.
It takes embarrassing dad and disappointing son story to a whole new level!


-Six pointer
Local Derby or no Local derby aside this game is crucial to both sides chances of staying up. Monaghan have just 2 points and still have Westmeath to play We have 3 points having already played Westmeath.
So we need to win this game to give ourselves a real chance of keeping relegation at bay, Both sets of players know this and it will only add to the Derby tension!!


VERDICT

Both teams have been remarkably secretive about the naming of both teams

Which could mean only two things 1 they are waiting on injured players or 2 make my life even harder!!

Having  looked at both sides team sheets for each of their past 3 league games respectively there is not a whole of to change in personnel from one match to the other.

So injury baring we shouldn't see two many shocks on either side come Sunday.

Looking more in depth at the actual teams Both sides eerily set up similarily.

The defence is usually the same from game to game CHECK, big strong midfield that can score CHECK   hard working half forward line with the motive of funnelling back to help out the defence CHECK and a Target man at full forward CHECK


This could be to do with Eamon's influence and Fitzer's lack of influence or it come be down to the Geography of it all we're boarding counties and have the same style and like a similar brand of football.

Anyway This looks like its going to be tightly matched game The main difference's between the sides could be Darren Hughes at the back. Monaghan's Captain has been a real leader for them this year and from full back will have an influence on the game Ronan Carroll will have to bring the game to him and up front When Paul Finlay plays well Monaghan usually win, with 13 on his back he usually roams out the field and plays half forward keeping his free count low in a tight game will be key to us winning.
Be aware that Tommy Freeman is back and off the bench could be the swingman in this tie.


if we are going to win Our Forward line will have to be as industrious asever, midfield is going to be very busy on Sunday and possesion will be a dogfight
IF Darren Clarke AND Derek Maguire starts we could have the scoring power to defeat them but hard calls have to be made beforehand as players off the bench will be needed.


Two team's have had a tough loss's last weekend so they can't afford to feel sorry for themselves.

Louth I think will have learnt more from last week, Although as we already discussed Eamon will know our weaknesses and strength's more than anyone 

Our confidence is high but Monaghan's Pride is at stake.

This game will go to the wire don't be surprised at a draw.






Things to Expect: Lack of Atmosphere in a drafty oversized Clones, (Imagine this game in Inniskeen compact crowd on top of the players, big away crowd ah well we just miss out on a great occasion to keep them Clones publican's happy) The ghost of Eamon McEnaney 's Louth management to live on in the Louth's wingforwards, Ronan Carroll not to score a goal tipped him last week to Score so he's a cert to score now!