MONaghan Second Half report

Having set a blistering pace of football, The second half started in the same open fashion.

James Turley from the Throw in found Tommy Freeman and straightaway he opened Monaghan’s second half account,

Liam Shevlin was replaced by Ronan Greene at Half time which meant we had lost our whole half back line from the Tyrone game.
Ronan Carroll started the half in the Middle with Mark Brennan really brightly which meant the unfamiliar halfback line was not tested.

GOAL

Brennan broke the ball to a large degree of success, inspiring a mini revival in the process he turned over Dick Clerkin and sent a diagonal ball from the touchline to the near post where Derek Maguire with his back to goal couldn’t fetch the ball but it bundled back out to the left foot of the onrushing Darren Hughes, the rebound completely wrong footed the goalkeeper

This piece of good fortune brought us right back into the game.

We took a lot of confidence from this and A quick free from Darren Clarke might have seen Jim McEneaney without dinner for the week as he levelled the game against his father’s Monaghan with a swift turn and shoot over with his back to goal.

Louth were really on top and making it count, Ronan Carroll when you think is running away from goals, made an angle for himself on his left to give us the lead.

Jap Finlay notched a simple free in front of the posts after Gerry Hoey showed a lack of discipline to late tackle to undo all our hard work.

But it was Brennan again setting the tone after Adrian Reid turned over a lackadaisical James Turley he counterattacked and found Ronan Carroll who was fouled for Darren Clarke to score a simple free and his last of the day.

Jim McEnaney scored one of the best Instinctual score’s you’ll see. As he ran off Darren Clarke’s shoulder to receive the ball it feel to his feet but in stride, he flicked it up on his right and shot with the left in the same motion, A wonderful score that Jim himself probably even doesn’t know much about!


Just as you felt we were getting away from Monaghan, they took the sting out of our momentum with the next three play’s Decie Byrne and Eoin Lennon who were not giving each other an inch all day got in a tussle off the ball which saw them both booked.


Switch Off

We completely switched off as Monaghan won the hop ball worked it down the corner to Tommy Freeman he made a run along the end line and abruptly halted by Decie Byrne, he harshly received his second yellow…. We were down a man but more importantly down our focus.

Owen Duffy tapped over two free’s either side of the sending off to level the game.


With all our intensity and you had a feeling that it could not be upheld especially with a man down.
Also the introduction of a clearly unfit Brian White for Brian Donnelly didn’t help matters much either.

A much debated free in the right corner was expertly taken by Jap Finlay to give them the lead again. But as it happened, Louth with twenty minutes left in the half had had a dying kick in them Ronan Carroll kicked his second of the day and Louth’s last score of the game.

From here on in our high speed car performance had lost a wheel and was driving recklessly out of control, the brutal crash when it eventually lasted the final twenty minutes of the game horrifically for everyone in Clones to see.

Darren Hughes was used a sweeper but in reality there was no need, as they dominated the middle of the field and rampantly made it count up front giving our defenders no chance.

Eoin Lennon boomed over a score now that he was free from Decie, McGuinness capped a fine performance adding another score to his tally soon after.

Not from the lack of Ronan Carroll valiant play in the middle, Gallogy and Dick Clerkin won breaks and directly punished us and Jap Finlay kicked a beauty out on the left wing with his tasty left foot.

Ten minutes to go and Monaghan introduced Ciaran Hanratty he punched a point after a dangerous solo run.


Neil Gallagher fancied a solo run himself he went all the way out the middle only to be disposed, Gallogy with the goalkeeper out the field smelted blood and luckily for gally he drove a shot off the crossbar for a point.

Disgraceful decision

Fitzer felt he needed to shore things up back there by bringing on his son, at Ronan Greene’s embarrassing expense. You had to feel for the lad, brought on at half time and taken off to be made a scapegoat for the whole team running out of steam.


There was still enough time for James Turley to get on the score sheet and Jap Finlay to add to his tally by tagging on a free.

Speaking of time, Darren Hughes had all the time in the world. Strolling up from the back to be fouled for a Penalty and giving him the opportunity to make amends for the OG he duly did so. Jaime Carr to top of a horrible day at the office got his marching orders after a second yellow.

A dejected Louth Team at the end should not feel ashamed, I won’t totally single out the sending off for losing either.

They just simply couldn’t maintain that high level of play but it is important to point out that they can actually play a high level of football.


They were not helped by some bizarre selections, switches and 11^th hour changes and going into battle without leader Paddy Keenan.

Best Player on view: Paul 'Jap' Finlay: Clinical with his arrows all day, his dad would be proud.Best Louth player on view: Ronan Carroll: tried hard in the second half to swim against the tide in the middle.

TALKING POINT TUESDAY WILL BE NO HOLDS BARRED TOMORROW