Bank of Ireland Dr McKenna Cup: Monaghan v Donegal (tomorrow, 2pm, Clones)
THE ‘black tae and dry toast’ derby.
It was The Irish Times' Keith Duggan who coined the phrase last spring after Donegal played out a 1-12 apiece draw in the National League, musing that if the two were sat down in Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud, they’d throw away the menu and order the blandest thing they could think of – namely black tae and dry toast.
It was a wonderful description and one that even the most fervently biased mind would struggle to deny.
Since Monaghan’s surprise Ulster final breakthrough in 2013, when they found a big start and thereafter barricaded the city walls, this will be their 10th meeting since – though a first in the McKenna Cup.
The average margin of victory has been less than three points, and that’s despite the outliers of the 2013 Ulster final (Monaghan by six), their 2014 League regular meeting (Donegal by seven) and the Croke Park final of that competition (Monaghan by six).
There have been two draws, three one-point games and a two-point encounter, and almost all of them following a similar pattern of the two sides dancing around the ring, jabbing patiently at other and waiting to pounce on one moment of weakness.
You’d imagine there wouldn’t be the same edginess about an early January encounter, but there will be something to learn from it about how both of them plan to approach the season.
A lot of the key protagonists will be missing on either end as both Declan Bonner and Malachy O’Rourke hand the standard trials to those of fresher face.
Michael Langan impressed during the week, hitting 1-6 (0-4f) against Queen’s, in a forward line that had nothing in the way of experience.
Nathan Mullins’ debut went well, ending in the biggest cheer of the night when he was replaced early in the second half, and it won’t be until they head to Killarney at the end of the month that his partnership with Hugh McFadden is likely to be broken up.
It’s one thing for Donegal to go all out in an opener against Queen’s, where they hit 1-5 unanswered in the early minutes to win it before it had right started.
It’s another altogether when faced with one of their primary rivals of recent years, and one that have made them clam up and play the most inwardly of them all.
But there have been admissions out of both camps that they will have to change their styles if they are to be successful later in the year.
Tyrone hitting 4-20 against Antrim was the first signal of intent from anyone and it is in attack that all of the Ulster sides will need to improve if they are to make a dent.
Declan Bonner saw his side enjoy a comfortable opening victory, with that good start killing off Queen’s nice and early, though the Donegal boss wasn’t overly impressed with the latter part of the first half.
“We went 1-5 to 0-0 up and then players going into their old habits of doing their own thing,” he said after the game.
“We got it sorted to an extent at half-time. Boys had opportunities to pop the ball over and didn’t take them. It’s a learning curve, a lot of them are just out of 20s or 21s.”
Cian Mulligan picked up an injury towards the end of the 2-15 to 0-6 win in Ballybofey, while Odhran MacNiallais’s return remains in doubt as he continues to struggle with a knock, although he has not been ruled out.
Monaghan haven’t gone into the McKenna Cup with anywhere near the strength of past years, though they did have Rory Beggan, Kieran and Owen Duffy and Neil McAdam in the starting side as they were beaten by Fermanagh in their opener on Wednesday night.
Darren Hughes and Fintan Kelly also both came off the bench and if that half dozen were all to play a part again tomorrow, it would give the Farney men the edge in terms of experience.
Donegal would look to Marty O’Reilly, Hugh McFadden and Eamonn Doherty to guide their youth.
Both sides will have to change as the year goes on but Monaghan’s good record in this fixture is one thing that’s likely to stay as it is for now.
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