AFTER five weeks on the bounce of one-sided affairs, I think we all began to contemplate that our once revered provincial Championship would morph into something ugly. Lots of space, passive tackling, and men kicking beautiful points under little pressure. That’s what we feared and to be honest that’s how it was looking. Big robust men being nice to each other, and forwards getting lots of room to do their thing.
For the second week in-a-row, redemption has been delivered and we are back to the grind of the real Ulster Championship. Proper intensity in the tackle, moments of undesirable gamesmanship but, above all, a contest impossible to predict the outcome of.
Don’t get me wrong, Saturday’s second semi-final between Donegal and Monaghan was far from a classic, and at times way too defensive, but for a second week in-a-row it delivered for proper excitement.
Once again, Donegal needed to lose a man to find their mojo and with the game within their grasp, yet another moment of needless indiscipline cost them dearly.
1) ‘MR RELIABLES’ STRUGGLE TO FIND THEIR RANGE
EVEN the greatest can falter. In the last week, we have heard that until Tyrone get a free-taker of the ilk of Michael Murphy or Conor McManus they won’t challenge for major honours. Uncharacteristically, both marquee free-takers in question missed relatively easy chances but when the game needed a leader, neither man faltered.
Murphy, in particular, was well off radar after another bruising encounter with his nemesis Vinny Corey. It was good to see Murphy back on the edge of the square and as some decent angled ball came, he started brightly.
Over the course of the game, he missed quite a few chances but in injury-time, with the sides even, it was he who took advantage of a hesitant looking Dick Clerkin, who didn’t know what to do with the ball. Murphy intercepted the pass, and once he fed an overlapping Eamonn McGee, Christy Toye fisted over what should have been the winner.
2) McMANUS STILL HAD SOME BIG MOMENTS
CONOR McManus started his inter-county career playing at wing-back and at times in the first half it looked like he was back playing in defence. On one occasion, when a Michael Murphy free dropped short, it was he who plucked the ball from the clouds. Quiet for long periods, the Monaghan sharp-shooter eventually hit a purple patch where he hit three outstanding scores.
He was well shackled by Paddy McGrath, ably assisted by Anthony Thompson. His class shone through when he hit one from play way out on the right-hand side and two incredible frees from 55 yards.
Unsurprisingly it was a night when inside forwards would be tamed but in fairness to Paddy McBrearty, he was the most effective.
3) COREY KEEPS MURPHY IN SHACKLES AGAIN
THE marquee players from both teams were well subdued, which shouldn’t come as a surprise given how well these two teams know each other. Corey had Murphy under control, Frank McGlynn was unable to exert his usual influence and the two Hughes brothers were kept on a tight rein. So it was set-up for an unlikely hero.
That man should have been Ciaran Gillespie. The whole of Donegal were screaming ‘go around him’ as Rory Beggan came off his line to close him down. After that chance went a-begging it was hard to fathom that Donegal would get another one.
It was no surprise then that Odhran Mac Niallais actually got in behind because Ryan McHugh was able to get away with checking Owen Duffy. It was almost a carbon copy of his second goal against Fermanagh and another superb finish.
Karl O’Connell was outstanding for Monaghan as Donegal struggled to deal with his pace and timing. Ryan McHugh relentlessly took the fight to Monaghan as his driving runs and bravery also shone through.
4) DONEGAL MAKE USE OF THE ‘EXTRA MAN’
AFTER an outstanding display of refereeing from David Gough last week, we were brought back to reality this week by some strange calls from Joe McQuillan, who seemed to be easily duped by moments of gamesmanship and the fact that Donegal had an extra man on the pitch for almost a minute. When Rory Gallagher (above) looks back at this one, he will cringe at some of the poor tackles that handed Monaghan good scoring opportunities.
None more so than Anthony Thompson’s late tackle that gave the chance of a replay to Monaghan. In last year’s Ulster final, Donegal allowed Monaghan inside their defensive 45 before they put the press on.
On Saturday night, they put the tackles in earlier, and this worked well for them as Monaghan struggled to work chances in the scoring zone. But their discipline in the tackle in and around the scoring zone needed to be better.
5) THERE ISN’T A CIGARETTE PAPER BETWEEN THEM
DONEGAL did very well on their own kick-out but you get the feeling Monaghan will be very disappointed they didn’t capitalise on their lack of a short strategy. Mark Anthony McGinley went long every time but I can’t recall Monaghan getting a single score from a possession won as a direct result of the opposition restart.
There is no doubt Malachy O’Rourke will see this as an area to improve on for the replay. Place kicking will also be high on the agenda for both managers as all four free-takers missed relatively easy opportunities on Saturday night.
The replay will be another close fought encounter that is near impossible to predict what might happen. Monaghan look like they have more room for improvement but, then again, Donegal cut them open for two good goal chances and at the same time kept them out at the other end.
Recovery will be key and from a Donegal perspective you would worry that seven days won’t be long enough for Rory Kavanagh, Karl Lacey and Frank McGlynn to be fighting fit. The tie looks like it’s swaying in Monaghan’s favour but there may be a kick left in the Tir Chonaill men yet.
In 1991, Meath and Dublin needed three replays to separate them and with these two Ulster rivals as evenly matched, it would be foolish to rule out another draw the next day.
