BACK TO THE DRAWING BOARD FOR MONAGHAN FOOTBALLERS

COLM SHALVEY

Monaghan’s senior men have now drawn more than half of their last 13 competitive games, with seven of those finishing level after 70 minutes. That run goes back to just after the lengthy 2020 shutdown, which was followed by draws against Meath and Cavan. Further stalemates followed against Donegal, Tyrone and Galway in 2021, while two of the first three games of 2022 have finished level, away to Derry and Armagh. Two of those games were decided by extra-time (the loss to Cavan and the win over Galway), but this one broke new ground by going straight to penalties.

PERFECT PENALTIES

Penalty shoot-outs are a rarity in Gaelic football and they represent a harsh way to lose in more highstakes games. With the league just around the corner, however, it made sense in the circumstances to go straight to penalties on Tuesday night, with hundreds of the near- 3,500 crowd flocking to the terrace behind the goals for an eagle-eye view of a high-standard shoot-out. It made for an exciting finish to a game that had built up to a high-tempo final….