Articles in the GAA Category

Tyrone 4-11 Monaghan 1-10 BY JOHN GRAHAM TYRONE again proved Monaghan’s bogey team as they retained their Dr McKenna Cup title making for a sixth victory in 10 years. The score line would indicate that Tyrone won comfortably in the end and they probably did but the final outcome does not do justice to the contribution by Monaghan in this tough, uncompromising battle that was played in atrocious weather conditions in the Athletic Grounds, Armagh, on Saturday evening last. The result though must be taken in the context that Monaghan simply conceded too many goals ...

BY JOHN GRAHAM It was Monaghan’s version of the Oscars or the BAFTAS as everything that was good and all the achievements in the GAA in Monaghan in 2012 were acknowledged and rewarded. Special guests on the night along with all the award winners were the county minor hurlers who won an Ulster double last year. Outgoing chairman of the Ulster Hurling Committee Martin McAviney congratulated the players and complimented Monaghan on the work they are doing to promote hurling. Guest speaker on the night Michael Duignan recalled the enjoyment he ...

Monaghan’s participation in this weekend’s Dr McKenna Cup Final marks their first appearance in this Cup final since 2006. by COLM SHALVEY So far, so good. All Dr. McKenna Cup form comes with the ‘it’s only January’ proviso attached, but the early-season signs are positive after Monaghan qualified for the final and stretched their 100% record to four games. Malachy O’Rourke’s first month in charge has brought as many competitive wins as in all of 2012 and double the 2011 total. Winning is a habit that Monaghan had lost the knack of ...

BY JOHN GRAHAM MONAGHAN V TYRONE Having got out of gaol against Down on Sunday last in the semi-final Monaghan now head back to the Athletic Grounds this Saturday to take on the holders Tyrone in the final of the 2013 Dr McKenna Cup. After Monaghan disposed of the Down challenge Tyrone had simply too much pace and power for Fermanagh whom they accounted for easily in the second semi-final but Tyrone manager Mickey Harte will certainly be looking for an all-round improvement if they are to retain their title. Following last Sunday’s semi-final ...

Monaghan 1-12 Down 0-13 BY JOHN GRAHAM MONAGHAN pulled this game out of the fire with three unanswered points between the 34th and 37th minutes to book their place in the final of the Dr McKenna Cup for the first time since 2003. By that stage Monaghan could have been well behind such was the dominance of Down and the fractured nature of Monaghan’s display but to their credit they stuck to the task and it eventually came right. Played in difficult conditions this was a game where there was never very much between the ...

Monaghan 3-16 Donegal 1-05 MONAGHAN cruised to what was ultimately a facile victory over a totally makeshift Donegal side in this quite one-sided Dr McKenna Cup second-round match that was played in our difficult conditions in Ballybofey in front of a crowd of less than 1’000 on Sunday last. This game was only a contest for a short period in the first half when Donegal got the margin back to a single point with six minutes remaining in the first half but thereafter it was a veritable procession as Monaghan increased the tempo ...

Panel building, not giant killing, is boss O’Rourke’s main concern as he begins to shape his National League squad. by COLM SHALVEY Monaghan may have been facing a makeshift Donegal team in last Sunday’s Power NI Dr. McKenna Cup match in Ballybofey, but 17-point win (scoring 3-16 in the process) has to be a welcome boost to confidence. Monaghan were totally on top from the start and a three-point lead was scant reward for their first-half dominance, after Adrian Hanlon found the net for Donegal, against the run of play. The visitors ...

Following the results of the second round of matches in this year’s McKenna Cup competition things are quite finely balanced as to who will proceed to the semi finals following the final round of games last night, Wednesday. In Section A the winners between Monaghan and Fermanagh will go straight through while a draw would mean that scoring averages will decide the issue. The winners of Section A will play the winners of Section B where Down look to be in pole position with two points if they took the result ...

Looking forward has always been Paul Finlay’s game plan. The 2012 Monaghan Player of the Year has no plans to change tact now, especially after the tumultuous past 12 months he has just experienced. By KEVIN CARNEY been a bitter-sweet one for Paul Finlay. Over the course of 2012 the iconic Ballybay man went through the full gamut of emotions on both the personal and sporting fronts. He tied the knot with Monaghan town lass Donna Sheridan but buried his father Kieran last March. He captained the Pearse Brothers to a first ...