Articles in the GAA Category

By Colm Shalvey Player of the Year: Dessie Mone: In other years, it was hard to find players who had played consistently well, but there were plenty of contenders in 2013. Tigerish defender Colin Walshe and prolific forward Conor McManus were rewarded for outstanding campaigns with deserved All-Star awards, Kieran Hughes added consistency to his undoubted ability, Drew Wylie nailed down the full-back position with his superb championship form and Owen Lennon had perhaps his best year in the Monaghan jersey. Dessie Mone arguably typified Monaghan’s character and attitude in 2013, however. ...

By Colm Shalvey Four goals and 26 points, 18 scorers, just two yellow cards and none of the new black cards. To say last Sunday’s Power NI Dr. McKenna Cup opener in Clones was an open game would be an understatement. Monaghan and Derry set up to attack and the forward lines were on top at both ends of the pitch; leading to a difficult 70 minutes for both defences. The fact that there were no black cards reflected the free-flowing approach taken by the teams and it also had something ...

Derry 2-15 Monaghan 2-11 By JOHN GRAHAM FOLLOWING on their recent O’Fiach Cup success Derry got their Dr. McKenna Cup campaign off to a winning start when they proved too strong for Monaghan in vital areas and at crucial times in this entertaining, high scoring affair that attracted a good attendance to the Clones venue on Sunday last. Derry fielded a team that was a mixture of youth and experience and it was those experienced players, particularly their midfield pairing of Mark Lynch and the returned Fergal Doherty along with James Kielt on the ...

Santry Park at the back of Morton Stadium at Santry, Dublin was in near perfect condition as it hosted the National Juvenile Even Ages & National Inter County Senior & Junior Cross Country Championships. Up on 1500 athletes from all over the island came together to battle it for the various titles and the large crowd present were treated a great afternoon’s competition. Monaghan may have been sparsely represented but where we were lacking in quantity with only two athletes we made up for in quality as both Glaslough Hariers ...

All eyes are on The Athletic Grounds where, on Nov 30th, Monaghan contest two Ulster Finals. by COLM SHALVEY The battle for flag space in north Monaghan will go on for at least another week after Truagh and Emyvale both qualified for Ulster club finals last Sunday. A close game was expected in Truagh’s IFC semi-final against Foreglen from Derry, with both teams taking impressive form into the match at Healy Park, but the Monaghan side had all but sealed victory by half-time. Goals by Mark Counihan and the recently-recalled Damian McRory had ...

2013: The year Monaghan won two Ulster Finals … COLM SHALVEY Monaghan Gaels brought the curtain down on a year of unprecedented success with a glitzy Gala Banquet in the Hillgrove Hotel last Friday night.An attendance estimated at around 600 made their way to the Monaghan town hotel for the celebration of the remarkable achievements of the county senior and minor teams this year. Clubs from across the county were represented at the black-tie event, which saw the players, mentors and officials swap their jerseys and tracksuits for considerably more formal attire. ...

Ciaran Lavery is Monaghan’s newest golf professional. Next month, he’ll take part in a prestigious tournament in mainland Europe. Here he tells The Northern Standard the reasons why he decided last week to wave goodbye to his amateur status On a wind pummelled golf course in Drumlin country, Ciaran Lavery nullifies the whirr of the elements with a swish of his trusted nine iron. ‘Get in the hole’, somebody roars from the cusp of the par 3. This time though the ball settles on the green, no more than three ...

There is lots of excitement with Truagh and Emyvale competing for Ulster Club honours on Sunday. by COLM SHALVEY Neighbouring Monaghan clubs travel across Ulster this Sunday as they attempt to book places in provincial finals. Truagh and Emyvale are both going to be part of big occasions, as they open the billing for the Ulster Club SFC semi-finals in Omagh and Armagh respectively. Truagh are up against Derry champions Foreglen in the Ulster Club IFC. The Gaels were shocked by Donaghmoyne in the Monaghan preliminary round, but five straight wins over ...

By Colm Shalvey These are heady days for Monaghan football, with six All-Star awards coming to the county last weekend. First up on Friday, rounding off a memorable year for Monaghan’s senior footballers, Colin Walshe and Conor McManus became the first players from the county to win Opel GAA/GPA All-Star awards since Tommy Freeman in 2007. The first Ulster SFC win in 25 years was fittingly recorded by the Monaghan duo being named on the team during the ceremony at Croke Park. Walshe was selected for his superbly consistent performances at corner-back. The ...

Scotstown 2-13 Magheracloone 1-09 By JOHN GRAHAM SCOTSTOWN finished their season on a winning note by clinching the senior double, adding the Senior Football League title to the championship they had won in October. It was not until the second half of this interesting and entertaining contest that Scotstown looked like winners when they proved too strong in most departments for a Magheracloone side that sorely missed the talents of Tomas Freeman who was unavailable having being involved in an accident recently. Played in ideal conditions this was a contest that produced some great moves, ...