Articles in the Sports News Category

Colm Shalvey reports Forewarned should be forearmed for Monaghan as they launch their Ulster SFC campaign with a quarter-final against Down in Clones on Saturday. All form guides point to a comfortable win for Monaghan, but if they weren’t already wary of a potential ambush from Down, the last few weeks should focus the mind further. Following a turbulent few weeks where a breach of discipline by players at a training camp meant that James McCartan had to be persuaded to stay in position in his second term as manager, Down ...

COLM SHALVEY REPORTS Monaghan made it back-to-back wins in senior hurling for the first time in three years when they ended up on the right side of an eight-goal thriller against Louth in the Lory Meagher Cup at Darver last Sunday. Monaghan’s last two visits to the venue had produced a seven-point defeat in last year’s Lory Meagher and a win by the same margin in this spring’s NHL and they managed to repeat the latter result. As so often in Darver, the weather conditions were challenging, but the teams still ...

ERIN TREANOR REPORTS Monaghan retained the Ulster Minor title with an impressive all-round performance against Tyrone in Crossmaglen last Saturday. Having started the campaign slowly, Monaghan moved through the gears as it progressed, culminating in an outstanding display in the final. From the throw-in, the Monaghan midfield partnership of Kerrie-Anne Walsh and Laura McGeown had the upper hand, with the Corduff player quickly opening the scoring. The combination of the pacy Sarah Tierney and the tireless Shannon Murphy helped extend Monaghan’s lead early on, while Éabha Sherry gave an outstanding display ...

COLM SHALVEY Monaghan will be looking to make it back-to-back wins in senior hurling for the first time in three years when they take on Louth in Darver this Sunday. Monaghan haven’t put two consecutive wins together in either league or championship since finishing the 2019 NHL with three victories, but they go into this one on the back of taking full points from another derby against Cavan last Sunday. Monaghan and Louth are the highest-ranked teams in the competition based on league status, with the other four sides operating in ...

COLM SHALVEY Monaghan Harps hosted a star-studded Ulster championship preview night in the Hillgrove Hotel in Monaghan Town last Saturday. A host of high-profile pundits joined Monaghan’s Shane Hannon (Off the Ball, Newstalk) both to reminisce on GAA memories and most importantly to look ahead to the inter-county championship season, which gets underway this weekend. The first panel consisted of former Monaghan and Fermanagh manager Malachy O’Rourke; Dick Clerkin, who won two Ulster titles during Malachy’s time with Monaghan; Roslea and Fermanagh legend Peter McGinnity; Crossmaglen and Armagh stalwart Aaron Kernan; ...

Colm Shalvey reports Coláiste Oiriall, Monaghan made history in Longford last Friday when their senior girls won the school’s first All-Ireland title with an impressive victory over Mount Saint Michael, Claremorris. The game was level at half-time, but the Oiriall girls won the second half by 2-8 to 0-2, hitting an unanswered 2-5 from the 38th minute on. Alannah Ní Chorragáin’s goal, which finally put some daylight between the teams, was a game-changer as Coláiste Oiriall took control. Coláiste Oiriall had leaders in every line of the pitch, including Orna Ní ...

As “the agony of supporting Monaghan” turned to ecstasy in the high drama of Sunday’s relegation battle win over Dublin, MAITIÚ MONAGHAN was there to savour the moment On Saturday night, I met a Clones ex-pat living in Kildare for 20 years. He claims to have swapped allegiances entirely and is thankful he no longer “has to go through the agony of supporting Monaghan.” His twin brother on the other hand, remains an avid supporter of the Farney Army and is a fellow member of the “Gary Mohan’s Mullet Fan Club”. ...

Monaghan’s memorable last-gasp victory over Dublin to preserve their Division 1 status was a feat of escapology Houdini would have been proud of, reflects JACK MADDEN The Chinese Water Torture Cell: an illusion consisting of three parts. First, the magician’s feet are locked in stocks; next, he is suspended in mid-air from his ankles with a restraint brace; finally, he is lowered into a glass tank overflowing with water and the restraint is locked to the top of the cell. Berlin, Germany. The year is 1912. A young man by the ...

TALKING POINTSColm Shalvey At the end of Cheltenham Festival week, Monaghan sadly weren’t at the races as they visited Newbridge last Sunday. Anyone who had backed Monaghan for a second away win in the space of a week would have been left with a beaten docket long before the end after Kildare made storming starts to both halves to all but secure a win that moved Glenn Ryan’s side out of the relegation zone heading into the final round. This was Monaghan’s first defeat from four away games in the current ...

COLM SHALVEY REPORTS Monaghan will need another great escape this Sunday in Clones if they are to extend their stay in Division One of the Allianz NFL into a ninth year. A heavy defeat against Kildare last Sunday saw Monaghan drop three places in the table to sit bottom, behind their final-round opponents Dublin on score difference. Monaghan have pulled off a couple of great escapes during their eight-year stint in the top flight – most recently when they came from behind to defeat Galway in extra-time of a relegation playoff ...