Too many balls dropped short was the losing of the match today which resulted in about five scores from the resulting attack but also I thought we were the better side in 2nd half and left it behind us to a degree our backs were better in 2nd half ,thought patton should have been pulled on the slow kickoout at the end rather than o toole been pulled at hooter but I think were still in a really good place and can go really far in the all ireland series a dryer sod will help us also mohan mccarron mooney ward k duffy byrne o toole played well today get lavelle and a few others back in the swing of it and give it a good rattle muineachain abu

Farneyblueandwhite (Monaghan) - Posts: 54 - 20/04/2025 17:38:33    2603103

Yea we needed a 70 minute performance to win, cleaned out in midfield during first half, decent second half performance though. Best team won

mhunicean_abu (Monaghan) - Posts: 1066 - 20/04/2025 17:50:04    2603109

farneygael3 (Monaghan) - Posts: 188 - 20/04/2025 18:01:07    2603115

Gutted. Seriously thought we'd win that game. We gave donegal far too much respect in first half seemed to stand off them they are a good side but they aint as good as jimmys first donegal side no karl lacy mcgees or a neil gallagher in that side . We were at home and opted not to play with the wind in first half which was strange call as meant we were always playing catch up. Much better in 2nd half midfield got on top. Think Mccarthy not going for the equaliser but trying for a difficult goal chance was turning pt as we had all the momentum then and donegal regrouped well after that and managed game better used their runners and Murphys experience to guide them through even through thought they were there for the taking in the last few mins. We need to back ourselves more in attack as this bringing beggan up slows the game down and is all v predictable. A top side like donegal were never going to fall for it. We looked way more threatening when we ran at pace. Dessie Ward was superb. Mcphilips mooney great when they came on. Brannigan will learn from today in fairness as was a step up from playing div 2 but let's not kid ourselves either. Armagh or Tyrone would beaten donegal today by 4 or 5 pts if not more.

seanie08 (Monaghan) - Posts: 1880 - 20/04/2025 18:31:20    2603128

Bernardo (Monaghan) - Posts: 611 - 20/04/2025 18:35:35    2603134

totalrecall (Leitrim) - Posts: 1038 - 20/04/2025 18:43:25    2603138

BrehonBlonde (Monaghan) - Posts: 111 - 20/04/2025 18:44:34    2603139

Strange game, we played much better in the second half but you never felt we were going to win it. Donegal did enough. We are in a much better place than 12 months ago.

222 (UK) - Posts: 844 - 20/04/2025 18:50:58    2603144

Best of luck to yous the rest of the summer, some serious footballers and score-takers in that side

CCFabu (Donegal) - Posts: 152 - 20/04/2025 19:00:59    2603155

Despite there being only 2 pts in the final score I thought Donegal were by far the better team today. I never really felt that Monaghan were playing well enough to grab the game even though they could have got a draw. Donegal managed Monaghan's brief comeback spell well and looked like they had Monaghan's measure tactically.

The difference in level between league and championship is huge and maybe in their heads the players weren't tuned in to the jump required, as the level of intensity was poor in the first half.

I don't have any problem with the team picked, they earned their places from the league performances but really only Ward, Mohan and Mooney when he came on looked at the required level. I think a few places are now up for grabs.
Is McBennet injured? He was a standout player for me last year (apart from agaist Kerry) where he was presence around the middle and could take a score.

Next game will be interesting.

PolicemanFox (Monaghan) - Posts: 191 - 20/04/2025 19:13:16    2603163

First off all Donegal were deserved winners. They focused on how to negate Monaghans strengths like not fouling within Beggans range and had some well worked moves in both halves. Happy with the effort and workmate from Monaghan overall but disappointed about the line up choices for the starting team. Garland's scoring return has dried up and while he started with 1-3 against Cavan in the NFL, it has been diminishing returns ever since. Look, the lad Garland i always felt needed a persistent run of games to prove weather he has it or not at senior inter county level. He's had that now and you'd have to say he's had his chance and not taken it. Time for Mooney to be given the starting role. By the same token McCarville just lacks that bit of a "dog" in him. When the going gets tough, he goes missing. Happy for McCarville that he won a div 2 medal and got to play in croke park at the age of 30 but he's not the answer. Monaghan have been over run in midfield multiple times in div 2 this year.

sleater (Monaghan) - Posts: 177 - 20/04/2025 19:21:07    2603174

eddieSize5Balls (Donegal) - Posts: 115 - 20/04/2025 20:04:53    2603199

Monaghan started strongly, but they hit the pause button after Murphy was awarded the 2-pt free for the technical infringement. I need to see that on the Sunday game to see what really happened as there was serious confusion around it.. Donegal have some serious players in their team, but then so do we..there was some great battles around the field, Ryan O'Toole was top of Oisin Gallen who was a handful, it was a great tussle. I would not fear Donegal if we play them again later in the summer. This is a good team that will grow as they play good opposition. Time to get the heads down and prepare for mid May..

Farney (Monaghan) - Posts: 814 - 20/04/2025 20:20:34    2603209

KingdomofBreifne (Cavan) - Posts: 177 - 20/04/2025 20:40:21    2603216

KingdomofBreifne (Cavan) - Posts: 177 - 20/04/2025 20:47:37    2603219

Scenicparish (Donegal) - Posts: 459 - 20/04/2025 20:58:10    2603224

Well done today to Monaghan, you ran us close in the end and I expected nothing else, I feel we deserved the win though.
You have a good team there and a lot of football to look forward to in the group stages, nobody will want to draw Monaghan.

Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 3168 - 20/04/2025 21:35:39    2603234

Shelbourne1 (Monaghan) - Posts: 406 - 20/04/2025 22:58:55    2603261

Shelbourne1 (Monaghan) - Posts: 406 - 20/04/2025 23:07:08    2603264

Shelbourne1 (Monaghan) - Posts: 406 - 20/04/2025 23:09:54    2603266