Fine margins in that game, it really could have gone either way. I haven't watched it back but I see a lot of the comments about the ref and the extra time. I did think we were on the wrong side of most 50-50 calls but that happens. You can't depend on a ref to win a game for you. We got a few soft frees too in fairness. We did not bring our best game yesterday and still Tyrone struggled for plenty of that game. They committed to the attack and got a fairly low haul from play considering their game plan. We were too slow on the break, gave Tyrone time to track back and ergo ended up with some long range points and drawing frees. I have said here many times before that there is very little to separate Monaghan, Tyrone and Donegal with respect to where they are at. I have seen nothing this year to change that. Tyrone are at that level and not at Dublins unfortunately for them.

Good luck in the final, I think you'll need all you can get.

seanfinn (Monaghan) - Posts: 360 - 13/08/2018 09:44:27    2132547

As a neutral (no love for either team) I thought Tyrone were marginally better, and overall deserved the win, in fact should have been more ahead based on their overall play and Monaghan really shouldn't have been in with a shout of a draw at the end. A lot of cribbing about the ref. Thought he got a lot right. Sure, he got some stuff wrong, but that was for both sides, Monaghan got some handy calls during the game also. Tough game anyway and to be that close must be heart wrenching for Monaghan.

Think the black card decision was correct. Player did drag him down, but seemed to me to be an attempt to play the ball. Is this not the actual definition of what differentiates between a yellow and a black card? A black need to be dragging down on purpose with no intent to play the ball... Look back at the tackle that started all this black card, Sean Cavanagh years ago. That was intentional, this tackle wasn't.

Not sure if that was a free at the end. Seemed to be both pulling and dragging each other other. Look at it another way, if a free was given and Monaghan equalised, would we have been saying that was unduly harsh? I think so. It wasn't clear who was fouling or being fouled. Ref can't give on a decision like that, especially with so much at stake. I know from playing forward myself, that if you position yourself in front of the back and pull and drag and fall to the ground, a weak ref will invariably give you a free. He just didn't fall for it this time.

Final point on time given at the end. Did seem to be not a lot of time, but was the ref simply being more accurate? The Sunday game had a graphic with allowances that showed he was correct. But is it a case that other refs just simply allow more? Do modern managers and teams now expect more even when it is not justified. Maybe they got stymied because a referee was actually accurate in timekeeping, rather than just going for 5 or 6 minutes as there were subs and a few injuries.

Loughduff Lad (Cavan) - Posts: 2466 - 13/08/2018 09:45:51    2132548

A bit of an arm wrestle and certainly the result could have gone either way. However to win by a point after coming from behind will certainly benefit the players in the long run. Seem to recall something similar the last time two Ulster teams met in the 2005 semi-final final.

Byanthon (Tyrone) - Posts: 1792 - 13/08/2018 09:48:26    2132551

3 minutes was bizarrre

It just doesn't make sense...

All the subs coming in etc

3 minutes...

Nah it doesn't add up whatsoever

A fair amount went against Monaghan yesterday, some calls also went for them but it wasn't a balanced amount

Tyrone certainly got more out of the calls

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 13/08/2018 09:50:46    2132552

Monaghan might feel slightly aggrieved over a few refereeing decisions but I think overall Tyrone were the better team. They're such a well drilled side and are physically on a par with Dublin I'd say. They're also extremely street-wise, very adept at winning frees and winding the opposition up.

Dublin will be a big step up however. To beat them I think you need to be looking to get 20 to 25 points on the score board. I can't see Tyrone raising that many white flags to be honest so they'll need goals. Are they clinical enough to take their goal chances when they come though? I'm not so sure. Prime example yesterday was when McGeary (I think?) played a lovely ball over the top to Frank Burns on the charge. Now he got a point out of it but there was a chance for a wee slipped hand-pass to McAliskey who would have been able to walk it in. If Tyrone can create and take those type of goal chances then they will definitely be in with a shout though.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9728 - 13/08/2018 10:06:49    2132564

I think Tyrone got through this game on merit rather than the ref or wasted goal chances by Monaghan. Tyrone were guilty of many easy wides too, so that balances things a bit for those who are still torturing themselves with the 'what if' syndrome. Ultimately, when Monaghan went a point up, tyrone replied in a very winning way.

I think they have a hell of a lot of improving to do to be in with a chance v Dublin, but with Mickey Harte, you never know.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3846 - 13/08/2018 10:39:01    2132585

Ha ha....Get the red and white blinkers off....

Nolan had a bad day he gave Monaghan a few soft frees before half time for sure but he was hard on them in the early part.

in the second half all the big calls went against them all of them.

Hughes was fouled four times he missed them the one time he wasn't fouled he gave monaghan a free ...Was this on his mind in the last call???

The line ball before the Tyrone goal can be blamed on the linesman I suppose but maybe the ref thought it was a Tyrone free that was poor as well

Monaghans lack of composure ,Slow start and maybe belief also contributed to them not getting over the line but still came very close.

Best of luck to Tyrone they certainly have the fitness to trouble the Dubs!

BigJohn.6_8 (Galway) - Posts: 704 - 13/08/2018 10:48:16    2132597

We still won despite a number of our players not performing - Ronan McNamee wasn't great, neither was a jittery Frank Burns, McAliskey missed handy points and Brennan was nullified. Still won however so there maybe is a bigger performance in the team yet to come.

RTE must be over the moon Tyrone are in the final, hmmmm what to do about the build up to the match, how many passed Tyrone players can they get to interview cause they'll get nothing from any current member of the squad. Heaven forbid if Tyrone won it, a serious media disaster for RTE.

Game2Halves (Tyrone) - Posts: 265 - 13/08/2018 10:53:42    2132601

IrishGael3 (USA) - Posts: 1092 - 13/08/2018 13:48:47    2132720

Tirchonaill1 (Donegal) - Posts: 3170 - 13/08/2018 22:04:28    2132971

Firstly well done to Tyrone on getting through a tough and tense semi-final. Doesn't really matter how you get to the final as long as you get there. Talk about the ref and poor decisions is pointless enough and I think most things balance themselves out over the course of a season anyway. Refs nowadays have such a difficult job especially when plenty players are out to con them into giving frees.

I think if Monaghan had made the final most people would be talking about a fairly handy 4 in a row for Dublin. Tyrone have played them twice this year, lost in Healy Park by two points and beat them on Sunday by a point. Not overly convincing. I wouldn't be overly worried about Tyrone in the final. Have seen nothing from them aside from fitness that would worry Jim Gavin and co. Might stick in it till the 45/50 min mark and then the lads will be rolled off the bench to turn the screw like last Saturday. Mickey Harte no longer holds any fear factor about pulling some tactical masterstroke as he just doesn't have the tools at his disposal to fashion a way to beat Dublin in my opinion. If I'm wrong I'll be the first to hold my hands up but really can't see anything other than a Dublin win and a comfortable one at that, 5 - 8 points.

TrueBlue35 (Dublin) - Posts: 218 - 14/08/2018 09:00:48    2133044

Wally (Tyrone) - Posts: 926 - 14/08/2018 09:23:17    2133048

Watched the full game back on Sky last night ....god Monaghan have every right to feel aggrieved ...Ref was very hard on them infact it was so obivious even my daughter of 14 who is mad into the football said to me"Da why was that not a free in the end"...Did the referee not like Monaghan?

BigJohn.6_8 (Galway) - Posts: 704 - 14/08/2018 13:13:32    2133175

Brolly (Monaghan) - Posts: 4472 - 14/08/2018 13:29:23    2133180

The_Fridge (Tyrone) - Posts: 2093 - 14/08/2018 13:39:10    2133183

The 2 best teams in the country are in the final imo.

I think that Tyrone showed very strong form at the end of the league, as well as in omagh v Dublin recently. They also beat Monaghan who were flying high despite their hiccup as well as donegal in ballybofey, which was a very good series of results.

The dubs form speaks for itself.

In terms of room for improvement, Dublin have almost perfected their game or they are as close to it as they can be. Tyrone need to improve to stand a chance. There are questions about their forwards. There are questions about how much they can stop Dublin from scoring. Any level headed person would jump on Dublin in this game as the favourites.

I still think that Tyrone will pose a threat to Dublin as they are as fit as them. They may not be as fast as them in terms of players though. This is going to prove to be a huge issue for them.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3846 - 14/08/2018 13:41:00    2133184

Wally (Tyrone) - Posts: 926 - 14/08/2018 13:56:39    2133200

Dergforeeva (Tyrone) - Posts: 90 - 14/08/2018 14:16:52    2133213

Game2Halves (Tyrone) - Posts: 265 - 14/08/2018 14:38:03    2133222

Wally (Tyrone) - Posts: 926 - 14/08/2018 15:25:49    2133248