National Forum

Monaghan GAA thread

(Oldest Posts First) - Go To The Latest Post


Is Gary Mohan better than Kieran Hughes?

farneygael3 (Monaghan) - Posts: 504 - 19/01/2026 10:49:44    2651813

Link

Replying To sleater:  "While second half against Donegal was very poor, overall from the 4 Mckenna cup games, there was a lot more positives than negatives. I didn't see the full Fermanagh game only the highlights but I watched the other 3 games.

Negatives -
- across all games Monaghan struggled to win primary and secondary possession from kick outs. I'm sure this is not lost on management.
- the gap in quality between Beggan and whoever stands in for him is substantial.
- options in midfield remain scarce

Positives -
- the collective defending and attacking was generally (bar the 2nd half of Donegal game) very good. The defending was tactically disciplined and also the team were not giving away too many cheap frees.
- Attacking wise there was a decent % conversion of scores and the team was decisive when attacking looking for the quick score rather than passing it around.
- Some new players really stood up and look like they will get a sustained chance during the league. D Treanor, T Hughes, F Carolan, Ryan Duffy all impressed.

Two years ago in McKenna cup, Monaghan played Fermanagh in Enniskillen in a freezing cold evening. Monaghan laboured unconvincingly to win with at that time a very experimental team. I remember the comments on this forum at the time, that few to none of those players would be part of the team come championship time. A terrible league and injury crises later, meant those same players from that Fermanagh game ended up being the regulars that season. The point is, Monaghan are in a similar situation now. There is a lot of injuries and the Scotstown lads are missing.

The Scotstown lads will be back during the league at some point and the injuries we know about will clear up come championship time. But the first few league games will be a serious test for the new lads in the squad. Gary Mohan getting injured on Sigerson duty last week really didn't help matters."
Gary got injured at training not sigerson as far as I'm aware.

MonaghanMan44life (Monaghan) - Posts: 134 - 19/01/2026 13:02:28    2651875

Link

Replying To farneygael3:  "Is Gary Mohan better than Kieran Hughes?"
in the current county conversation? i think if kieran made a comeback - id see him more as an impact sub...maybe im wrong but mohan has youth on his side and for me is a guaranteed starter if fit

what about barry mcbennett? is that ship sailed?...also bobby mccaul - gabriel spoke so highly of him last year, is he still injured? two good big lads

MalsBalls (Monaghan) - Posts: 255 - 19/01/2026 13:34:52    2651882

Link

Replying To farneygael3:  "Is Gary Mohan better than Kieran Hughes?"
At what?
Because at football it's not even up for discussion.

MonaghanMan44life (Monaghan) - Posts: 134 - 19/01/2026 14:05:12    2651890

Link

McPhilips is a loss but he was barely used in the championship last year when Mohan wasnt fit after a pretty decent league and cameo v Donegal in Ulster so you can't blame the lad heading off on his travels.

seanie08 (Monaghan) - Posts: 1931 - 19/01/2026 15:55:08    2651926

Link

Replying To farneygael3:  "Is Gary Mohan better than Kieran Hughes?"
My eyes are bleeding

Gaels1989 (Monaghan) - Posts: 52 - 19/01/2026 16:27:34    2651934

Link

Replying To MonaghanMan44life:  "At what?
Because at football it's not even up for discussion."
He's telling people he is

farneygael3 (Monaghan) - Posts: 504 - 19/01/2026 18:42:47    2651961

Link

Replying To farneygael3:  "He's telling people he is"
There's some similarities between the two of them, oceans of football in them but dogged by inconsistency and sometimes failure to perform on the big day when it really matters…

mick2007 (Monaghan) - Posts: 636 - 19/01/2026 21:46:12    2651984

Link

Replying To mick2007:  "Could anyone tell me the logic behind Rory Beggan playing tonight and again Sunday… and we wonder why we struggle to get a sub keeper to commit to holding tackle bags year in year out.."
Post above is from January 2022.... The biggest risk to Monaghan this year is Beggan's kick outs getting figured out or neutralised like St Brigids did in the club semi final.

MrPBoylan (Monaghan) - Posts: 293 - 20/01/2026 09:16:46    2652010

Link

Replying To mick2007:  "There's some similarities between the two of them, oceans of football in them but dogged by inconsistency and sometimes failure to perform on the big day when it really matters…"
Ah I don't know three best years for monaghan were 13 18 and 23 in recent times, Hughes was very good in each campaign. All be it inconsistent in other years.

222 (UK) - Posts: 898 - 20/01/2026 10:27:22    2652026

Link

Replying To MrPBoylan:  "Post above is from January 2022.... The biggest risk to Monaghan this year is Beggan's kick outs getting figured out or neutralised like St Brigids did in the club semi final."
The biggest risk is also Beggan getting injured as the keeper on the weekend was slightly shakey although probably still young. Is that Kirk lad who came on against us when Beggan got injured a couple of years back still kicking around he was quite good. Forde also I remember from 21 level

Jimsam12 (Donegal) - Posts: 23 - 20/01/2026 11:06:41    2652029

Link

Replying To Jimsam12:  "The biggest risk is also Beggan getting injured as the keeper on the weekend was slightly shakey although probably still young. Is that Kirk lad who came on against us when Beggan got injured a couple of years back still kicking around he was quite good. Forde also I remember from 21 level"
We are missing the terriers around the middle third to win break ball. Seen a comment which I couldn't agree with more that our best player for winning breaks in the last 15 years is in the dug out as a coach. Our midfielders receive heavy criticism but there's only so much they can do if you aren't winning your share of breaks.

Rory will be there for the foreseeable and if worst comes to worse it most likely will be Mulligan who played the 2nd half on Saturday who will be the reserve keeper. Whether he's good enough or not he seems to be one of few who are interested in sitting in reserve most likely to no avail.

Not 100%, but believe Kirk isn't in goals for his club Magheracloone (potentially emigrated) and Forde is highly unlikely at this stage in his career.

ConyersHill04 (Monaghan) - Posts: 34 - 20/01/2026 15:36:10    2652126

Link

Replying To mick2007:  "There's some similarities between the two of them, oceans of football in them but dogged by inconsistency and sometimes failure to perform on the big day when it really matters…"
Slightly harsh on both.

Kieran probably burnt his bridge with Malachy in the early games of the 2018 championship and then came on and nearly won you the All ireland semi-final.

Supremely talented but definitely sad he didn't achieve more in his time with Monaghan. Hopefully Gary doesn't develop a habit of being injured at crucial times for Monaghan. Because as he displayed in the club championship this year sporadically, he's top class when he's on form.

ConyersHill04 (Monaghan) - Posts: 34 - 20/01/2026 15:41:14    2652129

Link

I think it's unfair that most say Kieran will be remembered for being an inconsistent player over his career.

farneygael3 (Monaghan) - Posts: 504 - 20/01/2026 16:33:33    2652143

Link