ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIV 1.
Monaghan v Cork:
Scotstown: Sunday February 7th @ 2.30pm

It may be only the opening game of the National Football League but Monaghan could well be going into a match on Sunday that will define their entire league season when they take on Cork in Scotstown. It is less than a year since these sides met at the same venue in division 2 of the league when Monaghan staged something of an ambush to pick up two valuable points that helped them through to the final of the division 2. That final though gave Cork a second chance and they made the most of it to take the silverware back to Leeside and leave Monaghan with morale possibly slightly dented as they began their preparations for the Ulster championship. Cork went on from that game to win the Munster championship and reach the All Ireland final but the ultimate honour still eluded them. Sunday's game has all of the connotations on both of those meetings and this is something that applies to probably half of the teams taking part in division 1 this weekend because the teams that lose their opening matches are already in a dogfight. Cork are coming into this new season still smarting and hurting from the fairly ignominious end to their 2009 season and their defeat by Kerry in the All Ireland senior football championship final. There was a great deal of soul-searching in the Rebel County following that defeat and a lot of analysis done as to whether everyone involved could regenerate the hunger to start out again in 2010. To help with that regeneration the Cork panel was abroad on holidays recently and by all accounts there was a lot of work done to prepare the team mentally for the season ahead. Cork will also come to Scotstown on Sunday in the full knowledge that Monaghan pulled one over on them when they were last at the Scotstown venue back in March of 2009 and even though it may not be of major significance it will still be a motivating factor in the mindset. Going into Sunday's game there is little by way of form by which to analyse the prospects. Due to their foreign holiday and the number of students they had on duty with the colleges in the McGrath Cup, Cork did not take part in that competition this year but they have had a couple of challenge matches since they returned from holiday a week ago last Sunday. Immediately on their return they had two challenge matches organised against Dublin and Limerick, losing to the latter, and most recently they had a challenge match against the Cork Institute of Technology. It was a game though that told little because due to the adverse weather conditions on the night they only played two halves of 20 minutes each. Manager Conor Counihan though was happy to have got the run out and a certain amount of work done as against the Cork Institute he was able to give a run out to 24 players which will give him options as he sits down to pick his team for Sunday. Depending on the availability of the students on the panel, he will have to await the outcome of the Cork Institute of Technology Sigerson Cup match against UCC and whoever goes through in that one has been told they have first call on the players. Along with that condition it looks as if he could be without Graham Canty who is carrying a niggling hamstring injury and John Miskella is also extremely doubtful with a groin strain. That said though there will be a lot of familiar faces around although it will be no surprise if Colm O'Driscoll who was on the U21 team last year makes his senior inter county debut as he has been showing well in those challenge games. Likewise David Goold has shown up well in challenge matches and Richard O'Sullivan who was on the county junior team last year looks like making the step up. Cork too could have a new goalkeeper in the shape of Ken O'Halloran while Sean Kiely from the Macroom club looked in good shape. That said though the tried and trusted will still be there, Alan O'Connor and Nicolas Murphy played in all three challenge matches. Fintan Gould and Paul Kerrigan along with Paul Flynn, Patrick Kelly, John Hayes and James Masters have also been in action although if the Cork Institute go through in the Sigerson he would be without Paul Kerrigan.

SO WHAT OF MONAGHAN.
Seamus McEnaney likewise has a number of issues to ponder when he sits down to pick a team that he will hope can take the 2 league points on offer in this opening game. The Monaghan manager used the Barrett Sports Lighting Dr. McKenna Cup to run the rule over a number of prospective players and all of those that were being assessed took part in all three matches, two of which Monaghan lost, to Fermanagh and Armagh, and one of which they won when they defeated the UUJ. That victory over UUJ was significant in that it was the inclusion of a number of regulars like Vincent Corey, Paul Finlay and Gary McQuaid that strengthened Monaghan and while at times they were a little uncertain in defence the attack showed great promise. McEnaney also has to reckon without the services of a number of players for this opening game. Owen Lennon will be out for another four or five weeks at least, John Paul Mone had surgery on his knee injury and will not be available for another couple of weeks, likewise his brother Dessie is doubtful as he did not take part in the McKenna Cup with UUJ and Stephen Gollogly is also carrying an injury. The good news though is that Dick Clerkin is available for Sunday as he had the red card that he picked up in the McKenna Cup against Fermanagh rescinded on appeal. It was felt at the time that a red card was rather harsh and those opinions were vindicated when the decision of the referee was overturned at a hearing requested by the player. Clerkin will certainly give Monaghan strength in midfield, an area where Cork are particularly strong and the combination of Alan O'Connor and Nicholas Murphy will have the advantage in height . His most likely ally in midfield will be Paul Finlay although McEnaney could give a start to Brendan McKenna who is available now that Emyvale are out of the All Ireland junior club championship.
Monaghan also look like giving his league debut to goalkeeper Sean Gorman who had a very good McKenna Cup campaign but the manager has a number of decisions to make as to what will be his most effective defence against a Cork team that has height, pace and power. While Cork may be fielding a number of new faces their manager, Conor Counihan, will by and large be relying on the tried and trusted and there will not be that many changes from the team that Monaghan met in Scotstown back in March or even more so the team they met in Croke Park back in April of last year in the Division II final. All in all it is an intriguing contest that is sure to attract a capacity attendance to Scotstown for the 2.30pm throw-in.

PREVIOUS MEETINGS.
Monaghan and Cork first met in the National Football League back in 1987 in Carrickmacross when the home pulled off something of a surprise victory. They did not meet again for all of the 19 years when they then met in division 1 back in 2006 in Castleblayney, a game Monaghan needed to win if they were to have any hope of retaining division 1 status that year. Ultimately they lost and made the drop to division two but a couple of seasons later Cork were also in division 2 and the sides have met on no fewer than three occasions in the last two years, Cork winning two and Monaghan winning one of those encounters.
THE RESULTS.
1987/88 Monaghan 1-9 Cork 0-8. (Carrickmacross 4/12/'87)
2006 Monaghan 0-8 Cork 1-9 (C'Blayney 9/4/06).
2008 Cork 0-12, Monaghan 0-10. (Pairc Ui Rinn 5/4/2008)
2009` Monaghan 2-13, Cork 1-9 (Scotstown 29/3/2009).
2009 Monaghan 0-12, Cork 1-14 (Div 2 Final Croke Park 26/4/2009)

SCOTSTOWN REVISITED: A SIMILAR RESULT WILL DO.
ALLIANZ FOOTBALL LEAGUE DIV. 2.
Monaghan 2-13, Cork 1-9.
Monaghan put on a display of pace and power to get their promotion prospects firmly back on track with this thoroughly deserved victory over Cork in a thrilling game in Scotstown on Sunday March 29th last year. Despite the difficult wintry conditions with wind and rain throughout this was a game that was played at a cracking pace and produced some great passages of play along with a number of brilliant personal performances and none more so than Paul Finlay as Monaghan held control for long periods. The sides were level three times in the opening 20 minutes before Monaghan hit the front with a brilliant goal by Tomas Freeman in the 24th minute. That kick started a purple patch for the home side and they went on to add five points without reply, three by Paul Finlay, one from a free and one from a '45, along with one each by Eoin Lennon and Gary McQuaid to open a seven points gap approaching the halfway stage. A momentary lapse in concentration saw Daniel Goulding pull back a goal for the visitors to leave four points between the side at half-time, Monaghan 1-8, Cork 1-4. A point by Rory Woods four minutes after the restart extended Monaghan's lead to five but Cork had the margin down to three by the 7th minute with points by Paul Kerrigan and substitute John Hayes. The third quarter was an even enough affair although Monaghan were beginning to win increasing possession out around the middle and brilliantly struck frees by Paul Finlay restored Monaghan to a five points lead. Cork were now becoming a bit unsettled but any chance they had of turning it around was dealt a hammer blow in the 23rd minute when Raymond Ronaghan crashed to the roof of the Cork net after an initial effort by Tomas Freeman had been blocked by Cork keeper Alan Quirke for a seven points lead. Entering the final five minutes another pointed free by Paul Finlay put Monaghan eight in front with Cork's only response a late point from James Masters as they could find no way through a massed Monaghan defence for the goal they needed to get back into it and Monaghan ran out deserving winners with seven points to spare.
Scorers: Monaghan: Paul Finlay 0-6 (4f,1x'45), Tomas Freeman 1-1, Raymond Ronaghan 1-0, Gary McQuaid, Darren Hughes, Eoin Lennon, Stephen Gollogly, Rory Woods, Paul McGuigan 0-1 each. Cork: Danile Goulding 1-2 (0-2f), Donncha O'Connor 0-2 (2f), Nicholas Murphy, Paul O'Flynn, Paul Kerrigan, John Hayes and James Masters 0-1 each.
Monaghan: Shane Duffy, Dessie Mone, John Paul Mone, Vincent Corey, Damien Freeman, Gary McQuaid , Darren Hughes, Dick Clerkin, Eoin Lennon, Conor McManus, Paul Finlay, Stephen Gollogly, Mark Downey, Rory Woods, Tomas Freeman. Subs: Raymond Ronaghan for C McManus, Paul McGuigan for M Downey, Dermot McArdle for D Mone, Stephen McAleer for D Clerkin (yellow card), Gary McEnaney for D Hughes, Kieran Hughes for R Woods.

Cork: Alan Quirke, Kieran O'Connor, Ray Carey, Noel O'Donovan, Ger Spillane, Noel O'Leary, Michael Shields, Alan O'Connor, Nicholas Murphy, Conor McCarthy, Fintan Gould, Paul O'Flynn, Daniel Goulding, Donncha O'Connor, Paul Kerrigan. Subs: John Hayes for P O'Flynn, Andrew O'Sullivan for A O'Connor (yellow card), James Masters for F Gould, Azaki O'hAilpin for C McCarthy, Paudie Kissane for G Spillane, Brendan Crowley for K O'Connor. Referee: Martin Sludden (Tyrone).

10 YEARS AGO.
It doesn't seem all that long ago but almost to the day 10 years ago Monaghan were playing in the National Football League in Scotstown when Wexford were the opposition. In that particular campaign which started on October 31st, 1999 Monaghan were in a section along with Cavan, Laois, Carlow, Wexford, Waterford, Longford and Tipperary. Thy started with a resounding 10 points victory over Cavan, lost to Laois by a point, lost to Carlow by a point in Dr Cullen Park, defeated Wexford by a point in Scotstown, defeated Waterford by seven points in Dungarvan, lost to Longford in Scotstown and defeated Tipperary by two points in Tipperary town in the final game.
1999/2000 NFL.
31/10/'99 Monaghan 1-16, Cavan 0-9
14/11/'99 Monaghan 0-11, Laois 0-12
28/11/'99 Monaghan 2-6, Carlow 2-7 (Dr. Cullen Park)
13/2/2000 Monaghan 1-10, Wexford 1-9 (Clones)
4/3/2000 Monaghan 1-13, Waterford 0-9 (Dungarvan)
26/3/2000 Monaghan 0-11, Longford 1-12 (Scotstown)
9/4/2000 Monaghan 1-11, Tipperary 2-6 (Tipperary).

TRAVELLING TO SCOTSTOWN.
- Patrons travelling to St. Marys Park, Scotstown ON Sunday from Tydavnet direction are asked to follow proposed one way system turning left at Mc Nallys Cross and approaching Scotstown from Ballinode direction. This is to ensure smooth traffic exit after the game.
- Parking space is available in St. Marys Chapel Car Park. Parking will be controlled as to ensure easy exit.
- Admission available to Patrons via gate at St. Marys Chapel.
- Patrons are requested to co-operate with Stewards and Gardai.
- Allow ample time attending game.
- Admission to Ground is €13 / £10stg. Students & Senior Citizens: €5 / £4stg. Children Under 16 Years Free
- Students must produce a valid Student Card. Tweet

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