NICKY RACKARD CUP.
Monaghan v Roscommon: Athleague: Saturday June 5th @ 3.30pm.
Feelings in Monaghan regarding the county being placed in this year's Rackard Cup ran high earlier in the year with people deeply unhappy that the county was still listed in the  Rackard Cup as opposed to the Tier 4 championship, the Lory Meagher Cup. Monaghan had a case if for no other reason than that they lost the Rackard Cup relegation play-off last year to Sligo but were still in the competition this year and no explanation from the decision makers. The matter came up for discussion at a county committee meeting prior to Congress where strong words were expressed about "the abysmal treatment of Monaghan" as regards participation in the Rackard Cup over the last number of years.  Of all the teams listed for this years competition Monaghan was the only team that played in division 4 of the NHL while at least two teams that are taking part in the Lory Meagher Cup played in a higher division. As well as that Longford who were relegated from division 3B last year, 2009, are listed in the Tier 4 championship while much stronger counties like Roscommon, Armagh and London who were in division 3B are in the same group as Monaghan in the Rackard Cup. This is not the first time that Monaghan have been somewhat aggrieved by decisions concerning the Nicky Rackard Cup. Back in 2005 a decision was taken at the 11th hour to change the format of the group that Monaghan was in which allowed Longford through to a play-off with Armagh that season while in 2007 Roscommon who were in the same group as Monaghan expressed themselves as "being unhappy to be playing at this low level". Roscommon defeated Monaghan twice in the 2007 competition on successive weekends such was the unbalanced nature of the arrangements, the second time by all of 21 points.
In last year's Ulster senior hurling championship Armagh defeated Monaghan comprehensively and while it could be pointed out that Monaghan reached the semi-final of the Rackard Cup in 2008, it was a much more balanced competition at that stage.  Last year in 2009 Monaghan lost a play-off against Sligo and expected to be relegated to the Lory Meagher Cup for this year but they are still listed in the competition for this year and the following three years. Having won promotion from division 4 Monaghan would have expected to be promoted in the championship next year but things never seem to follow any logical pattern. Speaking at the time Monaghan manager Frank Brady expressed the opinion that "We have been treated very badly but we seem to be beating our heads against a brick wall. We are in with quite a number of teams who are playing in a higher division and quite honestly we are not ready for that level yet. You need to be playing in a competition where you have a reasonable chance of success but even in the draw we were given the hardest game of any of the teams with an away match against Roscommon, it just beggars belief".
Monaghan had decided to raise the matter at Congress being mindful too that the county was requested to withdraw a motion regarding their participation in the Rackard Cup at the Special Congress in October last year with the assurance that the matter would be revisited but nothing changed.
This is the toughest possible draw that Monaghan could have got in that they travel to the home venue of a county that was playing two divisions above them in this year's National Hurling league. Monaghan though can approach the game with a degree of confidence given their performance against London in the Ulster senior hurling championship, a team that then went on to defeat Derry to book their place in the semi-final.  In that game against London Monaghan had to rely almost exclusively on the free thinking of Michael McHugh for scores and given that limitation they could struggle for scores again this weekend. On the other hand they competed very well against London in midfield and in defence and if they produce a similar performance on Saturday they certainly can make life difficult for the home side. Monaghan would up their preparations with a challenge game against Sligo which was a good sharp game. However it has to be acknowledged that Monaghan go in as underdogs on Saturday afternoon against a Roscommon team that will be out to prove that they really should be playing at a higher level. This year Roscommon were competing in division 3B of the National hurling league where they finished in a very respectable mid-table position with victories overTyrone, Donegal, Fingal and Sligo but they did not make the play-offs.  That said though they will be one of the favourites for the Rackard Cup this year and with home advantage will be strong favourites to get over this first hurdle.
 
PREVIOUS MEETINGS.
Monaghan and Roscommon have only met twice in the Rackard Cup and ironically both meetings were with a week of each other back in 2007. In the first game Roscommon prevailed by 13 points in Clones and the following weekend they had 21 points to spare at the end of their meeting in Athleague.
THE RESULTS.
Monaghan 0-14, Roscommon 2-21; Clones
Roscommon 4-29, Monaghan 1-8; Athleague.
 
 
WHEN THEY LAST MET.
THE 2007 NICKY RACKARD CUP QUARTER FINAL.
Roscommon 4-20, Monaghan 1-8.
For the second week in a row Roscommon proved too strong for Monaghan as they booked their place in the semi final of the Rackard Cup with relative ease in a fairly one sided encounter in Athleague. Roscommon got off to the best possible start with a goal by Shane Sweeney in the third minute and they proceeded to dominate the exchanges for the remainder of the half to lead by 1-11 to 0-4 on the half hour mark and then put in a storming finish to rattle up a further goal and three points to lead at the break by 2-13 to 1-4. Colm Kelly got Roscommon's second goal with Pat O'Connell crashing home a penalty for Monaghan's goal in 34th minute.  
In the second half Roscommon continued where they left off at the break although full credit to Monaghan who continued to battle away and they did restrict the home side for periods in the second half. Ultimately though they could do little to reverse the trend and Roscommon always had too much strength in depth to be troubled.  Goals by Tom Reddington and Dara Mulvey helped push Roscommon into an unassailable position and they cruised home with Shane Sweeney again proving a key man with his accuracy from play and frees. Centre forward Thomas Reddington also proved a handful despite the best efforts of Paul Murphy. Monaghan's second half points came from Stephen Lambe, David Connolly, Brian McGuigan and Noel Morgan. 
Teams and Scorers: Roscommon: David Connell, Noel Cunniffe, Colm Moran, Michael Keaveney, Alan Cunniffe, Michael Kelly, 1-1, (0-1f), Liam Murray, Mervyn Connaughton 0-1, Tomas Lennon 1-1, (0-1'65), Liam Casey, Tom Reddington, 0-2, Gerry Fallon, 0-1, Darragh Mulvey Padraig Pearses 0-2, Colm Kelly 0-3, Shane Sweeney 2-3 (0-1f). Subs: Brendan Kelly for G Fallon, Pat Downey for Liam Murray, Leo Flynn for D Mulvey, Sean Melia for A Cunniffe, David Delaney for M Keaveney. 
Monaghan: Michael McHugh, Conor McGinnity, Jim McHugh, Padraig Dowdall, Declan Crowe, Paul Murphy, Gordon Coleman, Brian Phelan 0-3, Stephen Lambe, Eanna Mac
Suibhne, David Connolly 0-1, Arthur Hughes, Brian McGuigan 0-1, Pat O'Connell 1-2, (1-0f), Noel Morgan 0-1. Subs: Padraig McKenna for C McGinnity, John Greene for P O'Connell, Eoin Greenan for N Morgan, Kenneth Feeney for B McGuigan, Thomas Greenan for G Coleman. Referee: J Healy (Clare).
 
MONAGHAN MANAGER Frank Brady reiterated the feelings that he expressed earlier in the year that this was "the worst draw that Monaghan could have got. Playing away to Roscommon is always a very tough prospect but what can we do we have to go down there and try and win it. I would be confident enough that we can do well and the boys can take heart from their performance against London who came back to Belfast in the Ulster championship and beat Derry which means that maybe we are not that far off the mark".
Asked how preparations for the Rackard Cup had gone since the Ulster championship defeat by Derry Frank Brady acknowledged that "preparations have gone well enough but in some ways they could have been better.  As always in hurling we have the problem where some of the boys who are dual players are trying to keep two masters happy which is difficult.  We are lucky though that we do not have any injury problems although we will be without Eanna Mac Suibhne who has gone to the USA for the summer and we will probably be without the services of Sean Leonard who is getting married on Sunday and both of them will be big losses because they are very accomplished players and Leonard's strength at the heart of the attack is crucial. Against that though we may have Aidan Og (McAnespie) back in action but have we have to play the hand that is dealt to us and go down there and do our best".  Frank Brady acknowledged though that Monaghan's reliance on the accuracy of Michael McHugh from frees which was central to the return in the London game is not sufficient going into a match at this level. "We have to keep it tight at the back and take our chances and we will be looking for an improvement in the scoring rate from the forwards because we to do need that". Tweet

Most Read Stories