Rory masterplan was like taking candy from a baby
I RECENTLY lobbied strongly for more football on TV at this time of year and perhaps I should be careful what I wish for.
After Mayo-galway, a good football game was needed but armchair fans certainly drew the short straw on Sunday afternoon because Fermanagh-monaghan did nothing for Gaelic football as a product.
We’re in the middle of a festival of hurling amid some heroic games and a bit of the same from football was desirable but, unfortunately, not forthcoming.
But that takes nothing away from a remarkable achievement for Rory Gallagher and Fermanagh.
It was a brilliant victory for them and Gallagher tactically beat an admittedly clueless Monaghan into submission.
His managerial reputation is enhanced on a number of fronts, not least for the team spirit he has clearly built and how he handled dropping Seamus Quigley (below) for a breach of discipline.
That underlined how he’s improved as a manager more than anything else.
“We love Seamie. He has been brilliant for us all year. There was a little incident, you know, last week and we had to put the team first,” said Gallagher.
“I thought the best thing to do was for him to sit this one out. He is a great lad and he will be raring to go for the final.”
Perfectly handled.
The esteem in which he his held by the players was summed up by Aidan Breen, who said: “Rory Gallagher is the best manager in Ulster. He knows what he is at. He tells me what my job is and I do it.” We’ve seen a number of unheralded counties pull off big results of late and they all have a great spirit about them, none more so than Fermanagh.
I felt that Ryan Mcmenamin’s fingerprints were all over their defensive display. The bit of meanness, the pushes, tugs, pulls and ability to slow the game down at the right time. Che Cullen was heroic at full-back and James Mcmahon shored up the centre brilliantly, not allowing Monaghan to find the channels they did against Tyrone.
Ryan Jones was my man of the match though, his workrate was phenomenal.
But you’d have to ask serious questions of Monaghan. They had more than a fair idea what they’d be getting off Fermanagh and looked to be ineptly prepared.
I’ve given Malachy O’rourke glowing praise in the past but he must take this one on the chin. How could they be so poor?
Fermanagh’s best chance lay in the fact that when Monaghan aren’t on the edge, they’re capable of losing to a lot of teams, as we’ve seen when they went under to Down and Longford.
I expect they’ll bounce back from this, they’re too proud a county not to, but another Ulster title has gone abegging.
While Drew Wylie and Karl Mcconnell darted forward to good effect, we learned conclusively that when Conor Mcmanus is held, their other forwards are not good enough to carry the mantle.
Ultimately, the game came down to one moment when Rory Beggan didn’t dominate his area like he needed to.
Darren Hughes may have been in there too but Beggan should have come and taken all before him rather than allow Eoin Donnelly to flick the winning goal.
Monaghan’s preparation and mental attitude was way off. Too often they’ve fallen short in games they should be winning and this was another sorry example.