DONE UP LIKE A KIPPER
Monaghan smoked on the counter as Jim’s men march into the final
DONEGAL’S devastating counterattacking game ripped Monaghan to shreds in yesterday’s Mckenna Cup semi-final at Castleblayney.
By the time he was withdrawn at half-time, Oisin Gallen had registered 2-4, with 1-2 from play as Jim Mcguinness’ men laid down a marker.
The game was all but done and dusted by the 19th minute when Ciaran Thompson’s win off the Monaghan restart ignited another surge that ended with Odhran Doherty blazing to the net.
It may have been a Monaghan side with just five regulars starting, but it’s hard to think of the last time an All-ireland semi-finalist was demolished in such devastating fashion.
Donegal carved out seven or eight goal chances in the first half alone.
Jamie Brennan’s two tap over points might have been goals, and that lack of ruthlessness across his attack is one of the few things that will have annoyed Mcguinness.
But for the most part Donegal made it a very difficult day for Darren Mcdonnell – Rory Beggan’s replacement in the Monaghan goals.
With Mcdonnell kicking into the breeze, Donegal pushed everyone up – including goalie Shaun Patton – to their own 65 as they squeezed hard and won kickout after kickout.
When Monaghan attacked, Donegal quickly got either 13 or 14 men back, turned the ball over with tenacity and broke at pace, often with footpasses.
This led to a plethora of goal chances, but Monaghan helped them along.
Goalkeeper Mcdonnell’s crossfield, outside of the foot pass in the third minute was probably ill judged with a high level of difficulty.
The execution wasn’t there and with Donegal breaking hard, the impressive Doherty fed Gallen, who fired to the net.
Thompson missed an eighth minute goal chance with a man over, while Brennan carelessly strayed into the square before Gallen passed to him for a tap-in.
Again, that came from a Monaghan error with Stephen O’hanlon – their best player along with eight point Stephen Mooney – kicking the ball away.
In between times, Patton made a fine diving save from Garland on 11 minutes, but Donegal were dictating everything.
It became the Gallen show in the final 10 minutes of the half, his penalty goal coming after Ryan O’toole blocked a shot at goal from Thompson but fouled the ball.
In the second half Donegal shut up shop with ease, giving Monaghan a lesson in how to defend if you lose the ball with their high work rate and pressure on the ball all over the field.
Next-up is the Mckenna Cup final date with Mickey Harte’s Derry on Saturday.
Mcguinness said: “Mickey Harte doesn’t take a backward step when it comes to the Mckenna Cup. We know what we’re going to get there.
“Mickey has been preparing his team for the first division. We’ve been preparing ours for the second division, but it’ll give us both a good runout.”