Tag Archives: Donegal

MONAGHAN: AN ULSTER DOUBLE

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Last minute Fearghal McMahon penalty helps Monaghan Minors to Ulster title victory over Tyrone

Last minute Fearghal McMahon penalty helps Monaghan Minors to Ulster title victory over Tyrone

MONAGHAN 4-10 TYRONE 2-14 (Minor)

MONAGHAN 0-13 DONEGAL 0-07 (Senior)  Páirc Thiarnaigh Naofa, Cluain Eois

MONAGHAN supporters have been a long time waiting for an Ulster senior title: 25 years, in fact. Having waited so long it was nice to be able to claim a double at Clones, added to a fourth-in-a-row Ulster final victory by the ladies last weekend against Tyrone. It was very appropriate that having introduced the members of the 1988 Monaghan team to the crowd at half-time, the seniors went on to beat the current All-Ireland champions Donegal and take the Anglo-Celt Cup. It was even more special because two hours earlier the Monaghan minors had put in a fantastic finish to win the title for the county for the first time in 68 years.

Monaghan Minors celebrate Ulster title with lap of honour at Clones

Monaghan Minors celebrate Ulster title with lap of honour at Clones

1945 was the last occasion when Monaghan minors took what was only their third Ulster title. A man in the seat beside me in the Pat McGrane stand remarked that one of the stars of that side was from his parish in Sutton Dublin, namely Mackie Moyna from Scotstown, twin brother of Tommy. Mackie’s wife Margery (Boylan), a former teacher also from Scotstown, died recently. Rest in peace.

UPDATE: Since writing the blog yesterday, I have listened back to the end of the minor game commentary on Northern Sound by an almost hoarse Sean McCaffery. He lists the names of the victorious 1945 side and among them was Tommy Moyna, but not Mackie, so my informant was mistaken. However I did find one report on the Hogan Stand website when the twins received Monaghan GAA Hall of Fame awards in 1993. It explained how Mackie made an unregistered appearance in a Monaghan minor jersey at Croke Park in the all-Ireland semi-final in 1945 against Leitrim!

A sea of colour: Fermanagh Street, Clones

A sea of colour: Fermanagh Street, Clones

As usual, the atmosphere in Clones in the build-up to the two finals was tremendous: a sea of colour all along Fermanagh Street. Family groups that travelled from Donegal or further afield finding a suitable green patch on which to have a picnic. Others packing into the several pubs and debating the chances of their team. How long more the Ulster Council of the GAA will keep the final at Clones is another matter; hopefully this will not be the last time Monaghan win an Ulster senior title at Clones. The excellent match programme (€5/£5) contained an article about the planned redevelopment of Casement Park in Belfast, which has already been upgraded with floodlights. As someone who collects sports programmes, I believe this one will be in demand in years to come.

I had listened to some of the first half of the minor match on the car radio. When I took my seat, Monaghan were trailing by five points and the chance of a victory seemed to have slipped away. But a penalty (a bit fortunate) in the closing moments of the game was slotted home by Fearghal McMahon, giving them a single point advantage. It was followed by a Donal Meegan point in injury time, thus ensuring a Farney victory 4-10 to 2-14. Tyrone had led 1-9 to 2-1 at the break.

St Michael's Band Enniskillen prepare for pre-final parade

St Michael’s Band Enniskillen prepare for pre-final parade

The key to Monaghan’s victory in the senior match was the way they controlled Donegal right from the throw-in. They were four points up within nine minutes. Donegal’s opening score came in the 31st minute through a Colm McFadden free, followed by a Frank McGlynn point in injury time, making it 0-5 to 0-2 in favour of Monaghan at the break. The Farneymen were soon on the scoreboard again in the second half, through Kieran Hughes. Monaghan continued to dominate and were the better team throughout. Nice to see Tomás Freeman coming on as a substitute at the end and contributing an insurance point.

Ulster senior champions 2013: Monaghan Picture: RTE Sport www.rte.ie/sport/gaa

Ulster senior champions 2013: Monaghan Picture: RTE Sport http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa

The final score 0-13 to 0-07 for the home side. Then it was time for a massive celebration with thousands among the crowd of 31,914 invading the pitch to join the excitement as the Anglo-Celt cup was presented by the President of the Ulster Council, Ballybay man Martin McAviney, to the Monaghan captain Owen Lennon. Watching the proceedings was the GAA Ard Stiúrthóir Páraic Duffy, another  proud Monaghan man! Former GAA President Sean McCague from Scotstown who managed the winning 1988 county team was also there, as were many other Monaghan personalities including Big Tom McBride who played on Saturday night at a country music festival in Monaghan town.

FROM BRADFORD TO WEMBLEY

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Bradford City FCIt was, as the BBC reporter described it, the stuff of fairy tales. Minnows Bradford City became the first League Two (fourth tier) side in English football to reach the final of the League Cup in fifty years. The last was Rochdale in 1962. Getting to Wembley is expected to earn the club £1 million pounds. Not bad going for a side who had two pre-season friendlies in Ireland (both wins) against Wexford Youths and Bray Wanderers. Shortly afterwards at the start of the season, they hammered the team I support, AFC Wimbledon, 5-1 at the Coral Windows stadium at Valley Parade in front of a crowd of nearly 9,500. On the bench that day was a young Donegal lad Carl McHugh from Lettermacaward, who had just joined the Bantams and made his League Cup debut a few days later against Watford. In October the 19 year-old defender had his Football League debut and the following month his header helped Bradford to win their FA Cup match against Watford.

Carl McHugh, Bradford City

Carl McHugh, Bradford City

It was another header from McHugh that helped City win the first leg of their semi-final in the League Cup against Aston Villa. Although going down 2-1 last night in the return leg at Villa Park, their home win meant they went through 4-3 on aggregate. Ironically the first leg goal by McHugh was put past one of his football heroes, Irish international keeper Shay Given, who is also a Donegal man. Mc Hugh is clearly a rising star. He began on a scholarship with Reading when he was 16, then played on loan for Swindon Supermarine and then Dundalk in the Eircom League. He has represented his country at under 17 and under 19 level.

This is the biggest achievement by Bradford since they won the FA Cup in 1911. Looking at their history, I discover that like Wimbledon, they were once in the Premiership. At the end of the 1999/2000 season,  “Sunday 14th May saw Liverpool at the Bradford & Bingley Stadium (as it was then called) and Bradford knew they had to better Wimbledon’s result, who were playing at Southampton, to ensure they stayed in the Premiership and condemn fellow strugglers the Dons, who were level with City on points but had a better goal difference. A 12th minute header from David Wetherall and a 2-0 defeat for Wimbledon sent the whole of Bradford into raptures and saw Premiership football at Valley Parade for another season.”  It was the finish of a fourteen year stay in the top tier for the Dons, who were managed by Terry Burton at the time and were playing their home games at Selhurst Park. It was also the beginning of the end for the club, as moves began against the wishes of most fans to relocate to Milton Keynes, sixty miles away.    capitalonecup

I wish Bradford every success on February 24th at Wembley against Swansea City, who had a goalless draw against Chelsea tonight and won on aggregate 2-0. But I very much hope AFC Wimbledon’s form will have improved by February 16th, when their home match against Bradford is scheduled. The Dons lost to Stevenage 3-1 in the first round of the Capital One Cup in August. They are currently struggling second from bottom, in the relegation zone of nPower League Two but you can watch them in action tomorrow night against Port Vale LIVE on Sky Sports, kick-off 19:45 (weather permitting). Today a major snow-clearing operation was mounted with the help of 60 supporters and under-18 players, in order to ensure that the pitch at Kingsmeadow would be playable.