Ulster SFC quarter-final - Dr. Hyde Park, 2pm, June 15th
Ref: Eddie Kinsella
2014 to date
Monaghan built on their fantastic 2013 by winning Division 2 of the National Football League. They drew with Down in Round 1 and lost to Donegal in early March before beating Jim McGuinness’ men by six points in the league final. Last year they won the Division 3 title in April and followed it up with their first Ulster Championship in 25 years. Will they repeat the League, Championship trick this year?
Tyrone needed two injury time Sean Cavanagh frees to bring Down to a replay in the Ulster preliminary round. A Peter Harte penalty and two Ciaran McGinley goals made sure they got through the replay. They finished fifth in Division 1 of the league, missing out on the league semi-finals after they lost narrowly to Dublin in Round 7.
2014 Statistics
Team News
For Monaghan, Conor McManus seems to have done everything possible to try and get himself fit for Sunday’s game. Himself, Kieran Hughes and Paudie McKenna all picked up injuries after the Division 2 league final.
Tyrone are definitely without Conor Clarke who was ruled out for the year with a cruciate injury in early June.
Recent History
In a hot-tempered All-Ireland quarter-final last year, Tyrone beat Monaghan by two points - possibly the most infamous moment of last year’s championship was when Sean Cavanagh rugby-tackled Monaghan All-Star Conor McManus as he was through on goal in the last few minutes of that game.
The two counties have met 20 times in the Championship and they have 10 wins apiece, although you have to go back to the 1988 Ulster SFC final for the last time Monaghan beat Tyrone. They’ve met four times since, including two Ulster finals, and last years controversial All-Ireland quarter-final.
Tyrone Monaghan Recent Championship Record
2013: Tyrone 0-14 0-12 Monaghan - All-Ireland SFC quarter-final
2011: Tyrone 1-13 1-11 Monaghan - Ulster SFC quarter-final
2010: Tyrone 1-14 0-07 Monaghan - Ulster SFC Final
2007: Tyrone 1-15 1-13 Monaghan - Ulster SFC Final
1988: Monaghan 1-10 0-11 Tyrone - Ulster SFC Final
Talking Points
1) After back to back promotions up to Division 1, winning their first Ulster title in 25 years and losing narrowly to Tyrone in last year’s All-Ireland quarter-final, are Monaghan dark horses for this years All-Ireland?
Watch out for...
1) Young Monaghan forward Jack McCarron - impressed during the league. A cousin of Dick Clerkin, his sister Ellen is Monaghan Ladies star player, and his father Ray McCarron was a brilliant forward in the 80s and 90s. McCarron has a wand of a left foot and is a really classy operator, capable of scoring and being the playmaker. His laid-back, languid style is deceptive!
Check out the GAA Podcast to hear Ciaran Hanratty's thoughts on how Monaghan will line out:
2) Monaghan's ability to deny Niall Morgan the opportunity to exert his influence with his kickouts - as integral as Cluxton is to Dublin, Morgan fulfills the same role for Tyrone, the difference in Tyrone’s game after his black card in the first game against Down was remarkable.
