On a very trying day (excuse the pun) with weather conditions you would normally
associate with a monsoon region, Enniskillen last saturday morning was very testing conditions
for both sides. Continuous driving rain and a strong wind blowing from right to left it was
the Monaghan lads that settled into the game quickest. Enniskillen kicked off and the Monaghan lads took
possession up to half way and started making ground, setting up rucks and moving the ball wide through the
hands to gain forward momentum. Some great ball handling in very slippery conditions saw Monaghan
go over after 5 minutes. After the restart Monaghan learned quickly from their first score and continued
with the same strategy soon finding themselves up by 5 tries and a conversion to Enniskillen’s single
try score before the break. With no let up in the weather front Monaghan again continued with
the great display from the first half and played to their strengths to finish out the game comfortable
winners. A lot of smiling faces walking of the pitch after a true gritty performance on saturday
morning and hopefully with continued hard work and the will to learn and improve will see more
performances into the future for this Monaghan team.
Training continues wednesday night’s 7pm – 8.30pm all welcome and make sure gumsheilds
are present also. Could i suggest , if were possible , that all participants bring their own water
bottles to training to to eliminate any flu symptoms in the present climate.
Andrew Connolly, Dillon Mc Aree, Aaron Mc Guigan, Michael Savage (5 tries), David mc Conkey, Liam Quinn(2 tries),
Daire Hughes(3 conv), Dean Breanan, Shane Moran, Lorcan Rooney, Shane Duffy, Aidan Burns(2 tries), Padraig Meehan
Oisin Murphy.
Monaghan Let it Slip 6 V Cavan 20
Monaghan’s new year did not get off to a great start the first match of the year V Letterkenny was called off due to a frozen pitch and the match this week V Cavan did not go as planned. Monaghan were forced into making some team changes due to a series of freak injuries picked up at training. The weather conditions were far from ideal for any sport the wind and rain was determined to disrupt the game as much as possible.
Monaghan started the game with the wind at their backs, the Monaghan lads found it hard to keep things in line , the Cavan pack showed that size does matter and they were able to use their physical size to their advantage and slow any ball Monaghan had. There was series of penalties awarded against Cavan and 15minutes into the game Monaghan’s Darren Berry kicked a penalty to start the score board rolling.
30 minutes into the half Cavan picked up on a loose pass and scored the first try of the match. 5 minutes later Monaghan were back on the attack and again received a penalty which Darren slotted between the posts to leave the half time score at 6-5.
The 2nd half started with Monaghan facing a very strong wind and a real uphill struggle. 15 minutes into the 2nd half Cavan scored the 2nd try of the game. The conversion was missed.
The Monaghan lads were in shock as this was not what they expected, 5 minutes later Cavan scored another try which left the score line at 6-15 with 60 minutes gone.
The Monaghan heads seemed to drop as nothing they tried seemed to work it looked as this was not going to be a good day. On the stroke of full time Monaghan found themselves on the back foot and conceded another try to Cavan this left the final score at Monaghan 6 Cavan 20.
This is a day that the Monaghan team will have to forget and just look forward, hopefully with some improved numbers at training we will be able to right the wrongs.
