By Michael McMullan GABRIEL Bannigan has made five changes to his side for Wednesday’s Dr McKenna Cup semi-final (Inniskeen 7.30pm) Goalkeeper Jack Kiernan, Darragh Treanor, Dessie Ward, skipper Mícheál Bannigan and newcomer Alistair Stewart come in. Stewart played in Emyvale’s run to the Ulster junior final with clubmate Karl Gallagher one of five players named […]
Surviving the shark-infested waters of top-flight football is Monaghan’s pressing priority, writes Shaun Casey SAFETY will be the name of the game for Monaghan, and the height of their early season ambitions will be to hold on tightly to the Division One status. They fought so hard last season to get back up playing top […]
THERE was a week of key club games for Ulster teams with the Dr McKenna Cup also kicking the county season into action. Here are the star players. 1 JAMES MCBENNETT Dromintee Restarts were sensational for the majority of the side’s Ulster triumph at St Paul’s. 2 RYAN O’TOOLE Scotstown On a tough day for […]
By Shaun Casey IT was a different kind of Christmas in Scotstown this year, but captain Damien McArdle wouldn’t change it for the world. Instead of enjoying the usual celebrations that come with the festive period, Scotstown were on the pitch, plotting the downfall of St Brigid’s. This Sunday, the Roscommon men stand between David […]
By Michael McMullan FORMER AFL player Karl Gallagher has been named in Monaghan’s team for this weekend’s Dr McKenna Cup opener against Cavan. Gallagher helped Emyvale to junior glory and an Ulster final appearance and is listed alongside Gary Mohan in the Oriel engine room. Manager Gabriel Bannigan has had to prepare without his Scotstown […]
By Michael McMullan CLONTIBRET minors’ 60-week journey reaches the last corner on Thursday when they lock horns with Dromintee in the Ulster Minor final at St Paul’s. Having lost just two from last year’s team, a core of players floated the idea to JP Mone, joint-manager with Shane McMahon, about getting started up with a […]
By Michael McMullan WHEN Scotstown were last Kings of Ulster, Brendan Beggan formed part of a monstrous midfield axis Coalisland were unable to break. That was 36 years ago. Fast-forward to last Saturday, at the same venue, his son Rory was the star man as the Monaghan giants ended the club’s famine. His 11-point return […]
By Alan Rodgers A FIRST All-Ireland campaign since losing in the 1989 semi-final now beckons Scotstown’s latest generation of Ulster Club winners after they made history by defeating Kilcoo in a game of rare tension and quality at the BOX-IT Athletic Grounds on Saturday night. It has been a long and winding road for An […]
SINCE Rory Beggan, Conor McCarthy and others won their first Monaghan senior title in 2013, they have gone on to win it nine more times. Ten Monaghan titles in 13 years, before going on to lose all nine previous times in Ulster. Writing it down emphasises how extraordinary their losing streak is: 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, […]
By Shaun Casey SCOTSTOWN have been regular visitors to the Ulster Championship for over ten years now but Newbridge are a side they have never come up against before, which offers a fresh challenge, says skipper Damien McArdle. The Monaghan champions were impressive in their opening round victory over Donegal representatives Naomh Conaill and saw […]
