Colm Shalvey reports
It’s a busy time for Monaghan’s senior teams, with a win, a draw and a defeat in last weekend’s action leaving plenty still to play for as the National Leagues reach the business end. An Allianz National Football League Division One North campaign that ended up on a knife edge left Monaghan and Armagh facing relegation play-offs, despite both having been in pole position to edge their way into the top two for long spells of the second half of their final-round games.
Controversy immediately followed the venue for Monaghan’s relegation playoff against Galway, which will be played in Clones on Sunday week. Galway manager Pádraic Joyce’s frustration at having to travel for an important game can be understood, but his claim that Monaghan are “being rewarded for breaking a curfew” is misguided. By playing (and losing) their league opener against Armagh on neutral soil in Enniskillen, Monaghan have already served that part of their punishment for the training-ban breach. The fact that they were drawn to play two of their three games away from home, leaving the punishment…
