TALKING POINTS
Colm Shalvey
At the end of Cheltenham Festival week, Monaghan sadly weren’t at the races as they visited Newbridge last Sunday. Anyone who had backed Monaghan for a second away win in the space of a week would have been left with a beaten docket long before the end after Kildare made storming starts to both halves to all but secure a win that moved Glenn Ryan’s side out of the relegation zone heading into the final round. This was Monaghan’s first defeat from four away games in the current league campaign and their first loss on the road since a tame loss to Donegal in March 2020, but what was more concerning was the manner of it, as a strangely passive performance saw Séamus McEnaney’s side leak an eye-watering 24 points.
The fourth-round loss at home to Kerry featured the concession of soft goals that put the game beyond reach; last Sunday’s game was more or less a sustained onslaught, where Kildare kicked 12 points in each half, just a week after Monaghan had held Donegal to 0-10. Monaghan had called on some vastlyexperienced campaigners off the bench to guide them over the line in Ballybofey, but the difference in pace between the teams at the weekend was stark as Kildare’s running power left the visitors left chasing shadows. Kildare, who earned their first win in this fixture since 2010, were ruthless in front of the posts, hitting just five wides alongside their remarkable points tally, while Monaghan were unable to….
