2 days Ago
In the Division Two Final in Croke Park on Saturday night, Monaghan and Roscommon came into the game with very different schedules. The Farney men knew they would have a three-week break until their Championship opener against either Derry or Donegal on April 20, while Roscommon would have just days before they board their flight to London to play the Exiles in Ruislip this coming Saturday. And Bannigan agreed that was a significant advantage as his side ‘won’ the second-half 1-15 to 0-07.
“Without a doubt, the cards fell right for us in that regard,” Bannigan said. “We have three weeks until we play Donegal or Derry. “Whatever about it being a help, we didn’t have any distraction.
“We were able to come here and let the lads go for it. The other guys (Roscommon), there is no doubt, I wouldn’t want to be going out and playing (in the) Championship next weekend. “I think that is something that the powers that be need to look at.
I think there should be at least a two-week gap between the League Finals and your first game in the Championship.” Pressed on whether there would be space in the schedule, he replied: “Of course there is. Start the National League a week earlier or go a week or two later.
What’s a week or two? It’s no big deal. The League is such a good competition. “The competitiveness of the League in all four divisions, it’s such a good competition.
I’d definitely be in favour of keeping the Finals. But make sure there’s a couple of weeks, it doesn’t have to be three or four, (maybe) two.” Monaghan slipped out of Division One after 10 seasons as part of a difficult 2024 that saw them win one of five Championship outings, but they have bounced straight back up to the top-flight.
“The most important thing this year from my perspective as a new manager in charge was to get the team playing and playing well and (playing) a brand of football I think they are capable of playing,” added Bannigan. “And during the League, I thought we really got that going in Rounds Four, Five and Six when we got three wins in a row. That put us in a strong position and we kicked some big scores in those games.
Against Louth in Drogheda, we kicked 1-19 in the first-half. Against Meath in Navan, we kicked 1-20 in the first-half. “The most important thing was to get them playing football the way they can play and build momentum and build confidence because when you get relegated – and we had a tough season last season – I think confidence was at a low ebb.
“And when you get to the Final and to come here to Croke Park, you want them to go out, play well, perform and do themselves justice. “There is a Cup to be presented and there’s not that many national titles Monaghan have won over the years. It is great, that’s our first silverware in 10 or 11 years.
“It’s great to get a Cup and bring it back down the road. That will help our players.”.
