There’s a pair of jeans in my room. They have three rips.
Two are in the knees. Those two are by design, and the kind of fashion statement that leaves them almost unwearable with a little more wisdom today.
The other is where the sun don’t shine. This one isn’t a fashion statement. It renders them completely unwearable today. And yet it’s a whole lot more sentimental than the other two.
August 4 2018. The day those jeans were torn asunder with the record books. The day that Monaghan beat Galway in Salthill to qualify for a first All-Ireland semi-final in 30 years.
The Super 8′s had a lifespan of a wasp in the grand scheme of things. Pearse Stadium likely witnessed the only pitch invasion Páraic Duffy’s masterplan ever had.
The green fence of about four foot never stood a chance as 30 years were consigned to history alongside a dodgy piece of denim. And a Monaghan-Galway rivalry has come to the boil nicely since.
Pádraic Joyce never had many issues with the Farney during his illustrious playing career. Today, he is married to a Monaghan woman, which adds another layer to it all.
Arguably the best clash of the lot was witnessed by only 400 odd people in Clones, in a relegation play-off in 2021.
Joyce fumed over Monaghan’s home advantage at the time, with Séamus McEnaney’s men having been caught training despite government restrictions just a few weeks prior.
On the day, Jack McCarron was simply imperious, as Monaghan prevailed by a point after extra-time.
This Sunday is a relegation play-off in all but name. How Monaghan could do with McCarron shooting the lights out once more.
He has become an out-and-out focal point in a somewhat unrecognisable forward line, with Stephen O’Hanlon, Michael Bannigan, Gary Mohan and Ryan McAnespie joining All-Star Conor McCarthy on the injury list.
The retired Kieran Hughes started last year’s All-Ireland semi-final alongside all of those names, as did Conor McManus, who has yet to return to action. So too Darren Hughes.
Full-back Conor Boyle has opted out for the year, leaving a huge void in defence. Scotstown’s Shane Carey is on his travels, while Karl Gallagher is trying to make his way in AFL just as Roy Beggan sizes up America.
Inniskeen forward Seán Jones is also injured, while Dessie Ward made his first appearance of the Allianz League as Monaghan got a hiding in the Hyde.
An underrated aspect of Vinnie Corey’s first reign was how many men stayed fit, despite age profile and the fact that a third-placed finish in the new Championship group format left them playing week-on-week for the majority of the summer.
Perhaps they rode their luck, or perhaps the S&C programme has seen changes attempting to navigate a condensed season.
Either way, the injury list has been costly, with three defeats on the bounce making O’Hanlon’s heroics in Croke Park feel like a long time ago.
Galway haven’t been blessed on the injury front themselves. They are boosted by the return of Paul Conroy this weekend, but Damien Comer, Seán Kelly and Shane Walsh can’t seem to stay sustainably fit.
The return of Kieran Molloy after an ACL injury looked a huge boost, but he has been upstaged by Salthill-Knocknacarra’s Daniel O’Flaherty, a county minor captain in 2020, and a name to watch this year.
Harsh black cards didn’t help in the Tribesmen’s defeat to Derry, but they arguably haven’t got close to the level of performance that saw them defeat the Oak Leafers in the 2022 All-Ireland semi-final.
Notably, on this week’s RTÉ GAA podcast, Peter Canavan tipped Vinny Corey’s charges to pip the Connacht men, and although weakened, Sunday may also see the return of one Conor McManus.
Monaghan do have a knack of winning the games that count.