After briefly digesting the news that his chances of landing the girl were “…one in a million,” Lloyd Christmas paused and excitedly proclaimed, “So you’re telling me there’s a chance!” This is the type of optimism often needed in life: a hope that no matter the odds, things are still there to be had.
Before Ulster GAA finalized the venues and dates for this year’s championship, there wasn’t much reason for high hopes for Monaghan to be at St. Tiernach’s Park on 17 May. Although they had played a tight match they very well could have won, a third consecutive League One loss to Dublin had Monaghan on the skids. Yes, there were injuries. Yes, the Scotstown players were missing after their run to the All-Ireland Club Semifinal, but with the 2024 All-Ireland Champions in Armagh and the 2025 All-Ireland finalists, Donegal, both in the province the road looked rough.
But when looking at the draw, and I had one thought: you’re telling me there’s a chance.
With Armagh and Donegal on the other half of the bracket, there were two matches standing between the Farney men and the final: a local clash with Cavan and a more daunting potential semifinal with 2023 Ulster Champions, Derry. While no GAA pundit, I viewed these games as winnable even as the League ended winless, with 7 straight defeats.
They came out flying in the first half of the quarterfinal against Cavan and did enough to get over the line, helped by a Man of the Match performance from Dessie Ward and two massive saves from Rory Beggan, including a penalty, proving his worth is much more than his booming kicks. A semifinal awaited against Derry, who throttled Antrim in their own quarterfinal.
We had booked our plane tickets weeks before and were already talking with people to secure tickets but after Cavan, I spoke with the boys: we’re one game away from Monaghan in the Ulster Final. We were already excited for the trip, but if Monaghan were there, it would be that much bigger.
Then came the first 60 minutes against Derry.
A text from my cousin said it all: “Monaghan are a disgrace. So poor.”
He wasn’t wrong. As the minutes melted away, they were 10 points down. Even in the new GAA world of the two-pointer, where no lead is totally safe, it seemed like Derry had it. But bit by bit, point by point, they climbed back into it. More heroics from Beggan (this time of the airborne variety, intercepting a kickout and feeding Micheál Bannigan in for a crucial goal) would eventually get them to within one. But as the hooter sounded with Derry up two points, it appeared to be over.
Until it wasn’t.
That man Beggan again, using his leadership and knowledge of the rule book to insist that Monaghan get the line ball they deserved, led to one of the great kicks you will ever see from Jack McCarron. The angle. The pressure. The poise. Off to extra time.
It ended in the most fitting way, Beggan doing what he does best: booming a kick from beyond the 45 to send Monaghan to Clones.
The boys and I absolutely lost it in our living room over 3,000 miles away. We were going to the Ulster Final, and now Monaghan was as well. Shocked, celebratory texts from cousins in Clones followed, along with an excitement that had to wait two more weeks.
The boys and Beggan (in the back) after the win!
Now they have Armagh.
A team that roughed them up on the same pitch in Clones to kick off the winless League 1 season.
A team that set Ulster Championship scoring records in dominant wins against Fermanagh and Down to reach this point.
A team that must feel its time has come after losing three straight Ulster Finals.
While this is a different Monaghan team than in January, with more players returning from injury each week, in some instances it’s also the same Monaghan team that we have seen over the years: tough, resilient, and never out of a fight.
The bookies have Armagh as heavy favorites, sitting at 1/5, but Ulster provides drama and surprise each year (see Down over Donegal), and odds like that?
They’re telling me there’s a chance.
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