The article recalls a June 2002 qualifier match between Monaghan and Louth where Monaghan suffered a disappointing loss. The sparsely attended event reflects Monaghan's status in the competitive landscape of football at that time. The narrative highlights the challenges faced by Monaghan, as they were perceived to be far from contenders, a stark contrast to their competitors, emphasizing the disparity in rankings and the sense of desperation in their gameplay. The piece also references Rory Gallagher's high scoring in a previous match, underscoring the tough phase for Monaghan football.
Back in June 2002, I lined out centre half-back when Monaghan hosted Louth in a first-round qualifier. It was one of those largely irrelevant first-round clashes during the early days of the qualifiers.
A comfortable six-point win for Louth raised no eyebrows, such was Monaghan's lowly ranking at the time. Far from 'punching above our weight', Monaghan were on the bareknuckle prize-fighting circuit.
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