Revelling in role reversal

Interview with Monaghan's Vincent Corey: Ian O'Riordantalks to a full back who has made more of an impact at full forward so far this summer

We expected something about tactics or responsibility, but Vincent Corey surprised us with his insight into the essential difference between playing at full back and full forward.

"You get more media coverage when you're in full forward," said Corey with deadpan seriousness. "And I mean more positive media coverage. If you get a point at all sure you're the man. Full backs still lose matches, full forwards win them."

Corey was speaking at yesterday's Gaelic Players Association (GPA) awards for July, having picked up the football honour. Not only was he Monaghan's first recipient, he's also the first player to win on the back of such contrasting roles - namely full back and full forward.

It was at full forward Corey made the greater impact. After starting the Ulster final against Tyrone at full back, he played the second half at the other end of the field and soon turned the whole trend of the game. After setting up Thomas Freeman for a goal, Corey then had two late goal chances of his own to win it - one was saved, and the other he fired over the bar instead of under it.

"Hindsight is a great thing," said Corey. "We were disappointed at missing those two goal chances. I'd like to think I could have done something different, but there's nothing I can do about it now."

Monaghan recovered in style to beat Donegal in the qualifiers and set up Sunday's All-Ireland quarter-final against champions Kerry. Corey is likely to switch between both roles again on Sunday, depending, naturally, on the pattern of the game.

Monaghan manager Séamus McEnaney admitted after the Ulster final the only reason for switching Corey was that he'd been booked, and there was probably less chance of that happening again at full forward.

Corey didn't argue, even if he wanted to. But the 24-year-old schoolteacher had previously played at full forward for his club Clontibret, and he feels at home at either end of the field: "Yeah, Séamus more or less told me I was going up there. I didn't have much of a say in it.

"Some people were shocked to see a full back going up to full forward. It is a big transition but I've some experience there, so maybe it's not such a big transition for me.

"Sure, there are some differences. Playing at full back puts you under pressure the whole time. The forward makes the move, dictates the play, and when you're the last man standing in front of the goal there's no room for error. When a full forward makes an error he can get away with it, because he's so far away from his own goal.

"But I have no preference. I've said before that there's a lot of competition for places on this Monaghan team, so you're happy to get any jersey at all.

"And I'm certainly not the only forward. Tommy Freeman has proven himself a great forward, and the likes of Paul Finlay and Rory Woods. We've also a right few versatile players that are switched about on different days, depending on the opposition, and I think that's a positive thing for us."

Corey played at full forward for the win over Donegal, hitting 1-1, and the tactic of putting high balls in his direction has drawn inevitable comparisons with Kerry's Kieran Donaghy. He's quick to dismiss that - and size-wise there is no comparison, as Donaghy would dwarf him - and yet Corey still hinted the tactic would probably be used in their quest to topple the All-Ireland champions.

"Some people are saying that. And the quest to find the next Kieran Donaghy. But there's only one Kieran Donaghy. It's more about the style of play Monaghan are looking for, looking to hit the ball in longer and more direct. And obviously teams are looking to get ball winners in there.

"But the challenge doesn't come any bigger than this. We've had some good performances this year. Each match has been a step up in the quality of the opposition. But none of them would be sufficient to beat Kerry.

"We have made good progress, and after that Ulster final there were a lot of aspects of our performance we weren't happy with. We sat down, looked at it, and I think rectified some of those for the Donegal match. We looked at that again, and hope to improve again. But Kerry have played in the last three All-Ireland finals, so we're under no illusions about the challenge ahead of us. We have to step it up another two or three notches to have any impact."

Waterford's Dan Shanahan took the GPA's hurling honour for July but, on the advice of manager Justin McCarthy, missed the presentation.