Focus is on survival in top flight

Gavin Cummiskey talks to a determined Monaghan manager Seamus McEnaney

Monaghan manager Seamus McEnaney does not want his team to become the whipping boys in the top flight of the National Football League. Their defeat to Fermanagh in the league last Sunday sullied a positive pre-season but McEnaney is adamant the primary aim will be achieved.

"The goal for this year is to stay in Division One and take it from me: by hook or by crook we will be staying in Division One."

The emotional release after the Division Two league final victory over Meath last May gave an indication of what football means to Monaghan folk.

The celebrations seemed over-elaborate but considering the county had been starved of silverware for 20 years, a pitch invasion was allowed, even though they only overcame Meath as a result of a desperately fortunate goal in the dying seconds.

The confidence generated from the success was carried into the championship, where they eventually lost to Tyrone in round four of the qualifiers.

"Last year is long forgotten - you are only as good as your last game - we intend to be back in Croke Park before the year is out but our main goal is to hold our status in Division One," said McEnaney.

"We are realistic enough in Monaghan to know we are not going to win All-Irelands and Ulster titles. We need to build on the young team we've got."

This year's McKenna Cup final will be contested against the All-Ireland champions on Sunday week but first they follow the path once taken by a young poet: a trip to Dublin for Sunday's clash at Parnell Park.

So Monaghan have successive meetings against the teams that dominated the headlines this week.

Unfortunately Monaghan won't be at full strength for Sunday's game.

"We're missing a few players, obviously Colm Flanagan has gone back to Kilmacud Crokes to prepare for the All-Ireland club semi-final.

"We were grateful that Colm played with us in the McKenna Cup and first round of the league. I think he is the only player involved who (recently) played for his county. We hope he wins next Sunday (week) but he is a great loss."

Inniskeen also take Fergal Duffy for club duties due to their presence in the intermediate club championship. Add the injured trio James Tynan, Dick Clerkin and Gary McQuaid to the absentees and Monaghan face an uphill task against a side McEnaney rates highly.

"The whole country talks about the big three - Armagh, Tyrone and Kerry - but Dublin are kicking on the heels of the big three at the minute. They are really pushing up their levels under Paul Caffrey. No doubt about it, this is a huge test for Monaghan in Parnell Park on Sunday. There could be 12,000 people there - I know Monaghan have taken up 2,000 tickets so that's five to one supporters-wise as well."

The fallout from Omagh doesn't concern McEnaney. The brother of one of the top referees (Pat) in the country feels it has even been overblown.

"I think maybe it is not as bad as it seems. These things happen in games. I don't think Tyrone or Dublin went out with the intention of that happening. There is no place in the game for that and nobody wants to see it happen. I'm sure the GAA will deal with the matter.

"Leaving what happened aside, the reality is Dublin went to Healy Park in Omagh, beat the All-Ireland champions comfortably and toughed them out of the game. They won it fair and square.

"I'm sure Paul Caffrey was pleased that his team were able stand up to that type of opposition and also win the game, coming back from two points down in doing so.

"(Against Fermanagh) We kicked 14 or 15 wides and conceded two bad goals so you can't do that in Division One and expect to win games. We wouldn't have been happy with our all-round team performance."

Parnell Park, then Tyrone. Welcome to the big time.