New skipper Vinny Corey has his sights set on fulfilling his potential and leading Monaghan to a place at the GAA’s top table. He is part of a side hungry for success. Andy Watters writes...
WHEN the going has got tough in recent years, and it has got tough, Monaghan have regularly turned to Vinny Corey. Time and again, the Clontibret man has delivered – shutting down a forward running riot, sparking a comeback...
He has shown a selfless willingness to play anywhere, mark anyone, run himself into the ground for the Farney cause.
Why? Because he loves Monaghan, he loves pulling on that white and blue jersey.
That’s just the way it is. When he plays, he only sees that ball and he always gives his all.
It came as no surprise when Corey was appointed captain for 2009 by manager Seamus McEnaney.
His inspirational attitude is typical of a group of players who this season will continue their campaign for a place at the GAA’s top table.
“For my troubles,” he joked when asked about being made skipper.
He continued: “I was very proud to be asked because there were seven or eight at least who could have been asked.
“I have big shoes to fill. Damien [Freeman] was captain for the last four years and if I’m half as good and twice as lucky I’ll be happy.”
His captaincy style will be an extention of the way he plays – lead from the front, be the first man over the top.
“I won’t be putting pressure on myself,” he said.
“Most of the players on the team would be like myself, they don’t need somebody going around shouting at them.
“I’ll be trying to improve my own performance and get my own fitness levels up – you don’t want to be the captain and be sitting on the bench.
“I won’t be doing too much slabbering, I’ll try and lead by example.”
Dogged by the bad luck that so often hampers the unfashionable new kids on the block aiming for a big breakthrough, Monaghan have little to show for their efforts over the past two years.
They topped Division Two in 2007, but lost a semi-final to Meath.
Last year they missed out on promotion to Division One in their final game, losing to Westmeath.
In the Championship, the Farneymen have suffered successive Qualifier defeats to Kerry.
But not a single discernable murmur of defeatism has come from the Monaghan players who are preparing for their 2009 campaigns with redoubled vigour and optimism.
“Last year, we came out the wrong side in some tight games, but I suppose that shows that we’re competing,” said Corey.
“We didn’t mind that much not getting promotion because we were in a tough division last year and one of our goals was to maintain our status.
“Losing to Fermanagh (in the first round of the Ulster SFC) was what really hurt us. Winning Ulster was one of our goals.
“Everybody was saying we were one-hit-wonders, but we turned it around a bit and rallied to beat Derry and Donegal and we competed with Kerry.
“We take some confidence from last year. We turned it around to an extent and we know we have players with character and quality in the team.
“Last year was a learning curve.”
What about this year? Monaghan’s Dr McKenna Cup campaign ended last Sunday with a 1-18 to 0-17 loss against Tyrone.
Yes, they lost, but 17 points against the All-Ireland champions isn’t a bad 70 minutes’ work.
“It was a mixed campaign. We weren’t too happy results-wise, but it was a good way to get a look at new players and get us going again for the League,” said the 25-year-old English teacher at St MacCartan’s, Monaghan.
McEnaney’s men begin their NFL campaign away to Fermanagh on February 1 with a new sense of purpose and a maturity forged by disappointment.
“I don’t think we’re putting ourselves under as much pressure this year,” said Corey.
“There’s no talk that ‘we have to do it this year or we’ll never do it’‚ or anything like that.
“We want to get off to a good start.
“It won’t be a massive revenge mission, because the League’s different from the Championship.
“But it doesn’t matter who you’re playing against, you want to get off to a good start to get the
confidence going.
“That’s the immediate goal and we’ll take each game as it comes after that.”
Last year’s management team, McEnaney and Martin McElkennon, are there once again. A bond of trust has been established between them and the players.
“We had a players’ meeting after the Kerry match to see where we’d go and the players were 100 per cent behind him and wanted him [McEnaney] to stay on.
“We’ve made progress and we think we have a lot more to give.
“It would have been a shame just to let it all go after achieving so much.”
The backroom duo have been joined by former Latton manager Gerry Connolly.
“Gerry is a fresh voice in the changing room and he is involved in the training as well,” said Corey.
“He has a lot of experience behind him and, no doubt, he’ll have more influence as the year goes on.”
Whatever plans the management have for the versatile Corey are fine by him.
He’s most comfortable in the half-back line, but has switched to the forward ranks with relish and no fuss.
“Where I play doesn’t come into it,” he said.
“I’ll go where I’m put and wherever the team needs me – there’s no point in saying ‘I want to play here or there’.
“There’s a lot of competition for places in the squad and any day you get to pull on the county jersey is a good day.”
Will the good days outnumber the bad for the rest of 2009?
“We won’t be making any bold statements about what we’re going to do this year,” says Corey.
“We feel that we haven’t reached our potential yet and we’re all focussed on doing that.
“If we keep going in the direction we’ve been going in and the attitude is good, we can get to where we want to get. We’re all striving to be the best we can be.”
Some thrilling moments lie in store for Monaghan as the days grow longer and they intend to be in the mix when the evenings draw in and summer fades into autumn.
There’ll be tough times along the way, but that’s what Vinny’s there for. Bring it on...
FOOTBALL LEAGUE FORM - 1998/99-2008
2008 NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE PANEL
NFL squad subject to change: D Clerkin, J Conlon, M Corey, V Corey, B Cuddy, M Downey, S Duffy, P Finlay, D Freeman, T Freeman, S Gollogly, C Hanratty, C Hughes (Castleblaney), C Hughes (Scotstown), Edmund Lennon, Eoin Lennon, P Meegan, D Mone, JP Mone, N McAdam, D McArdle, P McBennett, G McEnaney, P McGuigan, B McKenna, C McManus, M McNally, G McQuaid, S Smith, R Woods
THE VERDICT
TOMMY Freeman’s tally in a losing cause against All-Ireland champions Tyrone in last weekend’s Dr McKenna Cup clash at Healy Park served notice that Monaghan will be a force to be reckoned with in League and Championship this year.
Freeman is the last link in the Farney chain. If his team-mates are winning the ball and their passing and movement is good it will end with him near the posts and he will apply the coup de grace – he scored 10 excellent points against the Red Hands.
Freeman has lost none of his hunger or desire, if anything, it has increased, and he and his team-mates have their sights firmly set on silverware in 2009.
All of last year’s players, who just missed out on promotion to Division One, have returned – that was one of the reasons why highly-rated manager Seamus McEnaney (below) agreed to stay on.
In 2007, Monaghan were something of an unknown quantity and were able to use the element of surprise to their advantage.
Their rivals were ready for them in 2008 and the loss to Fermanagh in the first round of the Ulster SFC was a shock to their collective system.
They recovered to beat Donegal and Derry and, though they ultimately came up short against Kerry, they are all wiser for their experiences, good and bad.
They are a more confident outfit and, by now, know exactly what it will take to turn narrow defeats into wins.
Last year’s squad has been bolstered by the arrivals of Mark Downey and Mark McNally.
The experienced Gerry Connolly has joined the canny McEnaney and his assistant Martin McElkennon to mastermind this year’s campaign.
At their disposal they have tenacious defenders like the Mone brothers, Vinny Corey and Damien Freeman,
battle-hardened midfielders in Eoin Lennon and Dick Clerkin. Up front, there is the quality of Tommy Freeman and Paul Finlay and the industry of Rory Woods and Stephen Gollogly.
A Monaghan team firing on all cylinders will be a handful for every team they meet and too much for some.
They can certainly hold their own in a tough Division Two and, by the end of their League campaign, will be well placed for a crack at the Ulster title they covet.
THE NEW BREED
A number of new players were given valuable game time during the Dr McKenna Cup campaign.
Ciaran Hughes, son of triple Allstar winner ‘Nudie’ and Latton defender Eddie Lennon earned favourable reviews.
Benny McKenna, Gary McEnaney and James Conlon all impressed.
Manager Seamus McEnaney was quoted as saying that getting two new players out of the Dr McKenna Cup would make it a success for him.
In Mark McNally and Mark Downey, he may have found them.
McNally did not look out of place in defence, but half-forward Downey looks the most likely to break into and fasten down a place in an experienced team this season.
His pace and eye for a score caught the eye in the Dr McKenna Cup clash against Down.
He scored two points in a losing cause against the Mournemen and looks set for many more bright moments in the white and blue this season and beyond.
National Football League
Division Two Rd 1 (Feb 1): Fermanagh v Monaghan
Rd 2 (Feb 15): Monaghan v Wexford
Rd 3 (March 8): Armagh v Monaghan
Rd 4 (March 15): Monaghan v Kildare
Rd 5 (March 21): Meath v Monaghan
Rd 6 (March 29): Monaghan v Cork
Rd 7 (April 12): Laois v Monaghan
Ulster Senior Football Championship Rd 1 (May 24): Monaghan v Derrry
Corey values look sure to keep Farney on rise
Antrim
Armagh
Cavan
Derry
Donegal
Down
Fermanagh
Monaghan
Tyrone
