PAUL Finlay believes the Monaghan senior footballers have “landed on the right man” in Vinny Corey – but says his former team-mate faces a “huge task” over the next few seasons.
Monaghan’s interminable search for a new manager, following the departure of Seamus ‘Banty’ McEnaney in June, finally ended on September 22, with Corey being promoted from the backroom team to the hot-seat.
Speaking at an AIB Club Championship event yesterday ahead of Ballybay’s provincial crack at Crossmaglen Rangers, Finlay says the county board couldn't have got a better man to lead the senior footballers through what could be a turbulent period.
Corey takes over a somewhat ageing squad but one that still finds itself in the top flight of the National League.
“It’s a huge task for Vinny,” says Finlay, who made his Championship debut alongside the Clontibret man in Monaghan’s famous win over defending All-Ireland champions Armagh in 2003.
“I am totally 100 percent behind him. I respect him as a player and as a friend. It’s a difficult job because he’s coming into a squad of players where there’s transition and there’s probably more transition still to happen.
“And with Monaghan still playing in the top division he’s not going to get any time to bed in new players, it’s all going to happen very quickly.
“But, look, it’s still a great opportunity. Has it come too early for Vinny? Some people would say that.
“Maybe he would have preferred to wait another few years. But, having played with Vinny, I would have had him down for a future inter-county job and that he would be the perfect candidate to take over Monaghan at some stage.”
Soon after McEnaney stepped down from the manager’s role, there was intense speculation that former Dublin forward Jason Sherlock would assume the reins.
But both parties couldn’t agree and so county officers searched closer to home for Banty’s successor and opted for Corey, a double Ulster winner and a hugely respected figure in Monaghan football for the last two decades.
He’ll be assisted next season by his brother Martin Corey, who was involved in the Cavan set-up last season, former Monaghan team-mate Dermot McArdle and Gabriel Bannigan.
“I think Monaghan have landed on the right man, it took a while, and he’s formed a good team around him as well. So I think it’s worked out well for Monaghan especially with a lot of talk about different people coming from outside.
“For Vinny, it’s going to be difficult but I’m sure he’ll give it everything he’s got and we’ll all be behind him.”
Meanwhile, Finlay is preparing for Ballybay’s rare assault on the Ulster Club Championship on Saturday night when they make the short trip to The Athletic Grounds to face Armagh champions Crossmaglen Rangers.
“We’re into a competition where everybody has lifted a trophy,” says the 39-year-old veteran.
“Any time you lift a trophy means something has gone well. We’d be well aware of Crossmaglen. They’ve really hit form over the last two games – in the county semi-final [against Maghery] and final [Granemore] – and that’s something we’d have to be mindful of.
“It’s in Armagh as well and they seem to be full of confidence. But we want to do our best and deliver a performance and see where that gets us.”
Ballybay last played in the provincial series 10 years ago when they lost their opener to Kilcoo, 0-13 to 0-7, in Clones.
