Break with clubs should help Monaghan

Monaghan's Tommy Freeman

MONAGHAN manager Eamonn McEneaney feels that the recent round of club championship fixtures was the perfect tonic for his players ahead of their first ever championship meeting with Laois on Sunday.

There was a full round of matches in the league and championship the week after the Ulster semi-final loss to Down, and the Farney boss feels it was a welcome run out ahead of their qualifier assignment in Portlaoise at the weekend.

“I think the players were delighted to get back playing for the clubs,” said McEneaney. “I think all the players were involved between league and championship and that was a big help. I was delighted that the qualifier game was a week later because if it had of been straight after, it would have been a tough call.”

The squad were given the week off county training following that agonising one-point loss to the Mourne men, and McEneaney said the mood was good when they resumed as a group 10 days ago.

“They were all back to a man after the Down game,” he said. “Obviously they were still feeling disappointed, it was a big opportunity for us to get to the Ulster final, but you have to move on from it. The Laois match is another championship match and it’s a big challenge for us.

“There’s no point saying we aren’t hurting from the Down match, because we are, but you have to take the positives from it.”

The full story is in the current issue of Gaelic Life, published on Thursday July 12. Buy your copy now in your local newsagent, or you can purchase the online version – for only 90p – by clicking here