By Shaun Casey

MONAGHAN will be targeting their home games in the hope of earning promotion from Division Four, says manager Arthur Hughes as they begin their campaign at home to Louth this weekend.

The pair finished at the bottom of the Division 3B league table at the end of last season, with just two points each to show for their efforts, and find themselves in the basement division due to the restructure in the league.

Getting promotion to Division Three will be on the to-do list for both sides and getting off to a winning start will certainly be the goal. The two counties know each other extremely well at this stage, which should make for an intriguing battle.

“The start of the league doesn’t be long coming around by the time you get all the squad together,” said Hughes, who led the side to a Lory Meagher Cup triumph just two years ago.

“With ‘Blayney getting to the Ulster Intermediate Club semi-final, it left those boys joining up a little later but it’s all systems go now. Division Four will be tough and we’ll be hoping to start well and win our home matches.”

The Farney men will enjoy home advantage against Louth, Warwickshire and Lancashire during the duration of the league while they are on the road against Fermanagh, Leitrim and Longford.

“Louth got the better of us last year in the McGurk Cup, the league and the Nickey Rackard Cup. It’s not an easy start for us, especially when our first two games are against the teams competing in the Nickey Rackard this year (Louth and Fermanagh).”

Hughes has had to shake up his squad this season with emigration, injuries and football commitments forcing his hand, but the Middletown native has added some fresh faces to the panel as well.

Colin Merrick, a dual Club All-Star winner for his performances with Castleblayney, has gone to Australia, Martin Murphy is currently out injured while Thomas Hughes has joined up with Gabriel Bannigan’s football squad.

Leo Moloney and Eithan Flynn have returned to the fold having suffered injuries during last year’s Nickey Rackard Cup while Patrick Keenan and Gareth Mohan have received the call up for the first time.

Five players from last year’s u-20 squad that reached the All-Ireland C final have been added to the panel as well, namely Oisin Hagan, Tómas O’Connor, Enda Brady, Conor McHugh and Carrickmacross’ Eoghan Hoey.

“They were all valuable players to us last year and Oran Kiernan was also crowned Monaghan Senior Handball champion recently, so he has the Ulster Handball Championship to occupy him at present.

“On the flip side we have five boys in from the u-20 squad along with the Slevins, James and Shane. They both hurl with Carrickmacross and have represented Monaghan in football, James with the u-20s and Shane with the seniors over the last two years.”