By Shaun Casey

DAVID Lennon returned to his home club of Latton this season and says he loves being back where it all began. Lennon managed Donaghmoyne for the past three seasons, but when the call came to return home, there was only ever going to be one answer.

“It’s my own club, I’ve played here all my life so it’s great to be back,” said Lennon. “It’s a big challenge, given it’s my own club it’s probably that bit tougher challenge. I was with them in 2017 and 2018, and I found it was probably the toughest job that I’d done.

“I thought that would be my stint done but they came back looking for me, so I’m back in there now and I’m enjoying it to no end. I’s a very young bunch of players, and we’re working very hard, and training very hard.”

Latton have made an impressive start to the league with back-to-back victories over Clontibret and Lennon’s former club Donaghmoyne to sit joint top of the table on four points alongside Scotstown and Inniskeen.

County men Kieran Duffy and Thomas McPhillips were both available for that opening round clash with Clontibret although Latton were forced to field against Donaghmoyne without their Monaghan players.

“We got two good results in the first two games, so we’re happy where we are at the minute,” added Lennon. “They were two very tough games, Clontibret away, and the county players were available that weekend, so both teams were nearly at full tilt.

“Obviously, both teams were missing a few as well, but I think we deserved to win that game. We had a good battle with Donaghmoyne, who I managed this last three years, which wasn’t simple for me either.

“But we got over the line and it was great. The county players weren’t available, and we were missing a couple of men as well, but it was a good result for us. We were very happy with the performances on the field, and we got a pretty good result.”

Latton take on an Aughnamullen side that have yet to taste victory in 2024 and are anchored at the bottom of the league table with zero points. But Lennon won’t be reading too much into early season form and will be preparing his side for a battle against their neighbours.

Latton overcame Aughnamullen in the group stages of last year’s championship by the minimum of margins as both clubs reached the last four of the competition.

“You don’t read too much into any league results in Monaghan because most clubs are playing without their county men. Aughnamullen would be at a serious disadvantage where they have three players on the county,

“It’s a big hit to the likes of Aughnamullen more so than us. We would have probably a bigger panel than they would, so you don’t read too much into results. They had two defeats in the first two games and it’s a local derby too and it’ll be helter-skelter stuff.”