By Niall McCoy

IT’S the most electrifying move in GAA sports entertainment – when a defender is thrown into the opposition square as a target man.

Maybe Monaghan had it in their blood. Eugene ‘Nudie’ Hughes famously has All-Stars at right corner-back and left corner-forward after all.

Following his lead of making his mark in both attack and defence was Vinny Corey, the Clontibret man who had such a huge impact on the Oriel county before his retirement from the county game in November 2019.

Corey wore no. 2 on his back on his championship debut in 2003 when Monaghan famously got the better of then All-Ireland holders Armagh at Clones. He is also a man who has marked Michael Murphy in three Ulster finals and kept him scoreless from play.

Corey has generally been excellent in the full-back and half-back lines, but there was always a real air of excitement when he was sent to full-forward.

That was the ploy used by Séamus McEnaney back in 2007 in their Ulster final clash with Tyrone.

Writing in Gaelic Life, Joe Brolly took particular joy from how ‘Banty’ came up with the idea.

“One morning Séamus McEnaney had a brainwave, jumped out of bed and wrote it down before he forgot it – this is true, he told me so himself – ‘why not move Vinny Corey to edge of the other square?’

It certainly came out of the blue anyway.

In the 2007 Ulster quarter-final, Monaghan claimed their first provincial win in four seasons following a thrilling victory over Down in Newry. Their last win in Ulster, incidentally, had been Corey’s debut against Armagh.

Corey had started at full-back, lost Packie Downey for an early goal but did blot out the threat of Benny Coulter with the help of clubmate Dessie Mone.

Against Derry in the semi-final, Corey was a rock at the back, particularly in the closing stages as the Oriel county reached their first Ulster final since 1988.

All seemed normal when the decider started against Tyrone at a sun-soaked St Tiernach’s Park.

The Monaghan fans came in huge numbers expecting a real battle, but for 35 minutes they were simply second best as Corey, who was tracking Owen Mulligan, and his teammates were left chasing shadows.

Philip Jordan’s goal put Tyrone 1-3 to 0-0 ahead and Mickey Harte’s men were looking solid.

In the 22nd minute, Corey ventured up field and fist-passed to Paul Finlay who scored to leave it 1-6 to 0-4. “What’s he doing up there?” RTÉ commentator Marty Morrissey asked of Corey. Testing the waters, may have been the closest answer.

In the second half Corey was dispatched to full-forward and Monaghan’s style of play became more direct.

That was evident in their first score of the half. The ball was pumped in first time from midfield, Corey used his strength to edge Ciaran Gourley away and he passed to the on-rushing Tommy Freeman. The Magheracloone man really should have rattled the net but a point was a signal of their intent.

Was it robbing Peter to pay Paul? There was no doubt that Monaghan were missing Corey at the other end of the pitch as Tyrone moved 1-13 to 0-8 ahead after 46 minutes.

The answer came in the 51st minute though as Corey played a major role in Monaghan’s revival.

Paul Finlay delivered another long ball from midfield and Corey, one part nudge and one part Gourley misjudge, found himself with clean possession on the edge of the square. Brian Dooher tried to foul him by pulling his arm, but Corey had enough strength to hold him off, take a bounce and pass to the unmarked Freeman who picked his spot.

Corey was causing mayhem, and when he won another long ball to set up Freeman for a point, the gap was down to three points with 10 minutes remaining.

Then in the 69th minute came the moment that could have led the move to being hailed as a masterstroke.

Route one again found Corey close to goal, and his intelligent flick put Freeman into space. Rather than shoot, the attacker played in Corey who sent Ryan McMenamin to the shops with a dummy solo that Colm Cooper would have been proud of.

Clean through, Corey did everything right as he tried to keep the ball low. However, a nudge from Conor Gormley meant that he didn’t get full power on it and John Devine was able to save with his feet.

Another chance would arrive with the final kick as Corey took hold of a quick Rory Woods free, aimed for goal but put his effort just the wrong side of the crossbar. Tyrone got out of there with a 1-15 to 1-13 win.

It was a hugely disappointing day for Monaghan, but the Corey ploy had worked wonders, and ‘Banty’ would use it regularly.

In their Qualifier outing against Donegal the next day, Corey, who was still wearing number three, started the match at full-forward with Finlay dropping further out the pitch.

The player scored the first goal and set up Freeman for the clinching second as Monaghan reached their first-ever All-Ireland quarter-final.

There Kerry waited and Monaghan gave them an almighty scare before losing out by a single point. Corey played well without repeating his Ulster final heroics, although only a good Aidan O’Mahoney clearance prevented him from setting up Ciaran Hanratty for a goal chance.

Still though, it was a tactic that worked wonders and one that ‘Banty’ called on in the following seasons.

Corey finally got his Ulster medal, two in fact after their wins over Donegal in 2013 and ’15. Then manager Malachy O’Rourke had decided that Corey was an out and out defender and never pushed him into full-forward, and given his performances on Michael Murphy it worked out well.

A few weeks before Corey announced his Monaghan retirement, he had helped Clontibret to the Monaghan title with a surprise win over five in-a-row chasing Scotstown.

Manager John McEntee, who had started for Armagh back in ’03 when they were stunned by Corey on his debut, opted to play him full-forward. Corey fist-pumped after every Clontibret score, the mannerisms of a veteran forward. He really did look a class act at both ends of the pitch.