Hughes keen to set record straight

A NEW era awaits Monaghan tomorrow. So does an old foe.

Last summer’s Ulster final loss to Tyrone marked the last futile charge of Seamus McEnaney’s six-year term in charge of his native county. He will be on Meath’s touchline tomorrow whilst Eamon McEneaney slips into his old championship cockpit.

It may be a rocky ride.

Monaghan’s record against Tyrone in recent times is abysmal, five defeats in provincial deciders – most by no more than two or three points — at minor, U21 and senior grades in the previous decade tells its own story and last year’s 14-point defeat was one of the worst.

If there is a sliver of hope, however, it is that Tyrone have proven vulnerable in Ulster’s opening round on more than one occasion in recent times and their track record is far from imperious at Healy Park.

Small crumbs and Darren Hughes doesn’t take much sustenance from it he lost the one Ulster final his side contested against a side other than Tyrone this century when they fell to Armagh in Omagh four years ago.

“We might be inexperienced with a lot of young fellas in from last year’s team. Tyrone still have the old experienced guard which they can rely on but maybe our younger fellas will have less of a fear factor.”

They can but hope.

Monaghan have had to fast-forward the haul of younger faces into the ranks thanks to the disappearance of men like Tommy and Damien Freeman, JP Mone and Gary McQuaid from the senior panel.

The immediate effect of that was relegation from Division One of the Allianz League but they will be hoping that Eamon McEneaney’s first provincial championship campaign can provide as much impetus as other year one managers in recent campaigns.

“Aye, well the record in Ulster would show that, ourselves in ‘07, Fermanagh in ‘08, Antrim in ‘09 all did well. It brings new ideas and new impetus to the team. Hopefully that can work for us too this year.”

Picture: INPHO