By Shaun Casey

KARL Gallagher has been recalled to the Monaghan panel for the upcoming inter-county season, manager Gabriel Bannigan has confirmed. The 23-year-old last played for the Farney County in 2023 when they reached the All-Ireland semi-final.

Gallagher joined up with AFL side Adelaide Crows as a Category B rookie in January 2024 and although he gained game time with the reserve side, he was unable to break into the first team and was delisted by the Crows.

But a swift return to the Monaghan fold was expected and Bannigan is delighted to have Gallagher back as his team face a Division One league campaign next season, having claimed the Division Two league title back in March.

Gallagher is currently operating with his club team Emyvale, who completed the junior league and championship double in Monaghan and take on Cavan’s Munterconnaught this weekend in the Ulster Championship semi-final.

“He’s definitely in my plans,” said Bannigan, heading into his second season as Monaghan manager. “I definitely had the conversation with Karl as soon as he came home and I’m delighted to say Karl is back on the panel and part of the plan.

“He’ll be with Emyvale while they’re involved in their club championship, and he’ll benefit from that game time. He’s getting really competitive action so that’s going to help Karl.

“By the time he does come back to me, I know he’s in great shape because he’s well-conditioned obviously having played professionally in Australia for a couple of years, but this will help him to get rid of some of the Gaelic Football rust.

“These games will help him enormously and that’s one big positive for us next year is to have Karl back.”

The Monaghan changing room will have a different feel to it next year with the recent retirements of three stalwarts in Darren Hughes, Karl O’Connell and Kieran Duffy, who all gave incredible service to their county.

Ciaran McNulty will not be part of the panel either as he’s heading the opposite direction to Gallagher and the Inniskeen clubman is off travelling to Australia.

“You’d love to start the new year with the same pool and add something to it but obviously we’ve lost the three boys who have retired from inter-county, Ciaran McNulty is going travelling so they’re all men that we’re sorry to lose.

“The challenge is to try and find new talent and try to make further progress. We’re trying to do that in Division One which is arguable more difficult than Division Two was because it’s a step up.”