By Shaun Casey

IT’S a tough time for the Monaghan hurlers at the minute, who are dealing with a depleted squad for a number of various reasons, but manager Arthur Hughes is still hopeful they can turn things around in Division Four.

The Farney men were well beaten in their opening round tie against Sligo, the only Nickey Rackard Cup team plying their trade in the bottom tier, and are missing a number of players ahead of their round two battle with Lancashire this Saturday.

Monaghan are sweating on the fitness of a couple of players this week, while they also lost Thomas Hughes and James Slevin from last year’s panel, with the pair being called up to the football squad.

“We still have two boys to come back in who are travelling and then we have the two boys playing with the footballers as well so we’re just a wee bit depleted at the minute but that’s the way it is.

“Lancashire had a bye last weekend, but we’ve had three men who needed x-rays from Saturday and we’re awaiting results, and we have five boys away on a stag party as well, so we have that to contend with. They’re five starters so it’ll not be easy on us.”

Hughes is hoping the three injured boys seeking x-rays on ribs, hands and fingers, might be able to grit their teeth and play this weekend.

“We just don’t know,” the Middletown native continued.

“A fractured rib, maybe you can just bite the lip and go on ahead. Fingers, maybe you could tape it up, but I think the other one is ligament damage in the hand, so I’d say we’ll probably have at least one man out.”

Hughes is hoping to fill the gaps in the team with fresh faces, ready and willing to take their chance.

“It gives other boys a chance and we had two players who made their debut last week, Dáithí McMeel and Tomás Clarke.

“We still have a few other boys on the panel; Shane Connolly came in and got his first minutes of senior hurling so we’re blooding boys in the league as well.

“We’d like to think that when we get our players back, the league really starts then. I know we’ll probably have to sacrifice a couple of games at the start, but we have been training well and numbers have been good, but it’s been hammer blow after hammer blow.”

The Farney County lost that opener 2-20 to 0-8 to the Yeats County.

Joint-captain Eithan Flynn managed a couple of scores while Niall Arthur raised three white flags. Niall Garland, Oisin Hagan and Ethan Lawless were also on target.