2019 season review – Monaghan club players’ vox pop

Stephen McCabe

Latton

What was your biggest frustration playing club football this year?

The biggest frustration with club football for me was simply not winning any competition.

What club story in your county caught your eye this year?

The club story that caught my eye was probably Blackhill winning the Paul Kerr Cup and taking it back to Cremartin.

What would you like to see changed in Monaghan next year?

I would like to go back to two points being awarded for any win.

What was the best club game you watched in Monaghan this year, excluding your own?

It was definitely Drumhowan against Clones in the Junior Football Championship semi-final in Scotstown.

Aodhán Óg McAnespie

Monaghan Harps

What was your biggest frustration playing club football this year?

The biggest frustration for me this year was acclimatising to intermediate football. After a poor year in 2018 we were relegated after a 10-year stretch in senior football. We had lost a few key men through working abroad and family commitments, so we had to try and stabilise ourselves, and thankfully we did that. We have a few very exciting young players coming through and mixed with the group of lads we have already, it’s something we’re looking forward to next year.

What club story in your county caught your eye this year?

The club story for me has to be Magheracloone. They were hit bad with the loss of their field and had to play basically in unknown territory for the year for their home games. It didn’t break their stride because they’re Ulster champions now and in the hunt for more silverware. It’s a story they’ll be spinning for years, and rightly so.

What would you like to see changed in Monaghan next year?

To be honest, for me I wasn’t too fazed by the way it was in Monaghan last year, so I’d have to say leave it as it is.

What was the best club game you watched in Monaghan this year, excluding your own?

Scotstown and Ballybay in the drawn semi final. It was played on one of the worst evenings I’ve ever seen for a match, rain hammering down. Even though the conditions were terrible, the game was far from it. Hard-hitting, long-range scores and a bit of rough and tumble. You couldn’t ask for much more really.

Declan Larkin

Corduff

What was your biggest frustration playing club football this year?

Probably my biggest frustration is the length of the football year. If you start training in January and you get to a semi-final or final then you’re going to be playing into November, even with your county team exiting the championship early. I think games should be run out a bit earlier.

What club story in your county caught your eye this year?

I would say Blackhill winning the Junior Championship and going on to win Ulster and possibly more. For a small club being so close to Castleblayney where players could be persuaded to join the senior club for a higher level of football, it was great to see them do so well.

What would you like to see changed in Monaghan next year?

I would like to see the points system changed. Five points for a win is too much and a team that gets a good run could be out of sight by the time the two-pointers start. It sort of leaves the middle games not as important because if you win your first five you are on 25 points while if you win your middle nine you only pick up 18 points. I think the middle games should be more, or the five-pointers should be less.

What was the best club game you watched in Monaghan this year, excluding your own?

The game with Magheracloone and Foreglen was a great game and it was played at a high pace throughout. Magheracloone played very well as a team, they weren’t relying on two or three players to get them over the line. One to 15 and all the subs played a big part in the win.