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Conor McManus wary of Down threat

Supervalu ambassador Conor McManus.

Supervalu ambassador Conor McManus.

By Cian O'Connell


It was a long autumn and winter for the Monaghan footballers. Championship defeats in 2016 against Donegal and Longford ensured Monaghan were forced to respond following a disappointing campaign.

From the first weekend of the Allianz Football League, though, there was evidence of Monaghan's grit and determination.

That chilly Castlebar night culminated with a victory for the visitors. It was far removed from summer or September, but a positive statement had been made.; Monaghan's 2017 journey commenced.

The remainder of the League brought a few thrills and spills, but the most encouraging aspect is the increasing support cast for Conor McManus.

Jack McCarron, Owen Duffy, and Conor McCarthy have all enjoyed productive moments in League and Championship.

"Yeah there is," McManus admits about Monaghan's depth. "We have options.

"When you see the likes of Darren Hughes and Dessie Mone and even Owen Duffy who came off the bench against Fermanagh and Conor McCarthy who came on against Cavan.

"There’s a few good lads there, and quality too. There’s a few young lads in Monaghan and there’s been good success in Monaghan over the last few years so hopefully it will filter through, and the more of that we get, the better."

Some of those emerging players have sampled action during the past number of years. An apprenticeship has been served.

"Yeah, they have been there and there’s nothing new to them," is McManus' assessment.

"I suppose when some of the younger lads come in it takes them a while to settle and gel, but Jack has been on the panel since 2011, I think.

"So, he’s well familiar with it and I suppose it’s nothing new to anybody in Monaghan. Everyone is aware of what Jack can do and his ability. It’s just good to see that he has had a run now where injuries aren’t hampering him."

Monaghan coped with the heavy burden of favouritism when beating Fermanagh and Cavan. McManus, though, stresses what happened in 2016 as a reminder of how dangerous Championship football can.

Conor McManus celebrates after scoring the decisive goal against Cavan.

Conor McManus celebrates after scoring the decisive goal against Cavan.

"So far we have dealt with it this year, last year we didn’t," McManus remarks about the expectancy levels.

"This time last year when we were playing Longford in the qualifiers so, we still have a lot of learning to do.

"You’re learning all the time and trying to build on these things and use your experiences from the past. Having played a lot of Championship football over the past five years, we try to draw on them experiences as you go forward.

"That’s very much what we are doing, and at the minute it’s going well, but things could turn very quickly."

The Longford loss has acted as motivation according to McManus. "Just naturally, without it having to be said," McManus states. "Without management having to draw on it.

"Naturally as sportsmen and as players it’s a game we were backed to win, we were expected to win.

"On one Saturday you’re competing to get into an Ulster final, fast-forward seven days and you’re out of the Championship completely. It was tough to take there’s no doubt about it.

"We were very disappointed with it. We had hoped that we could have gone on a bit of a run in the Qualifiers and get back to Croke Park in August, but it didn’t happen. It was tough to take."

Avoiding such a scenario is why Monaghan will enter the Athletic Grounds on Saturday accompanied by a sense of desire.

McManus is adamant that a demanding encounter awaits against Down. "Yeah we watched them against Armagh," McManus says.

"Armagh were hotly fancied to progress in that game. It was a big win for Down. People have been talking about how they haven’t been going well, but Down are a traditional football team.

"Any time you come up against Down, they’re always a challenge. We played Down in an Ulster Semi-Final back in 2012, in the same venue at the Athletic Grounds.

"We were seven points up at one stage in that game and they came back and won by two points and we were out on our ear. But Down have that tradition in Championship football and it’s very dangerous. We are going to be at our best to try to get through to the Final."