Aaron Kernan on Football

On June 24, 2012, Down staged a remarkable second half comeback to break Monaghan's hearts in the Athletic Grounds and end their hopes of reaching the Ulster final.

A month later they exited the All-Ireland race to Laois, their manager Eamonn McEneaney resigned and most people assumed that particular Monaghan squad had reached the end of the road. A number of key personnel would surely sign off on their county careers without any championship silverware after a number of near misses.

For a minority of players, trophies and awards will flow throughout their careers. The majority, many of whom will devote the same if not more time and effort, receive little or no reward in the way of medals.

After the 2012 championship, those Monaghan players obviously still believed they would fall into the first category. They had more to give, and without creating too much fuss publicly, they made their feelings known to the county board. They wanted an input into the search for a new manager and top of their list was Malachy O'Rourke.

Their situation then reminds me of my own club Crossmaglen in 2009. We had lost to Kilmacud Crokes in the All-Ireland club final and followed that up in September by losing in the Armagh Championship for the first time since 1995. It was the end of an era, almost all of the original squad from our first All Ireland win in 1997 had retired. It had been good while it lasted.

Both Monaghan and Crossmaglen got the men they desired. Malachy O'Rourke was the new man in charge for Monaghan in 2013 while my former teammates Tony McEntee and Gareth O'Neill led us into 2010. We now know they were the correct choices for the roles. Their tactical brains, leadership and ability to get the best out of their players have been outstanding.

The best managers I have played under are the managers who have been able to hit the right buttons with each individual in their squad. They know when to come down hard but they'll also know when to put an arm around your shoulder and make sure everything is alright in your personal life.

Having played on the same club side as Tony McEntee and Gareth O'Neill, I had a fair idea of their footballing beliefs, attention to detail and desire to be successful. But any notion I had that our friendship as teammates might carry into their management was quickly knocked on the head.

A few weeks into their first season as managers, they arranged one to one meetings with each member of the squad to outline their plan for the season and assess our own strengths and weaknesses as individuals. I don't recall many details from meetings with management teams over the years but Tony came out with one line which quickly outlined their intent and left me in no uncertain terms as to who was boss.

"Make no mistake here Aaron, this is very much a dictatorship."

I am not trying to make Tony out to be the head of a cult but in his not so subtle way he was letting me know who was in charge and that in order for us to move forward as a group we were all going to have to trust and believe in them.

Their vision for us was very similar to that of another famous boss in Black and Amber. I read a recent quote from Tommy Walsh were he said: "Brian Cody wasn't there to win All Irelands, he was there to create a spirit among the squad that wouldn't be broken."

Our new management team put great emphasis on this. They constantly stated that they were there to facilitate the players, but the drive and desire would have to come from within and winning would then be a result of what we were all about.

Gaelic football is a team sport, where spirit and friendship between players can get you through the most difficult of times, both on and off the field. It is no coincidence that the most successful teams have the greatest sense of togetherness. They will stick to the script no matter what is thrown at them and put their own agendas to one side for the greater good of the squad.

To prove the direction we were going as a group, the following story seems funny now but wasn't at the time.

My wedding and honeymoon had been carefully planned to be sure it did not clash with our club championship schedule. On my first night back to club training in advance of our 2011 county semi final I was having a general catch up with the management team on the field before training started when Tony broke some news to me.

"We are not starting you this weekend," he said. "Why?" I asked. "We said that those who are performing well in training will get their chance, we feel that you have missed too many sessions over the past fortnight and others deserve a start. You'll get your chance on Sunday and we expect you to react the right way when the time comes".

I was shocked and didn't see this coming but as I jogged off to join the rest of the squad for the warm up I tried to process their reasons. While I was personally annoyed, I knew they were doing what they felt was best for the group. It also sent out a message to the squad that no matter who you are, no-one is bigger than the team. I immediately decided that I would react in the right way and let my actions do the talking. I came on after 20 minutes, we won the game and went on to retain our All-Ireland title.

Dick Clerkin is a shining example of the ultimate team player within this Monaghan squad. He has been around the county scene since the late 1990s, he doesn't get the same game time he used to but he has bought into the team ethos and always makes an impact when introduced. Another great example of this was the sight of him leading the singing on stage at their homecoming when he could have been sulking at his lack of game time.

Managing 30 odd players with different personalities and opinions can't be an easy task. Getting them all to trust and believe in your style of play must be even harder. But Malachy O'Rourke obviously has what it takes. When he was in college, he did his thesis on the VO2 max levels of GAA players - even 20 years ago he was thinking ahead.

O'Rourke cannot receive enough praise for the success he has brought Monaghan when you consider the small pick and size of their population. His team showed tremendous composure after a tricky start in the Ulster Final to play the best football I've seen from them since he took over. Their dominant 20 minutes before half time was the direct result of his meticulous preparation on the training field in Cloghan in the lead up to the final.

O'Rourke has his team extremely well drilled. They showed a calmness that only comes with experience and self assurance. Against Donegal, his players carried out his instructions superbly, they put their bodies on the line and gave every last ounce of energy they had to help their county become Ulster champions.

They say you earn your own luck and there's no doubt Monaghan enjoyed a slice in the final minute of this game when Patrick McBrearty's attempt on goal sailed narrowly to the right and wide. However, for me the turning point of this game came just before half time. After superb tackling from Ryan Wylie to rob Christy Toye of possession inside the Donegal 14 metre line, the ball broke to Conor McManus who sped past two Donegal defenders before firing over off his right foot.

This was a signal of intent from Monaghan. Their captain had found his form, his body language had transformed and Monaghan's confidence began to soar.

Conor McManus is to Monaghan what Oisin McConville was to us in Crossmaglen. He always leads by example on the field and never shies away from responsibility when a score is required. For 25 minutes, McManus struggled to break free from the clutches of Neil McGee. Yet, even though he was on the periphery of the play he showed a mental toughness and resilience to stay focused on his roll.

O'Rourke has now led Monaghan to two Ulster titles in three years but the squad still want more. On countless occasions I have heard his players speak about their desire to win championship games in Croke Park.

That was something the county hadn't achieved in over 80 years until they defeated Kildare last year in the qualifiers and following this weekend's final round of qualifier fixtures, I expect Monaghan to face Tyrone in the last eight in a repeat of the 2013 All Ireland quarter-final. What's more, I expect them to use the experience of their 2013 defeat to avenge that result and advance to the All-Ireland semi-final for the first time since 1988.

In fact, I fancy all four provincial champions to make it into the last four for the second year running. Unfortunately for Monaghan, such is the quality of opposition left, I do not see them as All Ireland contenders. In McManus, they have the form footballer in Ulster, but to go the whole way they need someone alongside him to ease the scoring burden.

As All Ireland champions over the past two years, Kerry and Dublin have the experience and ability to take home Sam again in 2015. All neutrals though would love to see a new champion and in my eyes, of all the remaining candidates who are in that category, Mayo are the front runners and the ones most likely to make the breakthrough.

They have not had to leave their comfort zone too often so far this year and the 2-11 they conceded to Sligo will be a concern to their management team. Overall though, they have been hugely impressive. In particular, the emergence of Tom Parsons as a powerful midfield force has allowed them to release Aidan O'Shea to full forward. This has obviously had a devastating effect as it allows them to mix the running game with direct football, making them extremely hard to plot against.

From now on their challenge is to be mentally tough. I don't believe in hoodoos and curses. They have the ability and hunger but All Irelands are not always won by the team that wants it the most because everyone out there wants it for their county. The team that can handle the intense pressure that August and September brings will be the team that succeeds in the end.

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