A credible force once again
December 30, 2010After Monaghan's classy win over Armagh in the Ulster SFC last year, the county became awash with a tsunami of anticipation.
That anticpation was heightened even further by the county's subsequent 0-21 to 2-8 win in the provincial semi-final win over Fermanagh.
In 2010, for the sixth year in a row, Seamus McEnaney's think-tank and Monaghan's finest would see their hopes of annexing the Ulster SFC title crash against the rocks.
This year will tell just how broken up the surviving players are on the back of their battering by the waves of ill-fortune.
Over the last few years, the Oriel county hasn't lacked for organisation, structures or the support from the fans in its bid for redemption.
There is a consensus out there in the ether that Monaghan didn't quite get the run of the ball in various cliff-hanging games.
In that regard, those magical contests with Kerry at Croke Park and the 2007 Ulster SFC final joust with Tyrone saw Dame Fortune turn her back on Monaghan.
The county most other counties hated playing in recent times weren't loved by the critics. More importantly though, when push came to shove they weren't loved by the Gods either.
For most of Banty's time with Monaghan, the county luxuriated in the warm glow generated by a steady progression up the pecking order.
Monaghan's steady improved had been sign-posted for quite some time but the dividend reaped from their league campaign last year added a further stimulus to a panel of players preparing for what many perceived to be a make-or-break championship season for the squad.
By the time the summer of 2010 came around, it seemed like Monaghan's time had come.
The slow-to-the boil feel-good factor appeared ready to reach a crescendo.
Retaining their position in the top flight of the NFL was positively luminous. Everything, it appeared, looked on schedule for a summer of fulfillment.
Under McEnaney's watch, Monaghan's senior footballers coveted realistic ambitions of claiming the county's first Anglo-Celt Cup since 1988.
In reality those dreams received a thrashing on the altar of superior opposition in the form of the Red Hand county in the provincial finals of 2007 and '10.
In each of the past six years, the Monaghan senior footballers, in McEnaney's words, 'emptied the tank', 'pushed the boat out' and 'left nothing behind them'. Ultimately though the superior class of Tyrone proved to be the county's nemesis.
All belonging to the Monaghan senior team during the Corduff clubman's stint as county boss can feel proud of their efforts.
Johnny Logan's 'What's another year' ditty could almost be heard richocheting from the rafters of St. Tighernach's Park at the final whistle in the 2007 and 2010 provincial deciders.
No silverware then but all belonging to the Monaghan camp during Banty's reign couldn't be faulted for the effort they put into Monaghan's bid for championship glory.
Seamus McEnaney took over as Monaghan's senior football manager in 2005 at a time when Monaghan's football esteem was at a low ebb and when the county were ranked 26th/27th in the country.
In the intervening six years he assembled groups of players who showed a great degree of pride in playing for their county.
He brought together a string of squads made up of players who badly wanted to bring success to Monaghan.
Team-manager McEnaney was assisted by Gerry Mc Carville, Bernie Murray and Gerry Hoey for the first two years.
In the following four years he was assisted by Adrian Trappe (Selector), Martin Mc Elkennon (Trainer), Gerry Connolly (2009) and Paul Grimley (Selector 2010).
His back up team Gerry Nolan (Physio), Catherine Mc Nally (Nutritionist), Aishling O'Hare (Physio) and Robert Ashfield (Kit Manager) were also at the ready.
Over the course of McEnaney's six year tenure, nothing was ever quite mill-pond calm in the Monaghan camp.
There was always an angle, an edge and a bite to the modus operandi of Team McEnaney. The fans loved the show and so did the media.
The team's dervish-like tackling, slick teamwork and athleticism were stand-out properties in some of their best displays since 2005.
McEnaney's relationship with the local and national media raised the profile of Monaghan football to a height not witnessed since the mid-eighties.
League tables are rarely charged with perjury and perhaps McEnaney's term in office should be judged by Monaghan's upward movement in the national league.
The more meticulous the examination of the county's league showings, the more accurate the tables are shown to be in reflecting the Monaghan teams' worth in recent years.
Without exception, Monaghan's final standings in the NFL fairly reflected their position among Gaelic football's nouveau riche.
The longer Monaghan's innings in the national league under McEnaney proceeded, the more precise the reflection of his teams' worth.
For the most part of McEnaney's six year reign, Monaghan senior footballers were a mirror image of most of the teams around them.
When the erstwhile county supremo took over, Monaghan were plumbing the depths of the NFL and were forced to go on safari to places like London.
Over successive years, Banty's boys emerged from comatose beginnings to walk like peacocks among football's royalty; their league ratings, year on year, reflecting their upwardly mobile positioning.
The Oriel's standing among their peers came under forensic scutiny at times. As expectations increased in line with better and better results, a 'no room for error' notice was all but posted on Cloghan's gates.
Locking horns with the grand behemoths of Gaelic football in their own backyard and on the highest stages in the country became de rigeur for Monaghan senior squads.
Even on trips to Killarney to face the uber-bluebloods of the game, you could sense that the Monaghan players were more excited than intimidated by the prospect of going toe to toe with the most successful football county of them all.
It seemed that week in, week out, there was a countdown underway to yet another landmark game for Monaghan's elite football squad.
So often a stage beckoned for Monaghan to go and puncture a lusty home support in the deep south or way out west and leave Oriel voices hoarse with pride.
Buying shares in Monaghan Football Inc became a must. It was a bull market in Monaghan GAA circles under McEnaney.
Interest in the Oriel's blue-chip sport rocketed skywards. Sales of the county jerseys headed north like never before.
It just seemed a matter of time before Ulster football's long-time feather dusters became roosters.
McEnaney and co's will-to-succeed was as unrelenting as granite. It was just that others - mainly Tyrone - refused to be putty in Monaghan's hands.
The county got its just deserts with the retention of NFL Division One status for 2011.
Whatever about the way the squad's weaker traits were shown in late Summer 2010, a lack of bottle and will-to-win weren't missing.
Indeed the county's ability to hang onto the coat-tails of more fancied opponents made the whole difference in the last league campaign.
Most punters would invariably vote for the team that scores most to stay up anyway so in out-gunning second placed bottom team Derry on that 'score', Monaghan justifiably retained their division one status.
Certainly, the resourcefulness the team showed at the back during the league, the authority they demonstrated in midfield and their 'oftimes clinical efficiency up front had some punters even marking Monaghan down as dark horses for the Sam Maguire itself.
Underpinning Monaghan's move for the big time was the clear belief in the camp that it doesn't matter how you get there, as long as you get there and if that meant tempting fate in the championship by beating Tyrone in the national league, then so be it.
Losing out by 1-12 to 1-16 to Kerry may not have been the best way to sign-off the league season but Grand Nationals are never won until well after Beechers' Brook is jumped second time around.
The NFL is a stayers' race and not one designed to finger the one-hit wonders or sprint merchants.
Sadly Monaghan proved more Red Rum than Nijinkski in 2010 and that was ultimately their ball and chain.
The mortar shell that rained down on Monaghan's dreams on Ulster finals day in July 2010 couldn't have been more exocet-like in its destructive powers.
Monaghan's joy under McEnaney was to be confined to feel-good national league days in places like Scotstown, Inniskeen, Croke Park and Portlaoise.
Ulster is the most testing and unnerving of provinces and the Anglo-Celt Cup still has the aura of the Scarlet Pimpernel as far as Monaghan gaels are concerned.
At this juncture, a succession of Monaghan senior football teams have gotten used to exhibiting their skills and athleticism in the shop window.
Coughing up soft defeats is no longer part of Monaghan's way of doing things on the football field.
Confidence has been rampant in the county football camp for years now but the manner of the 2010 Ulster SFC final defeat will test the mettle of those in the cockpit that day.
The indignity of banishment from the top table for years and years was dispensed with by dint of results achieved in both national league and championship over the past six years.
However the real test of taking Monaghan onto a new level remains.
The task of of banishing a barren provincial championship record is far from mountainous though.
Eamonn McEneaney and co. have been left with a solid platform to make their mark. Tweet
