Dessie Mone had an exceptional 2007 for club and county, rising to national prominence with a much-deserved All Star nomination. The 23-year-old Clontibret clubman has established himself as one of the most immovable corner backs in the business and will be a key player again in '08 as Banty's Boys strive to put paid to Monaghan's 20-year major trophy famine. It was a sensational year for Monaghan, who reached a first Ulster final since 1988 and pushed Kerry all the way in an absorbing All-Ireland quarter-final at Croke Park. Seamus McEneaney's team was also honoured with four All Star nominations, with Ulster Footballer of the Year Tommy Freeman picking up a coveted gong on awards night. They also secured promotion in the league. All in all, it's twelve months that Clontibret's Dessie Mone can look back upon with a massive degree of satisfaction. "The county made a lot of steps forward," he reflects. "Getting out of the division was a good achievement, first of all and we went on to do well in the championship. We didn't win any silverware but it was a stepping stone for Monaghan football." Monaghan were, quite frankly, a revelation in the SFC. They beat highly-regarded Down, Derry and Donegal (in the qualifiers) sides and were only one kick away from defeating Tyrone on Ulster final day. In their All-Ireland quarter-final at HQ, they outplayed Kerry for long periods and were decidedly unfortunate not to progress to the last four. The Kingdom had Lady Fortune smiling favourably on them that day and Monaghan were without doubt the most unlucky losers of the year. But it's all part of the learning process and outstanding corner back Dessie Mone sees the bigger picture: "You have to be happy with the progress we made. We got to an Ulster final and an All-Ireland quarter-final, so we're moving forward. A couple of years ago, Monaghan wouldn't have been close to that level. Training is extremely professional and the preparations are excellent. We also have very committed players on the county panel, so hopefully we can get some silverware in the near future." How important is it for Monaghan to build upon the progress made in 2007, rather than fading back into relative obscurity? "That's going to be the big thing for us. The challenge is to try to keep things going. We don't want to be like other counties who have one good year and then slip back again - we have to follow through and deliver. It's a young team but you never know what players are going to be unavailable in the future so we know we have to do it now." How long did it take to get over that shattering, luckless defeat to Kerry? "It was very tough but we knew we played well and you have to take a lot from the performance. We have to look at the experience, identify where we went wrong and see if we can learn from it. Personally, it was easier for me than for some of the players as we went straight into the club scene and Clontibret won the championship. Some of the other players probably had longer to dwell on the Kerry game but we need to forget about it now and focus on the next year." The 2007 victory was Dessie's third county SFC medal, with previous successes coming in 2002 and '06. It was also Clontibret's first back-to-back triumph in over 50 years and the O'Neills went on to represent their county with style, losing controversially by a single point to defending provincial and national club champions Crossmaglen Rangers in an evenly-contested Ulster club championship match. Dessie Mone was a tower of strength for both club and county all year and his sharp defensive skills quite correctly caught the attention of the All Star selectors, who shortlisted the Monaghan man for a place on the elite national XV. Though he failed to make the final fifteen, Dessie is without doubt one of the best backs in the country and a man with a huge future in the game. Considering that it's been a rare feat for Monaghan players of late, how did it feel to be nominated for an All Star? "It's nice to be recognised and to go up and experience what the night is all about, but it's not an individual sport and you're only there on behalf of the team, who have worked hard all year. Tommy Freeman, Gary McQuaid, Damien Freeman and myself went up and we could maybe have had one more there, but it's a team game at the end of the day, so we're not getting carried away over that." Monaghan also had five Railway Cup winners with Ulster in 2007, further proof that the Armagh-Tyrone duopoly in Ulster is over. "It's been fantastic and it's all down to Banty, Adrian [Trappe] and Marty [McElkennon] for the manner in which they have developed the players and the team. There is a very serious attitude in the Monaghan camp and that's the reason why we got five men on the Ulster team and four All Star nominations. "The inferiority complex is gone. The belief is starting to show and it's visible all around the county. It's great to see so many young kids in the county wearing the Monaghan jersey instead of the Armagh or Kerry one. That's very rewarding for us as players and hopefully there will be a knock-on effect as pride in the Monaghan jersey continues to grow. It's up to the players now to maintain the momentum." What's the target for 2008? How much does Dessie feel Monaghan can achieve? "We want to put in a good league campaign first of all and then take every game as it comes in the championship. There's no element of surprise around Monaghan now but we're going to have to get used to that because this is a good Monaghan team and people know it. A lot will depend on how individual players approach next year but I'm hoping we'll see massive commitment again. Confidence is high and three men have instilled that into the team. "We have nothing to fear from anybody and we can beat any team in the country. If we keep moving in the right direction and commitment levels remain high, we should win some silverware in 2008." Tweet

Most Read Stories