SEAMUS McEnaney and Jack O’Connor stood and chatted for a few moments after shaking hands at the end, with Sunday’s game renewing a rivalry first ignited during an edgy Sunday afternoon in Scotstown 16 years ago.
Both were in first stints with Monaghan and Kerry, and a friendship of sorts was formed across enemy lines – indeed McEnaney brought O’Connor in to speak with his Monaghan squad after the 2007 Ulster final loss to Tyrone.
O’Connor’s advice then was to shield the players from public negativity as quickly as possible, and McEnaney is still heeding those words after jumping to Beggan’s defence straight away – and insisting Monaghan will bounce back against the Tir Chonaill in Ballybofey.
“We need three more points to stay in Division One and we’ll fight tooth and nail for them,” said the Corduff man, who hopes to have the injured quartet of Ryan McAnespie, Conor McCarthy, Jack McCarron and Sean Jones available for March 12.
“We’ve stayed up on the last day quite a number of years and if we bring it down to the last day, we’ll be happy enough. Let there be no doubt that we will come back with a revenge performance out of this game today.
“They haven’t been beaten up there in 12 years, but some day that is going to change and hopefully that’ll be Sunday week.”
For O’Connor, meanwhile, it was a happy journey back down the road as his men sit top of the table ahead of games against Mayo (home) and Armagh (away) before welcoming All-Ireland champions Tyrone to Killarney on the last day.
“At the start of the second half the lads wanted to drive, and the goals really did the damage,” said O’Connor, who has former Down boss Paddy Tally and the Armagh duo of Jason McGahan (head of athletic performance) and Colin Trainor (analyst) among his backroom team.
“I’m happy, the boys are buying into what we’re trying to do. There’s no easy games in this division, I know the scoreline at the end there today but Monaghan were down a few players.”
