McEnaney is sure his quality side can upset Kerry applecart

MONAGHAN minor football team manager Seamus McEnaney believes his side will not be unduly fazed by having to face Kerry in tomorrow’s All-Ireland Football Championship semi-final at Croke Park (1.30pm).

“When you think about it, we have played six Championship matches away from home, so why would we be unduly worried about having to go to the biggest venue of all?” queries McEnaney with a glint in his eye.

The fact that his side will be meeting a Kerry team which will be targeting a fifth consecutive All-Ireland title certainly makes it a difficult assignment for the Farney boys, and McEnaney puts this in context.

“Monaghan has only won two Ulster titles in 73 years, so that shows where we are, but this team has invested an awful lot of effort in the Championship,” insists McEnaney.

It was after beating Derry in the Ulster final, 1-19 to 0-9, that Monaghan went on to overpower Kildare at the quarter-final stage by 2-11 to 0-8.

In both games Monaghan’s teamwork, fitness and finishing skills were very much in evidence, and they will certainly require these assets against Kerry, who beat Clare by 3-21 to 0-7 in the Munster final.

Brendan Duffy leads a Monaghan team that includes quality forwards such as Sean Jones, Aaron Mulligan, Karl Gallagher and Donnacha Swinburne.

Paul Walsh is a vital cog in the Kerry attack, while Dylan Geaney, Jack O’Connor and Darragh Rahilly are other key players.