Séamus McEnaney reflects on highs and lows as he steps down as Monaghan football manager

Monaghan are on the lookout for a new senior football manager after announcing Séamus McEnaney has stepped down from the position following the team’s qualifier defeat to Mayo earlier this month.

He took over for his second stint as manager in advance of the Covid-interrupted 2020 season. Having previously managed his native county’s minor team to the Ulster title in 2018.

McEnaney maintained Monaghan’s long-standing Division One status as well as reaching last year’s Ulster final where they lost to eventual All-Ireland champions Tyrone. The team played some excellent attacking football under his tenure with less reliance on Conor McManus as Jack McCarron had a standout season and Gary Mohan provided a variety to their play.

McEnaney was initially ratified as Monaghan manager back in 2004 and held the position until 2010 winning the Division 2 league title in 2005. He was suspended in April of last year for 12 weeks after a breach of Covid-19 restrictions regarding team training and gatherings.

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In a parting statement he thanked the Monaghan county board for their unwavering support over the course of the last three years:

“Managing Monaghan has been one of the great privileges and honours of my life, one that I have never taken for granted. I am very grateful to the Monaghan county board and my club, Corduff Gaels, for giving me the opportunity to represent them in the role as Monaghan team manager.

“Over the past three years we have experienced a huge range of emotions, some fantastic days and performances to moments of immense sadness. I reflect on the sudden passing of my great friend and main sponsor Phil Traynor and the devastating loss of our 2018 Ulster Minor Championship winning captain Breandán ‘Ógie’ Duffy followed by the huge emotion of the victory over Armagh to reach our first Ulster final in six years only to lose the final agonisingly.

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“This contrasted with this year’s final day beating The Dubs to maintain Division One status to ensure that Monaghan supporters can enjoy Division One football for a ninth consecutive year, a record we are rightly proud of.

“I want to conclude by thanking the fantastic Gaels of Monaghan who always supported the Monaghan team and who lifted our team performances with their passion and fervour from the stands. I will now return to help my club and have the privilege of being a Monaghan supporter in the stands again. I want to wish this great group of players every success in the future”.