MONAGHAN V KERRY

COLM SHALVEY REPORTS

Monaghan hadn’t won a league or championship game minus both Conor McManus and Darren Hughes since 2013, while you had to go back even further to February 2006 (v Dublin at Parnell Park, as it happens) for the county’s last top-flight victory without their two most-experienced campaigners. In their absence, some new leaders stepped up alongside captain Kieran Duffy, including Mícheál Bannigan, Killian Lavelle, Gary Mohan and Man of the Match Stephen O’Hanlon.

Bannigan has already racked up 65 appearances and established himself as vice-captain, while O’Hanlon’s standing in the panel was demonstrated when he stood in as captain of the experimental side that lined out against Donegal in the McKenna Cup semi-final and Lavelle has developed into a trusted manmarker. Capable of playing anywhere from full-back to midfield, Lavelle has worn the number three in each game so far this year and he once again went toe to toe with Con O’Callaghan last weekend.

O’Callaghan inevitably grew into the game in the closing stages, but Lavelle had been on top of their duel for the vast majority of the exchanges, winning a handful of key turnovers along the way. While Monaghan’s build-up was laboured at times, especially in the first half, Bannigan and O’Hanlon took the onus on themselves to inject pace to the visitors’ attack, linking up to brilliant effect for the latter’s superb goal, described on TG4 as an “urchar” or a gunshot. O’Hanlon’s directness and willingness to take any opponent on was greeted by a buzz each time he got on the ball and it took a save..