Freeman to remain as Monaghan captain
Damien Freeman is to remain on as captain of the Monaghan senior footballers after impressing as their leader last season.
Freeman skippered the Farney county to the NFL Division Two title - their first national trophy in 20 years - last May and manager Seamus McEnaney has decided to keep the defender in the captaincy role for 2006.
The Magheracloone Mitchells clubman admitted to being "honoured and thrilled" with his reappointment. Castleblayney half-forward Dermot McArdle will act as vice-captain during the current campaign.
Both Freeman and McArdle, along with the entire Monaghan panel, are to be presented with their NFL Division Two winners' medals at the annual Monaghan GAA Awards ceremony on Friday, January 20.
The ceremony, which will be held at the Hill Grove Hotel, will also see Clones man Ted Duffy inducted into the GAA Hall of Fame. Duffy was centre forward on the Monaghan team that won the Ulster and All-Ireland Junior football championships in 1956.
Meanwhile, Farney boss McEnaney will have to do without his influential right half-back Gary McQuaid for the opening rounds of the National League.
McQuaid is still recovering from a shoulder operation from six weeks ago, and is not expected to return until late February.
