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McEneaney to step down as Monaghan manager


Eamonn McEneaney has announced his intention to resign as Monaghan senior football manager following their All-Ireland qualifier defeat to Laois.

It brings to an end his two-year spell in charge of the Farney men, who were beaten 2-12 to 0-12 by a resurgent Laois side this afternoon.

McEneaney was appointed in October 2010 on a three-year term - with a review at the end of the second year - but Monaghan have been unable to rediscover the form they showed under previous manager Seamus McEnaney.

Speaking to BBC Northern Ireland after the Laois game, McEneaney admitted: "I have given it all I can. The job that has to be done now will take somebody else three or four years to do.

"I think it is time for somebody to come in and do that. I will be talking to the (Monaghan) County Board about it. I have given Monaghan 20 years as a player and a manager. I have done my level best over the last couple of years.

"I am not a good loser and it is hard to take. I cannot thank all the lads enough for the effort they have given."

May's 1-12 to 1-9 Ulster SFC quarter-final win over Antrim was Monaghan's only Championship success under McEneaney.

His charges lost to Tyrone and Offaly in last year's Championship, and fell to Down and Laois in recent weeks.

Monaghan were relegated from Division 2 of the Allianz League this spring, winning only two of their seven group games.

There remains a strong nucleus of high calibre players, including captain Darren Hughes, Dick Clerkin, Paul Finlay and Tommy Freeman, but the results on the pitch have been hugely disappointing.

Indeed, before that victory over Antrim, Hughes and his team-mates had won only four of their 19 league and Championship matches under McEneaney.


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