KIERAN HUGHES WAS glad to banish some recent bad memories of playing at Croke Park in Sunday’s Allianz National Football League Division 2 final.
The Monaghan forward scored 1-1 as they won a second consecutive league title by seeing off 14-man Donegal at GAA headquarters.
Less than nine months ago, Hughes endured a miserable day when he was sent off after 46 minutes of an All-Ireland SFC quarter-final against Tyrone — which the Farney men eventually lost by two points.
He admits having nightmares after that defeat, which makes this latest win that bit sweeter.
“I was back here today to sort of keep my head on the big stage and try to keep my discipline,” Hughes said.
“A couple of boys maybe got ahead of themselves after the Ulster final win last year, including myself and we didn’t do ourselves justice. The more wins you get on this field here, headquarters, the better the team morale is going to be and I think the boys are quite happy today.
“People were congratulating me last year on big performances in the Ulster final and then the club went on and won the club championship.
But I was still going home to my own bed and going (to myself), ‘the one big game you needed to do the business in and I ended up getting sent off’.
“I did have a couple of nightmares over the thing. I know that’s tough to deal with sometimes but it was two stupid yellows that I got and I shouldn’t have done it. I lowered myself to somebody that I shouldn’t have lowered myself to. That’s the learning curve I suppose.
“I met with Malachy (O’Rourke) and Ryan (Porter) at the start of the year and they weren’t congratulating me on a good year or anything. They did at the start but then they just went, ‘look, we need to work on your discipline this year’.
“It’s been a big thing. I’ve tried my best not to get any black cards or as many yellows as I did last year.”
