BY RYAN FERRY
RED Hughs have parked their league disappointment and are starting afresh ahead of the Intermediate Championship.
The men from the Cross were relegated from Division 2 after just one season back in the second tier.
That wasn’t part of the plan and Darren O’Leary and his management team subsequently stepped aside last week.
Kevin Melaugh, who was managing the club’s reserve team has stepped into the breach.
He’s not concerned about what has happened so far this year and hopes his club can give a good account of themselves in the Intermediate Championship.
“We weren’t far away in some games and if we could have stayed up, it would have been a different outlook going into the championship.
“We’re just treating it that it’s two different competitions
“We are going along alright.
“We’re kind of steadying the ship and seeing how it goes.
“The boys are training well and we’re just trying to get a few injuries cleared up.”
Donegal star Stephen McMenamin has been out injured since the All-Ireland Series.
McMenamin is the beating heart of the Red Hughs team and it’s a considerable loss when he’s not able to play but he is working his way back towards fitness.
Melaugh said: “Stephen is just back jogging so he’s not ready to go yet.
“We would be hoping by the latter end of the championship he will be back fit to play. We won’t rush him.
“He’s a great man to have about and he will still be a big help for us even if he’s not playing.”
Red Hughs reached the Intermediate semi-finals last year where they were beaten by eventual champions Naomh Columba.
Jonny Carlin has since headed off to Wicklow and that is a blow.
However, they do have good attackers in Liam Carlin, Jack Gillespie, and Calvin Bradley.
First up is a meeting with St Naul’s at Gerard Gallagher Memorial Park and there will be nothing going easy.
“I would think St Naul’s will be decent surely.
“But we have to worry about ourselves just and get the house in order and see where that takes us.
“On our day, we can probably mix it with anybody but we are just going to have to take it one game at a time with the way things are and we won’t get ahead of ourselves.”