David McCague insists Scotstown are his only focus after speculation regarding Monaghan job

Scotstown manager David McCague has stated he has 'no interest in any other role' currently, amidst speculation he is a possible replacement for outgoing Monaghan manager Gabriel Bannigan. McCague is in his fourth season in charge of his home club, having taken over from Colin McAree after Ballybay's county final success in 2022. Scotstown have won the county title in every season under his stewardship, adding the Ulster title to their haul with a 0-19 to 0-16 win over Kilcoo last winter, a first for the club since 1989. McCague has previously served as Monaghan U20 manager, while he also worked as a selector for minor and senior county teams under Séamus McEnaney. Speaking to TG4 however, the secondary school principal played down the links to intercounty level: 'I have a role with the club at home and to be respectful to the players in the club at home. 'They have shown me great loyalty over the years. 'As long as I am needed at Scotstown, I have no interest in any other role at the moment apart from focusing on being manager of Scotstown.' Aughnamullen clubman Bannigan, meanwhile, spoke to the media last week in an effort to clarify his original comments that 'the goalposts had moved' in relation to him fulfilling a third year at the helm. Bannigan stated he had been instructed to form a backroom team for 2027 within a six-week period, but indicated that issues arose with player power and miscommunication from the county board within that time period, after he had lined up two new coaches: 'I always acknowledge that nobody has a monopoly on getting things right. I always accept that there are other opinions', he said, speaking to Off The Ball. 'But I'd prefer if people were more straight up. Why waste five or six weeks of my time? 'Why mandate me to go and strengthen my backroom team for taking Monaghan football forward, and then move the goalposts and say: 'Oh no Gabriel, we didn't really mean that at all, because we're not happy with you for whatever reason.' 'Be straight and honest and up front about it, don't waste five or six weeks of my time.' Bannigan served as a selector during Vinny Corey's tenure, during which Monaghan made the All-Ireland semi-final in 2023. The former Kilmacud Crokes boss took charge of his native county in 2025, as The Farney made back-to-back All-Ireland quarter-finals and won a Division Two title under his stewardship, with his final game in charge proving to be June's last eight exit at the hands of 14-man Louth. Internally meanwhile, Scotstown and Truagh are the only unbeaten teams in the Monaghan SFC, with just one round of group fixtures to play. The champions face Inniskeen in their final group match, where even defeat could see them top Group 1, though they have not been defeated on their home patch since this five-team group format was introduced in 2020. Truagh face Clontibret in Group 2's top of the table clash, where the winners would secure the other automatic semi-final place, with both sides definitely through to the knockout stage. Carrickmacross are the fifth side guaranteed a quarter-final spot at worst, with the meeting of Castleblayney and Cremartin set to decide who takes the final quarter-final place. Corduff, Latton and Magheracloone have been consigned to relegation semi-finals. A draw enough for Paul O'Connor's 'Blayney against Cremartin would be enough to avoid joining the aforementioned trio in the battle to survive.