Clones won't stage any of Monaghan's home games in next year's National Football League as it is due to undergo major redevelopment work. A new pitch, which will cost EUR320,000, will be laid at St. Tiernach's Park, with work expected to begin early in the New Year. Floodlighting is also due to be installed at the home of Ulster football next autumn. With Clones unavailable, Monaghan will play two of their three home league games in Scotstown and the other in Inniskeen. Scotstown will host their first round meeting with beaten All-Ireland finalists Cork on Sunday, February 7 next. Officials are confident that the latest upgrade to the venue will be completed in time for the start of the next year's championship. In the past five years, the Monaghan county board has spent in the region of EUR150,000 on repairing the pitch, but chairman John Connolly is adamant that a new surface is required. He told the Irish Daily Star: "We need to get it done instead of throwing good money after bad. "It is a stupid way of doing it. It's going on and on and in wintertime you are not sure of yourself with a match. "We got agreement with the Ulster Council that we need a new pitch. We are hopeful to have that laid for the championship. We improved it fairly well, but it is still not good enough. "Three years ago, our club Latton had to go to Enniskillen to play a home Ulster club championship match. That's not acceptable." Tweet

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