Monaghan must take Armagh down the stretch - McManus

Monaghan have been boosted by All-Star Conor McCarthy's return to fitness before facing in-form Armagh forwards like Oisin Conaty

• Published42 minutes ago

Monaghan must tighten up defensively and summon the defiant energy of 2013 to shock "heavy favourites" Armagh in Sunday's Ulster Senior Football final, says Conor McManus.

The Clones showpiece pits two teams hoping to end long droughts for provincial silverware, with Monaghan's last Anglo-Celt Cup coming in 2015.

But with Armagh widely tipped to end their 18-year wait after annihilating Down by 28 points in the semi-final, Monaghan may need to emulate the 2013 final when they showed remarkable intensity to stun reigning All-Ireland champions Donegal and win the county's first Ulster title since 1988.

"It's going to take that sort of performance to win this Ulster final," said McManus, who scored 0-3 in the 2013 final before captaining Monaghan to a repeat win over Donegal two years later.

"Let's be realistic about it. Monaghan will have to be at their best but that goes without saying. It's perfectly set up for Monaghan, going in as huge underdogs. Armagh scored 3-33 the last day out.

"The big thing for Monaghan is to bring this game down the stretch, the last 15 or 20 minutes. If they can do that, they'll be comfortable in that position with very little pressure on them. That's the challenge for Monaghan."

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Having beaten Cavan 0-27 to 2-14 in the quarter-finals, Monaghan returned to the Ulster final for the first time since 2021 with a hugely dramatic 1-30 to 3-23 victory over Derry after extra time at the Athletic Grounds.

While Jack McCarron and Rory Beggan stepped up to kick nerveless two-pointers at the end of normal and extra time respectively, McManus admits Gabriel Bannigan's side cannot continue to cough up goal and scoring chances against an Armagh outfit that has hit 100 points in three Ulster games this year.

"If we defend the way we've defended, against Derry and the second half against Cavan, we're in for a long day," added the three-time All-Star, who will be on co-commentary duty for the BBC at Sunday's game.

"We can't be coughing up goal chances the way we have been, but the players and management will know that. I'm confident they will try to address that.

"They're going to have to be better because the bookies have Armagh as heavy favourites and you can't argue with that. But Monaghan have a lot of big-game players, players that can hurt Armagh. It'll be interesting to see how Armagh set up to counteract that."

Armagh v Monaghan

Ulster Senior Football Championship final

17 May, 16:15 BST

St Tiernach's Park, Clones

Watch live on BBC Two NI, the BBC Sport website and app

Conor McManus captained Monaghan to their last Ulster triumph in 2015

Conor Turbitt (2-5) and Oisin Conaty (0-5) led a stunning demonstration of Armagh's scoring power against Down that encompassed 10 fisted points in a telling illustration of how effectively the Orchardmen can cut through an opponent's defence.

Monaghan's defeat of Derry was powered by eight two-pointers, but matters at the other end of the pitch may decide their fortunes against Armagh, with McManus pinpointing marauding Orchard half-backs Jarly Og Burns and Ross McQuillan - if the latter if fit after missing the Down game with a calf problem - as key threats.

"Armagh's biggest strength now is their attacking play as a unit," said McManus.

"They get in behind the rearguard of other teams. Ten fisted points is a remarkable stat in any game. That's the strength of this Armagh team, they're getting scores from right in the heart of the opposition defence, where any one of their attacking players or runners from deep can get the scores.

"That's the strength of their play and it'll be very hard for Monaghan to stop.

"A big one for me is whether Ross McQuillan is fit, who's going to pick up him and Jarly Og Burns in the wing half-backs because they've been a massive part of what Armagh have done in the past number of years but particularly this year, they've been in really strong scoring form.

"Those match-ups will go a long way in deciding this one."

McManus played a key role in Monaghan's memorable All-Ireland quarter-final penalty shootout win over Armagh at Croke Park in 2023

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