Monaghan will 'relish' playing Armagh - McGrane

McGrane said Armagh will be "vary wary" of giving away frees with Rory Beggan on hand for Monaghan

• Published37 minutes ago

Seven-time Ulster Championship winner Paul McGrane believes that Monaghan will "have no fear" facing Armagh in Sunday's Ulster Senior Football final.

Kieran McGeeney's side are favourites to end their 18-year wait to lift the Anglo-Celt Cup given they have hit 100 points in their three Ulster games to date, including a thumping 28-point victory over Down in the semi-final.

But Monaghan have recovered from a poor league campaign to reach the final as they look to win the county's first Ulster title since 1988.

McGrane, who was the last Armagh captain to lift the Anglo-Celt Cup in 2008, says that Monaghan's experience of beating Armagh in the All-Ireland in 2023 and the Ulster SFC in 2021 will give them confidence at Clones.

"There's a Monaghan team coming that are Ulster club champions, on their own patch and the display of grit they showed against Derry and to do what they did with the sideline points, they'll relish playing Armagh," he told BBC Sport NI.

"They'll have no fear playing them. The last two big games they played them; in Croke Park [shootout win], they came out the right side of it and in the match in Pairc Esler [a thrilling 4-17 to 2-2 win].

"They'll be going with hunger the same that Armagh have to get over the line and get an Ulster title themselves."

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'Hopefully the past experiences help you get over the line'

McGrane was captain when Armagh last won the Ulster title in 2008

McGrane warned that the Orchard County will have to be "very wary" of conceding frees with two-pointer supreme Rory Beggan, who can "churn them out" on hand.

He hopes that Armagh will be spurred on to stop the rot of three successive Ulster defeats and that the likes of Aidan Forker, Rory Grugan and Aaron McKay will finally get the medal they have craved.

"From Armagh's point of view, the management deserve immense credit. The turnover of players, they've stayed up in Division One, nurtured the old fellas, transitioned in the young fellas. They've stepped up each part of the championship," he explained.

"They haven't been perfect, but they know they'll have to deliver a big performance. There's fellas there that have soldiered for years and would love to go and get them a medal for all they've done, but it doesn't happen like that.

"I've no doubt there's plenty of hurt in the locker, but you have to go deliver a big performance and hopefully the past experiences help you get over the line."

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

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