McNulty: we must assist McDonnell

ARMAGH selector Justin McNulty believes they cannot afford to be over-reliant on attacker Steven McDonnell in Sunday’s Ulster SFC quarter-final against Monaghan in Casement Park.

McDonnell was the star man in the county’s NFL Division 2 success in April and produced another man-of-the-match display against Derry in last month’s Ulster SFC preliminary round.

“Obviously Stevie is a serious scoring threat, but we understand that Monaghan will have a strategy in place to nullify Stevie’s threat and it’s about us overcoming that,” says McNulty.

“I’m sure they will have a system put in place to try to stop Stevie scoring and other guys then will have the opportunity to step up.

“That’s what will probably dictate this result more than anything. I imagine Stevie will be very well marshalled at Casement on Sunday, so other guys have to take the pressure off him. We have every confidence and belief that the guys will step up to the plate – these are the days when you need it.”

Meanwhile Monaghan coach Paul Grimley insists there will be no room for sentiment when he faces his native Armagh in Sunday’s tie.

“People moving counties, managing wise and coaching wide, it’s the new normal. People are assuming I have an advantage, but there is also an awful lot of the Armagh players that I didn’t coach.

“The important thing and what I have concentrated on is how Armagh are going to put up one hell of a fight and will cause plenty of problems for Monaghan.

“We know it’s going to take an almighty performance to win this game and the whole focus is on producing that performance. This is why you want to be involved in football because of days like this.”

Meanwhile midfielder Karl Stewart has emerged as a major doubt for Antrim’s Ulster SHC final against either Down or London later this month after he suffered a broken knuckle in last Sunday’s disappointing Leinster SHC loss to Offaly.

The St Gall’s midfielder scored two points in the Parnell Park tie which underdogs Antrim lost by 2-26 to 3-16 after extra-time.

Stewart is also facing a race against time to be fit for Antrim’s All-Ireland qualifier campaign which gets underway on July 3rd.