Unnerving expectancy Monaghan will turn tables

Monaghan are expected to just turn up and win at Croke Park today, and Paul Finlay finds the presumption a little unnerving on a few levels.

For one thing, they have underperformed there so often, and their form this summer has been unconvincing with limp victories over Fermanagh, Cavan, Wexford and Carlow hardly inspiring confidence they can suddenly switch into ‘A’ game mode now.

While motivation won’t be a problem facing a Down side that ambushed them in the Ulster semi-final four weeks ago, Finlay says that alone won’t be enough to get them through to the All-Ireland SFC quarter-finals for the fourth time in five years.