All-Ireland SFC: Monaghan v Donegal

Two of Ulster football's up and comers square up to each other at Omagh, with a quarter-final place the reward for victory.

Monaghan have had two weeks to recover from losing to Tyrone in the Ulster final. The Farney pushed the Red Hand men all the way that day, and were a touch unlucky to not land their first Anglo-Celt Cup since 1988.

Though it was a memorable Ulster campaign for Seamus McEnaney's Seamus McEnaney's charges, they must now quickly adapt to the qualifier system.

McEnaney has seen fit to name an unchanged side for Saturday night's clash, though he has made a few positional switches. Indeed, one of the features of Monaghan this year has been how they have moved players around at will.

Captain Damien Freeman is named at left half-forward, though he is more accustomed to defensive positions. Maybe McEnaney is hoping his skipper can do for them what Anthony Moyles has done for Meath.

The beaten Ulster finalists have a fine forward line, with Rory Woods swapping his full-forward role with centre-forward Paul Finlay. It is their two corner-forwards that could sink Donegal, however, as Ciaran Hanratty and Thomas Freeman have already proven themselves to be match winners at various junctures this summer.

Dick Clerkin drops back into midfield to soldier beside Eoin Lennon, who has been one of Monaghan's most consistent performers.

Donegal's chances are not helped by the fact that half-back Paddy McConigley will miss the game as a result of incurring a freak facial injury while paint-balling last weekend. Barry Dunnion has been outstanding at wing-back for the National League champions, but has only recovered sufficiently from groin surgery to take a place on the bench.

Brian McIver's men have made decent progress since their Ulster semi-final thrashing by Tyrone. Leitrim and Westmeath were never going to win an All-Ireland, but wins in Mullingar and - in particular - Carrick-on-Shannon are not to be sniffed at.

Monaghan are at a different level, though, and the fact that they were visibly gutted after they Tyrone game shows that the beaten Ulster finalists have ambitions far above moral victories.

Donegal have yet to reach the heights of their league campaign, and the suspicion is that they left their best form in the spring.

The bookies have installed the Tir Chonaill men as favourites. However, on current form one would have to plump for a Farney victory.

Verdict: Monaghan

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