The encounter between Monaghan and Tyrone is going to be another tight, tactical battle, as each side will seek to limit the influence of key players on the opposing team.
While it will not be the furcrum of Monaghan’s approach a key element will be how to contain the threat Sean Cavanagh will pose and essentially Monaghan have to prevent him making those runs from deep and then wrong footing defenders before either going for a score himself or setting up a colleague.
Tyrone have Pascal McConnell back in goals and the big man is a good last line and an excellent shot stopper. In Conor Clark, Cathal McCarron and Ciaran McGinley Tyrone have disciplined, hard-working defenders while the likes of Peter Harte and Conor Gormley in the half back line have both experience and guile, Gormley particularly good at reading the game and has mastered the role of sweeper. Joe McMahon too is a very influential player and is also very adept at setting up counter attacks.
The Kavanagh brothers in midfield are both excellent players and Monaghan know well the threat that they pose, particularly Sean, while up front Tyrone also have players of quality in the likes of Darren McCurry, Stephen O’Neill and …