The condensed nature of the All-Ireland SFC qualifier series increased the chances of the first round featuring some tasty pairings and so it proved when Monday morning’s draw dished up two all-Division-One clashes, including a trip to Castlebar for Monaghan to face perennial contenders Mayo on Saturday week, June 4. It’s as challenging a draw as it could have been for Monaghan, handing them a first-ever SFC meeting with Mayo, although there is a school of thought that it could be what they needed to refocus the minds after the disappointment of the Ulster semi-final loss to Derry.
Tyrone great Peter Canavan feels that it is “not a bad draw whatsoever” for Monaghan. In his column for Sky Sports this week, the six-time All-Stars wrote: “I think from Monaghan’s point of view, it is not a bad draw whatsoever. Had they been drawn against one of the socalled lesser teams in the qualifiers, there would be far more pressure on their shoulders. And in recent years, Monaghan have not performed well against weaker counties. It is when their backs are against the wall that this team produces their best football. “From that point of view, I see all the pressure being very much on Mayo. It’s a home game for James Horan’s side. Perhaps similar to Tyrone in Healy Park, Mayo appear not to play…
