Farney Army To Conquer Breffni Park

A bouyant Monaghan travel west to Kingspan Breffni Park to take on Cavan in the Ulster Senior Football Championship 2015.

FORM

Monaghan are merely 4/7 with BoyleSports to post an Ulster SFC quarter-final victory on the board in Kingspan Breffni Park and should justify favouritism against Cavan.

In terms of top-quality form to call upon in 2015, Malachy O’Rourke’s men have plenty in the bank.

Monaghan finished the National Football League Division 1 regular-season campaign in third spot behind only Cork and Dublin.

Furthermore, their performances in the section were excellent, especially against the Rebels where they lost by a point (2-14 to 1-16) and as the northerners overcame Kerry 1-11 to 0-10 in Tralee.

Additionally, O’Rourke’s charges were immense in the league semi-final and could easily have left Jim Gavin’s unit trailing in their wake.

However, morale victories are of no benefit to Monaghan.

In Conor McManus they possess one of the most potent attackers in the business and despite the fact Cavan will be sitting extremely deep defensively, Monaghan can navigate their way around their rearguard shield.

Cavan, though, are gradually developing into a side to be feared too – their U21 progress is well-documented – but their senior lifecycle is still shy of where their opponents are at currently.

The fact Terry Hyland’s outfit are playing on their own surface and have a credible provincial championship record traditionally will be of use to them on this occasion.

Nevertheless, O’Rourke will have detailed his defenders with the knowledge they require to counteract the offensive threat of inside forwards such as Martin Dunne and Cian Mackey.

And if Monaghan do snuff out the threat of those two attackers it should prove to be decisive as the favourites have more potential match-winners within their arsenal, especially with a half-forward line of Owen Duffy, Paul Finlay and Darren Hughes.

Owen Lennon and Colin Walshe are also in reserve for Monaghan if needed.

ODDS N’ ENDS

There are bound to be backers of Cavan at 2-1 with BoyleSports and given that these encounters can be so tight punters may even take the 15-2 available about the prospect of the contest ending level.

The aforementioned McManus is 7-1 to score the first goal of the tie while Cavan’s Dunne can be supported at 8-1 to raise the first green flag of the afternoon.

Still, goals may be in short supply.

Monaghan registered just four majors in eight league games while Brendan Fitzpatrick was Cavan’s only goalscorer in the league in their defeat of Westmeath.

RECOMMENDED BETS

Ulster derby clashes tend to be slow-burners but expect Cavan to blink first as Monaghan’s elevated experiences of operating in the top-tier of the league structure this season should stand to them when the match is there to be won.

The Farney Army are 6-5 giving Hyland’s side a two-point head-start but Monaghan can surpass that handicap betting deficit.

At the end of the day Monaghan are favourites to lift the Anglo-Celt Cup for the second time in three campaigns and seem like a side on the verge of joining the elite band of counties with genuine title aspirations.