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I would fancy both Donegal and Tyrone to beat Monaghan if they play in Croke Park.

Because of the wide open spaces?

Donegal 15 + Tyrone 15 combined = 30 would probably beat a Monaghan 15. Not enough space for Monaghan.

The DOnegal game was Monaghans All Ireland Final. Agree with their ranking tbh

Ever think of going for the AI Troll championship?

Don't know much Bean Bag Sports and couldn't give a hoot about Monaghan being ranked 7th, below Tyrone and Donegal. Sure they'll say our previous outings in Croke Park haven't been very successful, which is fair enough.

I'm confident we'll present a different proposition this year to previous ones, to make the last 4.

[was way over-trained by a single point, the same team kicked the game away.]

Monaghan will be cannon fodder in the all Ireland series.

Aye right. Gonna quote you on that.

You already did. You just beat a Donegal team that was way over-trained by a single point, the same team kicked the game away. McManus is top class, one of the best in the country, however if he is double marked, Monaghan have nothing else. The management team deserve great credit for getting far more than the sum of the parts. Have a very bad habit of defending a lead instead of pushing on in a big game. By the way I honestly wish Monaghan well, small county like ourselves and all that.

Where you're getting this over-trained theory from, who knows? You must have the ear of someone in the know. More likely it's just begrudgery. Not very convincing with the wishing us well at the end.

No tour of the county with the cup, is what I'm hearing. We've got eyes on bigger days.

Our 2nd quarter today was excellent. Donegal shot a lot of wides in the 3rd.

4th quarter was poor from Monaghan. Clerkin should have been on 20 minutes out.

Monaghan will be cannon fodder in the all Ireland series.

Aye right. Gonna quote you on that.

["far too reliant on McManus."]

Another lazy preview of the match from McStay on RTÉ Morning Ireland. He predicts a Donegal win, which is fair enough, but says Monaghan are "far too reliant on McManus." McManus is to Monaghan, what O'Donoghue is to Kerry, Brogan to Dublin - a stand out class forward. Many counties are fortunate to have one.

The same McStay that rubbished our chances of staying in Division 1.

O'Rourke usually has a surprise up his sleeve in the team line up. I wouldn't have thought Carey would start against Cavan or indeed retain his place against Fermanagh. It wouldn't be unlike O'Rourke to start someone like Tommy Kerr in the final.

I'd like to see Owen Duffy start. He's a great talent, has an eye for scores, which he showed before a serious injury a few years ago. He's had a few run outs of late and I suspect he'd be well up for it.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=579269055545529

Monaghan are ready!

Great video. It's important the players enjoy the week before and not let the nerves get the better of them.

Living outside the county I'm missing the craic of the build up. Looking forward to heading 'home' on Saturday and a few settlers with the lads.

Word on the street is that match could be close to a sell out, with only terrace tickets remaining at this stage. I'd expect some to be freed up later in week with returns etc.

Haven't the last 2 years been a sell out? 2013 definitely was.

Donegal's support is fantastic. Can't recall ever meeting an obnoxious one, which I can't say for most counties, including my own.

We've got better. Not many of you will remember, when we hit the big time in 1979 and we didn't behave very well when we got to Croke Park, to take a tanking from Kerry.

I would think, based on how we've matched up over the last few seasons,  that Monaghan are going in equally expecting to win.

Expectation comes with confidence. Yes we're confident we can win it, but we haven't shown the type of form needed, to date in the championship. So it's got to be a big performance for Monaghan. Donegal have shown it.

Donegal won my admiration for the way they dispatched the Dubs last year, as much as their All Ireland win.

Thompson in particular did a lot of damage in the Ulster Final last year. We didn't match Donegal's energy all over the park.

Talking to my Ulster neighbours, outside Monaghan, this is how they read it. You're favourites on Sunday, for good reasons.

Donegal WON'T take you for granted, but we EXPECT to win?

What is that based on?

Based on the fact that you're considered a top 4 side in the country and you've won an All Ireland with more or less the same squad. Also Donegal have looked a lot better in the Championship to date than they were at this stage last year.

Won't take us for granted 'cause we're in better shape than we were last year. Yet to fire on all cylinders in this year's championship all the same.

Got my tickets through tickets.ie 

Monaghan will not get caught out like last year. Before that game not many of us witnessed a defeat to Donegal, so complacency was definitely a factor in the flat performance.

For their part Donegal won't take us for granted, but we all know they expect to leave Clones with the cup.

It's a bit far out to be accurate, but the weather mightn't be a 'terra' on Sunday. This would suit us nicely.

Hats off for Fermanagh.

I didn't see that one coming.

False dawn for Roscommon (and Armagh.)

[no big game experience this year]

It may sound cliché but if both teams play to their true potential then there'll not be much in it. Expect it to be a tactical battle on the sideline as much as across the white line. As I said previously, Monaghan definitely have a greater strength in depth this time around (and 14 of our 15 regulars fit and ready...) The addition of McCloone and Walsh will certainly help Donegal but both have no big game experience this year, for which there is no substitute.

Who's gonna blink first? 

I assume you mean this year. Unlike everyone on the Monaghan team who have been truly tested so far?

No need to assume. The next two words will do.