Monaghan must channel the spirit of 2013 and tighten their defense if they hope to shock "heavy favorites" Armagh in Sunday's Ulster Senior Football final, according to Monaghan legend and BBC pundit Conor McManus.
The Clones showdown pits two hungry teams against each other, both desperate to end long provincial title droughts. Monaghan hasn't lifted the Anglo-Celt Cup since 2015, while Armagh are widely tipped to end their 18-year wait after a dominant 28-point demolition of Down in the semi-finals.
"It's going to take that sort of performance to win this Ulster final," said McManus, who scored 0-3 in the famous 2013 final and later captained Monaghan to glory in 2015. "Let's be realistic. Monaghan will have to be at their best, but that goes without saying. It's perfectly set up for Monaghan, going in as huge underdogs."
The stats don't lie: Armagh has racked up a staggering 100 points in just three Ulster games this year, including a jaw-dropping 3-33 against Down. For Monaghan, the path to victory is clear but challenging.
"The big thing for Monaghan is to bring this game down the stretch—the last 15 or 20 minutes," McManus explained. "If they can do that, they'll be comfortable in that position with very little pressure on them. That's the challenge."
Monaghan's journey to the final has been anything but smooth. After dispatching Cavan 0-27 to 2-14 in the quarter-finals, they needed a dramatic extra-time victory over Derry, winning 1-30 to 3-23 at the Athletic Grounds. Jack McCarron and Rory Beggan stepped up with nerveless two-pointers at crucial moments, but McManus warns that Gabriel Bannigan's side can't afford to keep giving away goal-scoring chances against an Armagh team firing on all cylinders.
"If we defend the way we've defended..." McManus trailed off, leaving the warning hanging in the air. For Monaghan to pull off the upset, they'll need to replicate the remarkable intensity that stunned reigning All-Ireland champions Donegal in 2013—a performance that delivered Monaghan's first Ulster title since 1988. This Sunday, with the underdog tag firmly in place, history might just repeat itself.