Barry Monaghan: 'Donegal are rightly favourites for Ulster'

Barry Monaghan believes if Donegal can steer clear of injuries they have a real chance of making the latter stages of this year’s championship.

Donegal have appeared in nine out of the last 10 finals of the Ulster SFC - winning five and losing four - but have not appeared in an All-Ireland semi-final since the famous 3-14 to 0-17 win over Dublin, which was masterminded by Jim McGuinness in 2014.

Four Masters clubman Monaghan played for Donegal from 1999 to 2010, making 117 appearances in all.

“With no back door it’s a real old style championship this year,” Monaghan says. “It’s more like a tournament than a championship really as it’s much more condensed than it was years ago and if a team can hit a run of form then they have a serious chance of going places - that’s exactly what Cavan did last year to win Ulster.

“Donegal had a chance to win three-in-a-row and those chances don’t come every day but it’s a new season and when you look at the Donegal bench this year, the lads on it are game-changers and that can only be of benefit.

“In recent seasons, we’ve lost some big players at crucial times like Patrick McBrearty, Eoghan Ban Gallagher and Neil McGee and that can impact your chances massively with the quick turnarounds between matches.

On Saturday last, Declan Bonner’s Donegal went down to a 1-18 to 1-14 loss in a low-key Allianz League Division 1 semi-final at Breffni Park. It was meek, with no final place on offer as a consequence of Donegal and Kerry’s early starts to their respective provincial championships.

“At times it had a challenge match feel,” Monaghan adds. “It was like something you’d see at the opening of a pitch. The main thing for both parties was to come through unscathed. There were plenty of changes beforehand but we’re on the outside looking in here - the management are more aware of niggles, form and how someone has been going at training.

“Throughout the league, Michael Langan has been consistently very good and showed his class with a couple of wonder goals. Brendan McCole has grown into the role, Hugh McFadden steadies things, Peadar Mogan has been impressive and Paddy McBrearty has taken the mantle up front.

“There’s massive competition for places now and that’s a good thing. Look at the likes of Paddy McGrath for example - he can always be relied on. Eoghan McGettigan showed what he can do on Saturday and the more players we have of a certain level, the more they can drive one another on.

“Dublin and Kerry are the top bracket and Donegal are in a cluster of teams right then. People say that I played on a great Donegal team that could beat anyone on its day. We could beat an Armagh then lose to a Tyrone or vice-versa. Never back-to-back.

"What this current team have done is played with a good level of consistency and they have battle-hardened experience. Ulster is always seen as the most difficult provincial championship."

The Anglo-Celt Cup currently resides in Cavan, who in 2022 will be a Division 4 team. Donegal, Armagh, Tyrone and Monaghan all maintained their top-flight statuses and Derry have shown massive improvements and Down are still in Division 2.

“Every team goes into the Ulster championship believing they have a chance,” Monaghan adds. “Look at Down last year. They had Cavan beat and got caught and lost by a point. Every team has reason to believe in themselves, whereas in Leinster it’s like the teams are resigned to second place at best. There’s good teams in Ulster but Donegal, for me, are further into their journey and will be favourites for Ulster and rightly so.”