Monaghan challenge gathers momentum

Monaghan have been very impressive in their run in the qualifiers to date despite drawing the short straw of playing two of the Ulster sides Derry and Donegal who would have been fancied to reach at least the last 12 of this year's football championship.
The Farneymen also travelled to Ballybofey on Saturday to claim the scalp of a decent Donegal side and they put in their most impressive performance of this year's championship to win by a point.
I wondered had Monaghan just run out of steam when their league campaign faltered earlier in the season followed by the defeat to Fermanagh.
The Erne men have gone on to prove that that defeat was no fluke but Monaghan regrouped and are once again a real threat to anyone.
The fact they beat Derry without Paul Finlay and Gary McQuaid shows too that they have improving options on the bench which is vital if you want to have a serious tilt at the All-Ireland title.
I have been very impressed by Eoin Lennon in the middle of the field, he is a powerhouse and with Finlay, Rory Woods and Clerkin also in there winning ball Monaghan have a good platform to work from.
Tommy Freeman's form has been outstanding too.
If he isn't scoring his intelligent runs and lay-offs are creating opportunities for his team mates and Stephen Gollogly is also leading the three quarter line with some clever movement and scores.
The other big thing going the way of the Monaghan side is their sheer work rate, they would run all day and that alone makes them a handful.
The defence too has tightened up although there has to be a bit of concern at the way in which Donegal opened them up for goal chances they failed to take.
I hope Monaghan will avoid the other Ulster sides in the draw to make the last 12 as they will pose a real threat to any of the beaten finallists from the other provinces including Kerry.