MONAGHAN NEED A GREAT ESCAPE

COLM SHALVEY REPORTS

Monaghan will need another great escape this Sunday in Clones if they are to extend their stay in Division One of the Allianz NFL into a ninth year. A heavy defeat against Kildare last Sunday saw Monaghan drop three places in the table to sit bottom, behind their final-round opponents Dublin on score difference.

Monaghan have pulled off a couple of great escapes during their eight-year stint in the top flight – most recently when they came from behind to defeat Galway in extra-time of a relegation playoff last June – and they will need to dig deep once again this weekend. Monaghan stayed up with just four points to their name in 2019, but they will almost certainly need to get to six this year to avoid the drop. In a remarkably close campaign, with the exception of league leaders Kerry, five of the eight teams could still be relegated heading into the final day. Kildare, Donegal and Tyrone are…