Monaghan will host Fermanagh this weekend in what is set to be a very tasty qualifier, and it is looking like it could be a difficult one to call.
While Monaghan have the better team, Fermanagh have displayed the ability to drag more talented teams down to their level under Rory Gallagher. When you consider that Malachy O'Rourke's side have already lost to Cavan in this year's championship, the outcome is far from certain heading into Sunday's clash at Clones.
Despite all of this, Sky Sports pundit Dick Clerkin thinks that Monaghan have no excuses for not winning this game.
If Monaghan play to the standard that we know they can, they should be winning that game...
I can give soft speak all day and say what people think you should be saying around these things. I'm not being disingenuous to Fermanagh at all, because Fermanagh and Rory Gallagher have a style of play and are doing their best with what they have...
There's absolutely no excuse for Monaghan not to be winning this game, and I'm not going to start giving them excuses in the event that they are looking for them because they might lose.
I would hope there's absolutely no talk in the Monaghan camp this weekend that defeat is in any way, shape or form acceptable. It wasn't acceptable in Omagh last year and it would certainly not be acceptable in Clones this Sunday.
"If they want to hear me saying that and say 'to hell with you Dick' or whatever, well listen, fine. If it spurs them on to actually make sure that they don't lose, well and good.
"They don't deserve, that group of players and Malachy, they don't deserve to be finishing up this year potentially with two very disappointing defeats to local neighbours who they have been streets ahead of in the last five years.
"I'm not afraid to be blunt about that. It's for the players' benefit, and that's where I see them at at the minute."
Monaghan certainly have a more talented squad and a far stronger recent pedigree, but as we have seen time and time again, that can often count for little in championship football.
This is definitely a game to keep an eye on over the weekend.
Dick Clerkin is a GAA analyst with Sky Sports. Sky Sports’ exclusive coverage of the championship will continue this Saturday with Cork v Waterford on Sky Sports Arena from 6pm.
