Darragh Canavan has labelled Division One's great survivors, Monaghan “a very dangerous opponent” ahead of Sunday’s crunch relegation battle at Clones.
Canavan knows his recent Monaghan league history, noting that their Ulster rivals “always seem to get points when they need them most.”
The Farney men are Division One's perennial grinders and guard their Division One status with jealousy.
Read more: Monaghan vs Tyrone Allianz Football League Division One: Live stream and TV info
This is their ninth successive year in Gaelic football’s top flight - more than Dublin, Mayo, Tyrone and Galway - and the same as Donegal (they were both promoted in 2014).
Only Kerry have spent longer in Division One.
The Kingdom played in Division 2A in 2002 - effectively Division Three- finishing second to Armagh, but have played Division One football ever since.
Monaghan have clung on at times in the big league and tend to wind up in a relegation battle every year, which they scrape their way out of.
In the last three full league seasons, outside of Covid, Monaghan have finished in sixth place - one spot above the relegation zone.
Last year Jack McCarron’s last gasp winner at Clones saved their Division 1 status and relegated Dublin.
In 2021 it was another McCarron last ditch point in stoppage time at the end or extra-time that sent Galway down in a relegation play-off at Clones.
In 2020 they drew with Meath on the last day to finish on six points, one place and one point above the relegation zone, with Mayo going down on five points after a one-point home defeat by Tyrone on the last day.
In 2019 Monaghan survived in sixth place again, on just four points, one more than Roscommon and two more than Cavan.
In 2018 they finished third in Division One, while in 2017 they were fourth.
In 2016, they were one place above the relegation zone, on six points, surviving on score difference, with Cork relegated.
On that occasion, Colin Walshe’s late winner at Castleblayney against Donegal saw them come from seven points back to survive in the most dramatic of circumstances.
In 2015 they finished third in Division One and lost a League semi-final to Dublin by a point at Croke Park, after coming out of Division 2 in 2014.
But Vinny Corey’s dogged outfit are dicing with disaster again as they bid to secure a decade in Division One.
Monaghan are currently joint second bottom - or joint fifth - on four points, alongside Tyrone and Kerry, with Donegal propping up the table on three points.
The loser of Sunday’s encounter will be in deep relegation trouble.
Monaghan could yet have a ‘get out of jail card’ though, with their final round game in Castlebar against a Mayo side that could already be qualified for a League final.
But they can’t afford to take any chances this weekend, with Kerry, Tyrone and Donegal also vying for survival.
“They (Monaghan) always show plenty of fight, especially towards the end of the League,” said Errigal Ciaran man Canavan.
“It is going to be a tough test as we try to get our first away points of the campaign.
“They are a very good side who are always difficult to beat at home and we are going to have to play well again to get a result.
“They are in the same boat as us. Hopefully we can go to Clones and put in a performance like that (Kerry) again and if we can keep that up and keep working hard I think that we will be there or thereabouts.”
Canavan’s point about home form stands up with Monaghan winning back to back Division One games at Clones in recent weeks against Roscommon and Donegal.
Those McCarron late wonder shows both came at Clones, while they lost their opener at home in Castleblayney to Armagh, but Clones is a fortress for them in Division One in recent times.
Mayo (2022 and 2018) are the only side to win a league game at Clones since Dublin in 2017.
“You can’t beat an Ulster derby too,” continued Canavan.
“Those are the games that you want to play in.
“They (Monaghan) are a tough team that are very honest and difficult to beat and no doubt it will be similar this time around again especially as both sides need the points.
“There is never much between Tyrone and Monaghan when they meet at senior level and it’s likely to be like that again.”
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