Monaghan manager Malachy O'Rourke is adamant that form counts for little when a local derby comes around.

On Sunday, Monaghan and neighbours Cavan meet in the Ulster SFC in what is expected to be a very tense game indeed.

O'Rourke admitted to the Northern Standard that keeping the players focused and away from the hype wasn't easy.

"You want to keep them focused on the job they have to do," said O'Rourke. "With local derbies, previous form goes out the window and it's all on the day; who reacts best to the crowd and things that happen on the pitch.

"These games take on a life of their own and we have to be prepared for a battle. I have no doubt that Cavan are confident, but we are looking forward to the challenge."

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