Paul Finlay accepts that Malachy O'Rourke will have a tough task picking the Monaghan team for Sunday's Ulster SFC final against Donegal.

The long-serving Ballybay clubman, who made an impressive return to the starting line-up in Monaghan's Ulster SFC semi-final replay victory over Armagh after being a sub for the drawn game and the quarter-final against Tyrone, is hoping to keep his place as the Farneymen bid to retain the Anglo-Celt Cup.

"It's extremely competitive in the group for places," he tells the Irish News.

"I'm no different from anybody else. It's not something I've dwelled on and thought: 'I'm losing it here'. I was playing during the league where I'd a couple of good performances.

"Unluckily for me, I probably wasn't going as well as I'd like to be at the start of the championship. But that's what happens - you get dropped.

"I felt I was training quite well, but maybe things weren't happening and Malachy had to make decisions and I respect the calls that he made. He has a tough job to do and it was all about waiting for an opportunity to try and get in.

"To be on the pitch for the 70 minutes (in the semi-final replay) with the team playing a lot better allowed me to get into the game and to play better." Tweet

Most Read Stories