Darren Hughes expects Sunday's Ulster SFC final between Monaghan and Donegal to be every bit as physical as last year's encounter.

Last year's decider was extremely physical, with Donegal's Mark McHugh spending two nights in hospital following a collision with Stephen Gollogly, and Hughes is bracing himself for another hard-hitting affair.

"If you look at their team, the six forwards are all over 6ft, except Darach O'Connor," the Scotstown man is quoted in the Irish Daily Star.

"Odhran MacNiallais has come in this year and caused us a lot of problems in the league, kicked 1-2 or 1-3, and is a great asset."

Hughes wasn't surprised to see Donegal qualify for their fourth provincial final on the trot.

"I think it was always going to be Donegal. Coming through that side of the draw, they put the front foot forward from the start of the year and have all their main players back and Karl Lacey fighting fit again," he said.

"So it was evident from the league that Donegal were back and like they were two years ago and the side of the draw they were on - it seemed the weaker side as such - so I never saw them having any problems." Tweet

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