Darren Hughes says Monaghan will be "beat within 20 minutes" if they don't hit the ground running against Kildare on Saturday.

The beaten Ulster finalists are locking horns with a Lilywhites side that has generated considerable momentum with Qualifier wins over Down and Clare, and Hughes knows that only a 70-minute performance will see Malachy O'Rourke's men through to an All-Ireland quarter-final date with Dublin.

"Kildare are on a run of victories at the minute," the Scotstown dynamo is quoted in The Irish News. "They always seem to get that run in the Qualifiers and in the big, open spaces of Croke Park.

"If you don't have your 'A' game together from the start, then you are going to be in trouble and playing catch-up.

"They didn't play well against Meath in the semi-final but they got a run together in the back door again for the umpteenth year.

"They have great players. Good forwards and Emmet Bolton and boys in the defence. They've great players sprinkled all over the field; they're strong in midfield and they have scoring forwards.

"They're no bad team. They'll thrive in Croke Park and we know we'll be up against it, but we'll prepare ourselves as best as possible." Tweet

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