Monaghan star Conor McManus says they'll need to be at their best to see off Down in Saturday's Ulster SFC semi-final at the Athletic Grounds.

Having buried the Mourne men by 19 points last summer, Malachy O'Rourke's side are 2/7 favourites to reach their fourth provincial final in five years but their Clontibret sharpshooter says they're taking nothing for granted this weekend.

"We watched them against Armagh," McManus told GAA.ie.

"Armagh were hotly fancied to progress in that game. It was a big win for Down. People have been talking about how they haven't been going well, but Down are a traditional football team.

"Any time you come up against Down, they're always a challenge. We played Down in an Ulster semi-final back in 2012, in the same venue at the Athletic Grounds.

"We were seven points up at one stage in that game and they came back and won by two points and we were out on our ear. But Down have that tradition in Championship football and it's very dangerous. We are going to be at our best to try to get through to the final."

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