Monaghan midfielder Darren Hughes says complacency won't be a problem on Saturday evening when they line-out against Down in the semi-finals of the Ulster championship.

Malachy O'Rourke's men handed the Mourne County a 19-point hammering in last year's provincial quarter-final and Hughes, who returned from injury ahead of schedule against Cavan last Sunday week, says they're anticipating a backlash from their opponents at the Athletic Grounds.

"I'd say it's actually done the opposite to us (of creating complacency). We'll be ready for the backlash from Down," the Scotstown man told The Irish News.

"We're always conscious of them after what happened us in 2012. They'll have a lot of boys playing on Saturday that were playing last year in Clones and they won't forget too quickly.

"Last year's game will focus us more. It'll put the complacency out of us. Last year we were going into it knowing they were relegated and that they weren't going well.

"They've turned the corner and got a couple of good results under their belts in the last four or five games.

"There was a lot of reference being made to a Tyrone-Monaghan Ulster final on Sunday but we'll not be getting carried away or looking towards that. We know the task in hand on Saturday is not simple.

"It's too big a game to be worrying about Ulster finals. Down are a serious outfit and they've plenty to offer. We have our work cut out on Saturday and we'll be looking no further forward than that."

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