Malachy O'Rourke has insisted that Monaghan didn't take Down for granted last night.

Twelve months on from their 19-point mauling by the same opponents, the Mournemen turned the tables with a shock victory to set up an Ulster SFC final date with Tyrone next month.

"We knew it was going to be a seriously tough game. Down are a very proud footballing county. The fact we'd beaten them so comprehensively last year they'd a lot of things to prove," O'Rourke told RTÉ.

"Right from the start of the game you could see that. Even at that we were disappointed with our own display in many ways. The boys showed great character in the second half, we battled back, we just weren't able to get the score to equalise. We're bitterly disappointed.

"On any championship day when you go out, you have to be prepared to play really well, to be at the top of your form. We just didn't achieve that."

The Monaghan manager admitted that Darragh O'Hanlon's converted penalty early in the second half, which pushed Down seven points clear, left his team with a mountain to climb.

"The penalty at the start of the second half was a real killer blow," he added.

"It was just one of those days where we were always chasing the game. Down deserved it on the day. We'll just have to regroup."

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