TYRONE coach Joe McMahon believes a team facing the dire predicament that Monaghan now find themselves in must be feared.
The Farney men have made a number of Houdini-like escapes in recent seasons, and need to repeat the feat if they are to avoid relegation from Division One.
Vinny Corey takes his side to Omagh on Saturday desperately needing a win to stay alive, and McMahon expects the visitors to come out fighting once again.
“People feel that there’s a chance that they could go down, but they will feel that they have a chance of staying up,” he said.
“It’s always going to be dangerous in that respect, when you have a lot to play for.
“We’re going to have to match their workrate and intensity, and we’ll see where that takes us.”
With Tyrone also battling for survival, there’s everything at stake for both counties in this relegation scrap, and the derby element adds an extra sprinkling of spice.
“It always does, and Monaghan are a difficult team to play against,” McMahon added.
“There’ll always be a kick in them, as we saw in their performances in the league over the years.”
A win would virtually assure Tyrone of avoiding the drop, but defeat to their Ulster neighbours would see them heading to Croke Park needing to beat in-form Dublin in their final game, a scenario McMahon does not wish to have to face.
“No, definitely not, but we’ll certainly be focused on this Monaghan game before we look ahead to that,” he said.
“I think we have definitely a lot of areas where we can improve upon, and a lot of good stuff there too, but it’s just getting consistency to it all.”
The Red Hands have been ravaged by injuries this season.
Several established stars have missed the early rounds of the league, and the toll mounted ahead of the trip to Kerry when defenders Michael McKernan and Aidan Clarke suffered knocks, while there were two further setbacks at Killarney, with Peter Harte and Conn Kilpatrick forced out of the action.
“That’s the intensity that the game is being played at now in league football, and how quick the turnaround is,” McMahon said.
“That was three games on the bounce, and three very tough games, and we were maxing out.
“But that’s one thing, it’s an opportunity for other men to come in and show the quality that they possess, and stake a claim.
“Down the line, you’re trying to build a squad for the Championship, and it’s a good chance for the young lads to come in and get more experience, get that mix and blend, and hopefully we can build on that.
“We’re very happy with how they have come on. I mean, to cut your teeth in Division One and find your way – there’s a lot of talk that we’re in transition, and there has been a big turnover of players – coming in to Division One against any of these teams, the likes of playing against Kerry, a seasoned team and the quality that they possess – it can only serve these lads well.
“Hopefully they can take a lot from it and learn from it. They have come in and shown the quality in this early stage of their career.
“In terms of their career, let’s hope it’s something they can take experience from and build on.”
A four-point defeat to the Kingdom damaged Tyrone’s standing in the league table, but offered many causes for optimism, according to McMahon, an All-Ireland winner both as a player (twice) and a coach.
“We’re always trying to get the boys focused and the heads right, and in terms of the Kerry game, we took a lot of positives from it. We felt that that period before half-time was really the launch-pad for the Kerry victory. We can look at that.”
