By Michael McMullan

ARMAGH All-Ireland winner John McEntee feels Monaghan football doesn’t get the credit it deserves.

As the current Inniskeen manager and having steered Clontibret to their 2019 title, he is well-placed to make a comparison with his native Armagh.

“I don’t think people give Monaghan football the credit that it deserves,” said McEntee, a guest in this week’s Ulster final preview in the Gaelic Lives podcast.

“If you look at that current Monaghan squad, people often underestimate them.

“Most of their boys would play in every senior championship team in Armagh, most of them would be among the best players in Armagh.”

Having stood in the trenches with and against many of the Monaghan players, McEntee said the key is how they harness the quality and bring it to the championship stage.

In his playing days, McEntee’s Armagh group won back-to-back Ulster titles in 1999 and 2000 before lifting Sam two years later.

As the Orchard County bid for a first Ulster title since 2008, McEntee recalls the importance of their Ulster dominance when the 2002 team was searching for Sam.

“I always valued the Ulster Championship; I thought it was a very Important stepping stone,” he said.

“You were able to say you were one of the top four teams and deserved your place at the top table.”

The current Armagh squad have flipped that theory on its head.

While they have lost three successive Ulster finals, Kieran McGeeney steered them to the county’s second All-Ireland in 2024.

McEntee also cites how Tyrone took home Sam in 2005 and 2008 after coming through the back door after failing to win Ulster.

“I still think to be a credible contender, you have to beat the big teams on the big days,” he said of his own playing days.

“Back then we managed to do it. We ended up winning six ulster titles so we were one of the better teams for a long, long time.

“It gives you that bit of confidence.

“Sometimes people can tell you that you are good and that you are going to do well and that you are one of the best teams, but unless you can beat other teams you can never really be sure about it.

“I was always cagey about that for the last few years with Armagh but when they won the All-Ireland title, that blew that theory out of the water.”

John McEntee and Dessie Mone are guests on our latest edition of Gaelic Lives, looking ahead to Sunday’s Ulster final in Clones. Follow Gaelic Lives on YouTube and Spotify.