Where performances are concerned, Fermanagh are going to have to produce their best of the season on Sunday if they are to overcome the sizeable challenge of Monaghan and become the first side to book their place in this year’s Ulster final.

Indeed, to achieve that Pete McGrath’s side are going to have to do something that has not been achieved to date in this season’s championship, and that is defeat a side who played in a higher league division during the spring.

It’s often said that there is little relation between league and championship but certainly so far this year there is a close correlation between the two with no side who have played a team in a lower division having lost. In Ulster, Monaghan (Division One) beat Cavan (Division Two), Fermanagh (Division Three) defeated Antrim (Division Four), Derry (Division One) edged past Down (Division Two) while last Sunday Division One outfit Donegal proved much too strong for Division Three side Armagh.

And it is that last one that is relevant to Fermanagh. In the Division Three final the Ernemen lost out to the Orchard County while Monaghan competed in the top tier’s semi-finals this season, as did Donegal. All this therefore points to Monaghan progressing but McGrath will be determined that his side can buck the trend although the Farney outfit will enter the game as strong favourites.

Malachy O’Rourke has worked wonders with Monaghan since taking over the reins and is looking to take them through to a third successive Ulster final with one win and one defeat already under his belt.

O’Rourke of course will be very familiar with the Fermanagh players, he is a Fermanagh man, teaches in the county, and has managed the county for three years from 2008 although the vast majority of those players are no longer involved in the squad.

In fairness, given Monaghan’s high profile over the last couple of seasons, Fermanagh will know plenty about the Farney players, there will be no great surprises to either side come Sunday afternoon in Kingspan Breffni Park.

As already mentioned, Monaghan will enter the game as hot favourites but Fermanagh will be happy enough going in under the radar with the underdog tag something that sits quite comfortably on their shoulders.

And having won their first game in the Ulster Championship in five years, Fermanagh will go into the game in a confident frame of mind, that win will have provided a big boost to the players in the squad.

In saying that, it is crucial that Fermanagh don’t let Monaghan get a jump on them early in the game or all that confidence that has been gained from a good league campaign and a championship win over Antrim could suffer a dent.

Donegal got off to a flyer against Armagh last week and after that opening spell there was no way back for the Orchardmen. Fermanagh cannot afford to let that happen on Sunday, they must make a positive start and they will be looking to keep things tight early on and stay in the game.

There are going to be key battles all over the pitch on Sunday and one player Fermanagh are going to have to keep a close rein on is Conor McManus. McManus is among the top forwards in the country and when things were looking ominous against Cavan in the previous round he stepped up to the plate to fire his side into the semi-final.

No doubt, Fermanagh will have a plan in place to restrict McManus’ influence on proceedings and it is unlikely that one player will be left with the responsibility of limiting his role in the game with Ryan McCluskey likely to take up his usual role of sweeping in front of his full back line.

McManus though is not the only danger for Fermanagh with Kieran Hughes and Paul Finlay among those who are more than capable of making it a very difficult day for McGrath’s side, so defensively Fermanagh are going to have to get things right from the outset.

The battle in the middle of the park will, as always, be pivotal and Fermanagh are boosted by the return of captain Eoin Donnelly to the engine room where he is likely to be partnered by the hard working Richard O’Callaghan. Monaghan will, of course, look to the influential Darren Hughes in this sector while the battle for possession across the middle right will be key. Fermanagh will know that their best chance in limiting McManus and co is to retrict the amount of ball going in and that means getting their hands on ball in the middle third with the likes of Ciaran Flaherty, Declan McCusker and Bary Mulrone important players for Fermanagh in this area. If they can then get enough ball Fermanagh will feel that they have players who can hurt Monaghan. Sean Quigley is always a menace a full forward and the loss of full back Drew Wylie will be a blow to O’Rourke who may have to look at bringing Vinny Corey back to marshal Quigley although the return of Colin Walshe to action may see him fill in at full back. Fermanagh will also look to the likes of Tomas Corrigan and Ruairi Corrigan for scores while the return of Donnelly also means that vice captain Ryan Jones could slot in to the half forward line where his forward thrusts give Fermanagh more of scoring threat.

There is no doubt that this is a big ask for Fermanagh, and it is vital that any chances that arise are taken as Monaghan are a side more than capable of punishing anything at the other end.

Fermanagh need to produce a massive performance and as already mentioned, they can’t afford to be chasing the game.

The intensity and pace will be greater on Sunday than Fermanagh will have encountered but if they are still in touch going into the final quarter then this could be very interesting and the first upset of the season could well be on the cards.