Both Cavan and Monaghan will be looking to lay down a marker in Saturday afternoon’s Division 1 derby clash, according to Breffni boss Mickey Graham.

The neighbouring counties clash at St Tiernach’s Park (throw-in 2pm) knowing that victory will be a huge step towards safety and likely consign their opponents to relegation down to Division 2 with a round remaining and Graham is looking forward to what will be a dress rehearsal for his side’s Ulster SFC opener on May 18th.

“Both teams will be looking to lay down a marker,” Graham told The Anglo-Celt.

“Monaghan have been competing in Division 1 for the last six or seven years and they pride themselves on being able to maintain that Division 1 status so they’ll not want to go back down a division, they would see it as a backward step for them because they’ve been so consistent.

“So there will be a bit of pressure on them and obviously with championship around the corner they will be looking to put down a marker, no more than Cavan.

“We’ve said the league was about finding out about lads and getting ready for the championship but obviously it’s a local derby and nobody likes to give an inch in those games.

“At the same time, you don’t want to throw your whole deck out there, you want to try and hold something for later on and not show your full hand. In saying that, with a few lads to come back, that might not be the case anyway.”

Follow the hoganstand.com match tracker this weekend for live coverage of the Allianz Football and Hurling Leagues, as well as the All-Ireland club senior finals at Croke Park.

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