Peter Canavan expects Monaghan and Armagh to prove too strong for Cavan and Down in their respective Ulster SFC quarter-finals this weekend.

Despite the absence of the injured Darren Hughes, the Tyrone legend thinks Monaghan will have the edge on Cavan at Kingspan Breffni.

"Darren Hughes is a massive loss to them," he wrote in the Belfast Telegraph. 

"When people think of Malachy O'Rourke's Monaghan they think first of Conor McManus and then perhaps of Rory Beggan, who has established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the game.

"But Hughes is the beating heart of the team in terms of the amount of ball he handles, carries he makes. There's little between the sides and there's no room for complacency and I think they'll get through. From there, they'll be favourites to reach another Ulster final. No matter how that game goes, they'd be just one match away from the Super 8s."

Canavan also tips Armagh to end their four-year provincial championship losing streak in Newry.

"This time, I reckon Kieran McGeeney will get the win in Ulster he so badly wants.

"Armagh have struggled in Ulster and have yet to win in four attempts, but this time he has a much stronger hand at his disposal and a forward line that will contain Jamie Clarke, Stefan Campbell and Rian O'Neill.

They have struggled in the past against teams that play with a blanket defence. But O'Neill is a big, physical player who offers something different both in the inside line and around the middle.

"With Tyrone, we lost in Ulster four years in a row from 1990-1993. There were actually five games in there as we lost to Armagh after a replay in '93. It does nothing for confidence but everything for desire. It should be the same for Armagh."

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