By Shaun Casey

WHILE Sunday’s encounter isn’t exactly a winner-takes-all promotion clash, it’s an opportunity for Monaghan to test where they’re really at as they take on high-flyers Roscommon at Dr Hyde Park, says former Farney forward Ciaran Hanratty.

The two sides dropped out of the top tier at the end of last season, and both have recorded two wins from two outings so far in their Division Two campaign, although something will have to give this weekend.

Both teams have enjoyed strong starts to the campaign and sit joint top of the top of the table, although Monaghan edge their Connacht opponents on score difference.

While the two teams will be eyeing up promotion, Hanratty believes it’s a bit too early to be focusing on that.

“It’s probably a bit early to talk about a promotion battle, there’s a good bit of road to go,” said Hanratty. “It’s a relatively new Monaghan team and a lot of guys have got game-time and there’s probably a wee bit of uncertainty there.

“There’s a lot of new guys coming in and it’s an end of an era with Conor (McManus) finishing up. There’s a lot of other teams that are maybe fancying their chances (of promotion) as well, but I think the big thing is, it’s a really big test for Monaghan.

“Roscommon are potentially the best team in Division Two, so it’ll be a proper test to see where Monaghan are at, how the players are bedding in and how the team is adapting to the rules against a really good Roscommon team.

“I think it’s a good marker to see where this Monaghan team is as opposed to focusing too much on the promotion side of it. Obviously the game will have a bearing on it, but I think there’s a bit of road to travel still with that.”

In Monaghan’s first two outings, against Cavan and Westmeath, Gabriel Bannigan’s team have racked up an incredible overall tally of 4-51 while the Rossies have claimed 4-38 in their back-to-back victories over Down and Louth.

There are deadly finishers all over the field for the Ulster outfit with the likes of David Garland and Stephen Mooney impressing up top while the experienced Conor McCarthy has been scoring freely from a wing-back role.

The scoring returns posted by the two teams suggests that Sunday’s battle could be a real shootout.

“Obviously the two-pointers makes the thing look inflated a little bit but definitely it has the makings of an exciting game,” continued Hanratty.

“Monaghan have shot the lights out so far and it’s been similar for Roscommon, Roscommon have good forwards.

“Two years ago, in Division One, they were playing a much more containing style which was the nature of the game.

“They have the same forwards now and they’re shooting the lights out as well so it could potentially be a really high scoring game that could swing back and forth if both teams continue their form.”