Dermot Malone is keeping cool and calm ahead of Monaghan’s big trip to Galway

DERMOT Malone started both of Monaghan’s two recent Ulster final triumphs – 2013 and 2015 – but, in terms of importance, he’s reluctant to rank them alongside Saturday’s do-or-die ‘Super Eight’ finale against Galway.

The Farney are bidding for their first All-Ireland semi-final berth since 1988 but Malone isn’t feeling unduly pressured ahead of this weekend’s clash in Salthill.

“I haven’t thought a whole pile about it,” he admitted.

“We have always struggled at this stage, we’ve never made a semi-final. We just hadn’t been good enough.

“It depends on what your barometer is, which do you prefer an Ulster final or an All-Ireland semi-final?

“At the present time one seems very much more important but I haven’t thought about ranking them against each other.

“The games are coming thick and fast at the minute and the players are absolutely loving it, no more so than myself.

“This will be six weeks playing out of eight or something like that and it’s an absolutely brilliant time.

“You’re training two nights a week and then you’re into a game at the weekend.

“It’s absolutely fantastic and long may it continue.”

The full interview with Dermot Malone is in this week’s Gaelic Life, in shops now or available here.