Michael Murphy column: 'Monaghan must mirror Derry's tactics in Ulster semi-final'

Monaghan's morale should be high as they aim to dethrone Ulster Championship holders Derry on Saturday in Omagh following their stirring win over Tyrone but they will face the same tactical conundrum that unhinged them last year against the Oak Leafers.

It's the question every team that plays Rory Gallagher's side has to deal with these days - do we mirror them by pulling all 15 men behind the ball when Derry have possession?

Monaghan tried to play their normal way against the Oak Leafers at the same provincial semi-final stage last year by leaving Conor McManus and Jack McCarron up top and it rebounded on them as Derry's marauding backs bombed forward at every opportunity to leave the Farney men badly outnumbered in defence in the match-defining first half.

And while it's not the natural game of McManus and McCarron to be back helping out their defence, I just don't think Monaghan have any great option but to match Derry's 15 attacking players - including goalkeeper Odhran Lynch - with 15 defenders of their own.

I mean even Dublin had Con O'Callaghan and Dean Rock back in their own half in both games against Derry at Celtic Park and Croke Park during this year's National League.

When the supposedly most flamboyant and attack-minded team in the country feels the needs to play that way against Derry, that tells you something.

We in Donegal had to do it in the Ulster Final against Derry last year. OK.....we didn't win but we came pretty close and while the game may not have been one for the purists, we were successful in thwarting Derry for long periods.

Goalkeeper Odhran Lynch has almost developed into another playmaker for Rory Gallagher's Derry amid his regular charges upfield

Look where Derry's first three scores came against Fermanagh a couple of weeks ago. Full-back Eoin McEvoy's opening point was quickly followed by a Padraig McGrogan score before keeper Lynch strode upfield to add to their early tally.

In fact, Derry attack with everyone when they have possession and their method has become even better honed this season with Lynch now almost another playmaker such is his increasing confidence with ball in hand way out from this goals.

To an extent, Tyrone played into Monaghan's hands by largely leaving Padraig Hampsey and Ronan McNamee at the back to guard McManus and McCarron.

I don't think Derry will do that this weekend and that poses a real question for Vinny Corey.

If he keeps McManus and McCarron up top, he is rolling the dice in the hope that Derry don't attack with their man marking defenders who are likely to be Chrissy McKaigue and Conor McCluskey. There's a fine line between bravery and stupidity.

'Monaghan defence could be heavily outnumbered'

Can Monaghan afford to keep those two players up top when Derry are attacking? If they do decide to do this, and also play with a sweeper in Darren Hughes and Beggan on his goal-line, Derry could find their 15 outfield players attacking a Monaghan rearguard of 11 outfield defenders and a sweeper. These figures would struggle to stack up for Monaghan defensively.

One thing is for sure, Monaghan cannot afford to let the game get away from them in the first half as it did 12 months. They were 2-7 to 0-6 down at the break. That's game over against Derry who, under Gallagher, are absolutely brilliant at defending leads and picking off scores on the counter.

Maybe if Monaghan can stay in the game in the first half and in the period after the interval, they can possibly leave McManus up front as the game starts to opens up somewhat and bodies begin to tire.

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With Rory Beggan probably the man who started all these goalkeepers' sorties out to midfield and setting up attacks with pinpoint passes, maybe Gallagher and Corey will have to delegate one of their forwards to effectively mark Beggan and Lynch!

Whatever about the fascinating tactical battle, the other question around Monaghan is whether they can back up their brilliant display against Tyrone.

While several experienced members of the current Farney squad did win Ulster medals in 2013 and 2015, the county's Achilles heel over the last decade has been the inability to put together sufficient back-to-back wins in big championship games.

In order to win All-Irelands, you need to be able to put in those four or five successive performances. That's the question mark around Monaghan and Saturday is a huge opportunity for them although I feel Derry will just have a slight edge on them in the final analysis.

Michael Murphy believes Armagh must go back to the attacking approach which enabled Rian O'Neill and his fellow forwards to shine last year

Down out to take another big scalp

Sunday's second semi-final will be no less intriguing with Down's morale sky high after beating Donegal last weekend and out to claim an even bigger scalp in Armagh at Clones.

I don't care what anyone in the Armagh camp has been saying, as far as I'm concerned there's no doubt that the Orchard men have been set up in a more defensive way this year although they returned to a more attacking brand of football in the first half against Cavan last weekend with the in-form Conor Turbitt and Andrew Murnin kept up the pitch.

And with Rian O'Neill and Aidan Nugent now available again, they have got to get back to their more positive attacking mindset of last year.

I don't believe Armagh can rely on their defensive ability to keep teams at bay for them to win Ulster - let alone All-Ireland titles.

Armagh's best opportunity of winning games is to play on the front foot and outscore the opposition.

Don't get me wrong, you don't forget your defensive duties but last year's back-door showings vs Tyrone, Donegal and Galway showed they have the capacity to hurt teams when they play with that all-out attacking mindset.

'I don't buy Armagh's Ulster indifference'

I've also been a little bemused by some of the chat coming out from Armagh about how the "real football" will start when the Super 16s begin.

Armagh haven't been in an Ulster Final in 15 years and while there are a lot of young players in the squad, the panel still includes several experienced campaigners who despite being around for quite some time have never competed in a provincial decider.

I don't buy it that they are not taking Ulster seriously. In fact, I think Armagh need the badge to say that they have won Ulster again just as Derry needed it last year.

If Armagh are really serious about make inroads into chasing All-Irelands, then you need to win your own province. That's basic common sense.

While last Sunday was a painful day for Donegal, you could only admire the spirit that Down exhibited at Pairc Esler.

There is a total togetherness in the Mourne squad and the players have complete belief in manager Conor Laverty.

With the way things are going in the Mourne county with his U20 side winning the Ulster title on Wednesday night, if Laverty told that Down squad to run to Kerry and back up, they would be away like a shot to do it.

While they have a real running threat with the likes of Daniel Guinness, Liam Kerr, Ryan Johnston and Danny Magill coming from deep in addition to the accuracy of Pat Havern from placed balls, I'm not sure they have quite the attacking quality and overall x-factor to beat Armagh this weekend - although motivation is going to be massive with a place in All-Ireland series theirs if they shock their neighbours.

But I see this game being decided by which Armagh side shows up.

Is it going to be the attacking Armagh that we had in the first half against Cavan? If it is, they will beat Down.

If it's not and we see a slower, defensive Armagh who struggled on their own kickout in the second half last weekend, Down with their hunger and belief will have a chance.

Michael Murphy was speaking to BBC Sport NI's John Haughey