Dessie Farrell intending to give Mick Fitzsimons and Stephen Cluxton game time during the Allianz League

Dublin manager Dessie Farrell says he intends to give both Mick Fitzsimons and Stephen Cluxton game time in the Allianz League.

The All-Ireland champions were pipped at the post by Monaghan last night at Croke Park in a game that came to life in the last quarter of an hour.

The Dubs had seven of their All-Ireland starters included from the off against the Ulster outfit, including Jack McCaffrey, Brian Fenton, Ciarán Kilkenny and Cormac Costello, while James McCarthy, who is chasing a 10th Celtic Cross this summer, was introduced in the second half.

Fitzsimons and Cluxton are the other two players who can extend their own record number of All-Ireland victories to an even 10 this summer and Farrell says they'll see action before the Championship.

"You'd be hoping to see them at some stage in the league, for sure," he said after the game.

"They're two of the players I mentioned that are on an extended break. The league is a great platform to get fellas ready, sharpness and fitness, and all that.

"But there's also the fact that some players need extra time to let the bodies heal thoroughly and be fully recovered and ready to go. At a certain stage in your career you have to be very careful how you manage yourself, or how you are managed.

"Those lads are in that boat."

The victory for Monaghan continues their excellent run against Dublin in the league since 2017. While the Blues have won five All-Irelands since then, with Farrell in charge for two of them, they haven't managed to beat the Farney men in the spring in any of those years.

Two years ago it was Monaghan who relegated Dublin to Division 2 with a narrow victory at Clones.

Farrell acknowledged that his players didn't perform to the level that they're capable of last night.

"Dis