Monaghan boss Dermot Malone relishing another date with 'best ever' Derry team in All-Ireland minor final

Dermot Malone fears Monaghan could be coming up against the greatest minor team ever to come out of Derry.

The Farney boss knows all about this talented young Derry side because he has faced them three times this season - and lost the lot.

Former Monaghan star Malone rates young Derry attacker Johnny McGuckian as the 'Lionel Messi' of his age grade, 'a joy to watch'.

And Derry have a strong presence on the line in boss Damian McErlain who previously guided the county to the 2017 minor decider.

This will be Derry's third national final at the grade in seven years while, in Ulster, they have featured in seven of the last nine provincial deciders.

The big positive from Monaghan's perspective is that they took Derry all the way to penalties in the Ulster final.

Malone said: "I was speaking before the Ulster final and I remember saying that Derry were favourites for the All-Ireland, never mind just Ulster.

"I think their results have proven that. It's not a case of a manager building up the opposition or anything. There's strong words being said that this is probably the best ever Derry minor team that has come out. That's one hell of a statement.

"We played them three teams this year and they beat us three times so we know all about it and we'll have to be at our very best if we're to be close to them."

If anyone can do it, it's Monaghan. Their can-do spirit has been evident all summer. They bounced back from that punishing penalty shoot-out loss to Derry in Ulster by beating Mayo and Kerry to reach their first final in the grade since 1939.

Max McGinnity, from the same Castleblayney Faughs club as Malone, has been prolific in attack with 3-43 to his credit.

But it was their collective effort that stood out in the semi-final win over