Dick Clerkin says Monaghan are no longer prepared to settle for moral victories.

Speaking to the Irish Times ahead of Sunday's Allianz League Division 2 final against Donegal, the veteran midfielder has stressed the need for the reigning Ulster champions to 'push on' and start winning major games in Croke Park.

"There is that comment about Monaghan, about giving a good account of ourselves, and that is something we need to get beyond, especially when you get to Croke Park," he said.

"We've done that a few times in the past, like back in 2007, 2008, but we need to push on now, especially when we get to the latter stages of the championship. We need to be winning games.

"We've had too many moral victories, coming down here to Croke Park, or playing games that we could have won and didn't. People would be patting you on the back, but we need to start winning those games."

The Farney County's last outing in Croke Park - last August's All-Ireland SFC quarter-final against Tyrone - doesn't hold happy memories for Clerkin.

"In that Tyrone game, yes we did give a good account of ourselves, but we didn't win," he noted.

"We were very disappointed with that, and in some ways it took some of the tint off last year's success in Ulster. Because we definitely felt it was a game we should have won, and could have won on the day.

"So it's great to be back here again, and hopefully be back here again for the quarter-finals weekend, next August, and put all that right again. Because that's the stage Monaghan wants to get to, competing and winning in Croke Park on a more regular basis.

"And to do that you need the experience of winning, and this stage of the National League competition is one way of doing that. It was a great stepping stone for us last year, coming down here for the Division 3 final and beating Meath." Tweet

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