Down manager Eamonn Burns is reporting a clean bill of health ahead of Saturday's Ulster SFC semi-final showdown with Monaghan.

He informed the Irish News that both Kevin McKernan and Niall Donnelly have won their respective battles to be fit for the Farney County clash.

"We're tidying loose ends up and getting ourselves ready," Burns revealed.

"We have a clean bill of health so we're looking forward to it. Kevin and Niall are both fit and Benny McArdle is making good progress.

"He'll not be ready for Saturday evening, he was wearing a protective boot for a while but he's out of it now and he's walking and he has started a bit of jogging."

The Mourne County boss added: "We realise that we have a massive task in front of us.

"Monaghan have been one of the top teams in Ulster over the past few years, they played very well in the last round to get over Cavan and they had a very successful League campaign.

"They are red-hot favourites and rightfully so. We know that if we are going to make progress we will have to be playing at the top of our game for 70 minutes or more."

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