Monaghan hit ground running and speed past Derry

Monaghan 1-16 Derry 0-12  MONAGHAN EASED their relegation worries somewhat when they picked up the two points on offer with a commanding display against Derry in Scotstown yesterday.

Monaghan effectively had the result of this game wrapped up by the halfway stage when they led by nine points, with Derry simply chasing shadows as Monaghan racked up the scorers at one end and completely snuffed out the Derry attack at the other.

Conor McManus lofted over a series of points from a range of distances and angles that put Monaghan firmly in the driving seat.

Thomas Freeman scored the only goal of the game in the 16th minute and from there to the half-time break Monaghan added a further five points without reply to go in leading by 1-10 to 0-4 at half-time, Derry unable to register a score for over 20 minutes of the opening period.

Three minutes into the second half Paddy Bradley ended that barren spell but only after Conor McManus had put Monaghan 10 points in front within a minute of the restart.

Derry had made a raft of changes from their previous game as manager Damien Cassidy looks to get back to winning ways but it was only when he began to introduce regulars like Joe Diver, Raymond Wilkinson and James Kielt that they strung anything like their normal game together.

By the halfway stage in the second-half 10 points still separated the sides despite the fact that Derry were now enjoying a greater degree of possession.

In their best spell of the game they hit three points in quick succession between the ninth and 12th minutes to bring the margin down to nine at that stage but the game was over as a contest before they reduced it further.

The pace of the game slackened somewhat in the second-half and Monaghan did take their foot off the pedal a little as manager Séamus McEnaney introduced a number of substitutes to replace players who will be involved in the Ulster under-21 championship against Antrim on Wednesday night.

With five minutes of normal time remaining Monaghan still held an 11-point lead but Derry finished with a late flourish that saw them register four unanswered points between the 31st and 36th minutes to reduce the margin at the final whistle to seven.

MONAGHAN:S Duffy; D McArdle, D Hughes, C Greenan; C Walshe (0-2), N McAdam, D Mone; P Finlay (0-3, two frees), D Clerkin, K Hughes, S Gollogly, D Malone (0-1), C McManus (0-8, 0-4 frees), H McElroy (0-1), T Freeman (1-1). Subs:JP Mone for D McArdle, R Woods for H McElroy, M McNally for C Walshe, C Hanratty for D Malone, G Doogan for C Greenan.

DERRY:B Gillis; B Óg McAlary, K McGuckin, D McBride; C Kielt, B McGoldrick, G O'Kane; Patsy Bradley, F Doherty; B Mullen, M Lynch (0-1), SL McGoldrick, Paddy Bradley (0-4, one free), E Bradley (0-2, one free), A McLaughlin. Subs:R Wilkinson (0-1) for Óg McAlary, J Kielt (0-1) for McLaughlin, M Bateson (0-2) for Mullen, J Diver (0-1) for Patsy Bradley, L Moore for McGoldrick.

Referee:P Hughes (Armagh).