Monaghan - 1-12 Carlow -  0-5:Monaghan were far from convincing in this scrappy, stop-start affair against Carlow in Clones yesterday. They dominated play for long periods but found it difficult to find scores through a tendency to over-elaborate.

Carlow were forced to make a number of changes before the start and they struggled for long periods. Trailing 0-5 to 0-2 after 20 minutes Carlow scored three points without reply between the 22nd and 31st minutes to reduce the deficit to the minimum. Monaghan, however, rallied with two points, from Tom Freeman and Declan Smyth, to go in three points up at the break, 0-7 to 0-4.

Monaghan manager Colm Coyle changed both midfielders at half-time, Anthony Rooney and Owen Lennon replacing Jason Hughes and James McElroy. Lennon went on to have a decided influence in the second period as Damien Freeman scored got Monaghan's goal in the 36th minute when he rifled home from close range.

MONAGHAN: G Murphy; D McDermott, D McKenna, P McKenna; J Conlon, D Duffy, D McArdle; J Hughes, J McElroy; D Freeman (1-4), D Smyth (0-2), T Freeman (0-1); K Tavey (0-3), R Woods, J Mone. Subs: M Slowey (0-1) for R Woods, A Rooney for J Hughes, E Lennon for J McElroy, P Askin (0-1) for D Smyth, J Coyle for D Duffy.

CARLOW: P McGrath; R Burke, J Keogh, B English; Johnny Kavanagh, J Hayden, B Farrell; J McGrath, P Kiernan; M Carpenter, J Nevin, D Nolan; S Rea (0-3), W Power, B Kelly (0-2). Subs: C McCarthy for R Burke, R Sinnott for J McGrath, W Minchin for J Keogh, John Kavanagh for M Carpenter.

Referee: S Prior (Leitrim).