Monaghan 2-18 Leitrim 0-8: New Leitrim manager Des Dolan quoted Van Morrison's Days Like This to sum up his side's feeble efforts to thwart a rampant Monaghan in a one-sided encounter at Carrick-on-Shannon yesterday.
Both sides entered the game chasing promotion, but on the evidence of this display Leitrim's inexperienced side need another spell in the lower division, while Monaghan can lay claim to promotion after an exhilarating display of total football in which all six forwards scored.
The Ulstermen powered ahead with points from Shane McManus, Paul Finlay, Tomás Freeman and Ronan Ronaghan.
Monaghan showed no mercy and were deservedly 0-10 to 0-4 ahead at the interval.
It got worse for Leitrim in the second period as first Mark Daly found the net four minutes into the resumption followed by a superb second six minutes later from Freeman.
MONAGHAN: S Duffy; G McQuaid, V Corey, C Flanagan; D Freeman, J Coyle, S Mac a'Bhaird; F Duffy, S Mac Giolla Rua; P Finlay (0-7, 4f 1 45), T Freeman (1-4), S McManus (0-1); R Woods (0-5, 1f), R Ronaghan (0-1), M Daly (1-0). Subs: D McArdle for G McQuaid, yellow card; D Clerkin for M Daly; B O'Brien for R Ronaghan; D McKiernan for R Woods; F Doogan for S McManus.
LEITRIM: C McCrann; M McGuinness, S Foley, B Butler; N Gilbane, B McWeeney, D Kennedy; C Carroll, G McCloskey; J Goldrick (0-1), B Prior (0-1), M Foley (0-1, 1f); C Regan (0-1), D Maxwell, J Glancy. Subs: D Brennan (0-4) for D Maxwell, yellow card; D McHugh for B Butler; M Duignan for J Glancy; D McKiernan for D McHugh, yellow card; Darren Duignan for M Foley; David Duignan for C Regan, yellow card.
YELLOW CARDS: Monaghan: G McQuaid. Leitrim: D Maxwell, D McHugh, C Regan.
Referee: M McHugh (Tyrone)
replaced at h-t inj by J McQuillan.
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