Monaghan turned on the style at Casement Park to inflict a 1-18 to 0-9 defeat on Armagh.

The winners were solid throughout, though they did fade out of the match for a period midway through the second half. But, in fairness, the match was won by then and the fact that Armagh managed just three points after the end of the first quarter tells its own story.

Monaghan lofted over four unanswered points in the second quarter to lead by 1-7 to 0-6 at half time. Tommy Freeman had bagged the goal in the 13th minute (as well as two first-half points) and Paul Finlay had weighed in with 0-4. At the other end, Stevie McDonnell was keeping Armagh in it single-handedly, amassing four first-half points.

The Orchard County's hopes suffered a major blow when No.13 Brian Mallon was sent off just shy of half time. The card-happy referee had dished out six yellow cards to Monaghan players, forcing the Oriel County to re-jig, which they did well.

The drama started before the throw-in, when the Monaghan team was announced. Goalkeeper Shane Duffy was nowhere to be seen, with full back Darren Hughes named between the posts. Eoin Lennon came in at midfield, with JP Mone reverting to a more familiar role at No.3. Extraordinary stuff, even by Banty standards!

Armagh named Jamie Clarke at corner forward instead of Ryan Henderson but those bizarre late Monaghan changes had Casement Park abuzz as the action got underway with the rain spilling. Monaghan had two early attacks but were gobbled up by the Orchard County's trademark blanket defence. Stephen Gollogly picked up a very harsh yellow card early on and Steven McDonnell fired Armagh ahead with a sublime third-minute point off the left boot.

Monaghan's next attack ended with raiding centre back Vincent Corey being penalised for overcarrying as the Armagh defence swarmed around him. The Oriel men were awarded a free when Brendan Donaghy picked the ball clean off the ground, but Paul Finlay squandered the opportunity when his effort from directly in front of the posts came back off the woodwork.

Kieran Toner also lifted the ball off the ground close to goal and this time Finlay obliged with a free from the hands - all square after eight minutes. After Finlay surrendered possession with an aimless pass, Armagh worked the ball upfield and the brilliant McDonnell swivelled to score an excellent point from distance - this time with the right boot. The Orchard full forward had the simplest of tasks in tapping over his third point to make it 0-3 to 0-1 with ten minutes played.

Armagh followed up with a fourth point from Jamie Clarke but Monaghan undid all their good early work when Tommy Freeman rattled the back of the net in the 13th minute following good approach play from Gary McQuaid.

Aaron Kernan's close-range free put Armagh back in front but this time Conor McManus teed up Finlay for a beautiful levelling point. McDonnell, however, calmly tapped over his fourth point from play to make it 0-6 to 1-2 at the end of the first quarter. McManus appeared to have supplied the equaliser but giant goalkeeper Paul Hearty jumped into the clouds to pull the ball back down from above the crossbar.

In the 20th minute, Freeman became the fourth Monaghan player to get a yellow card from the Tyrone match official (following Gollogly, JP Mone and Colin Walshe) and the Magheracloone forward exorcised his anger by tapping over the levelling point. Seamus McEnaney replaced Gollogly with Rory Woods and the No.22 should have fired the team in white ahead but missed a relatively simple chance. Clarke was also off target at the other end.

McManus edged Monaghan in front for the first time with a lovely free from an acute angle in the 26th minute and the full forward was shown a yellow card immediately. Monaghan replaced Dessie Mone with Dermot McArdle and Kieran Hughes became the second Monaghan player to see his shot rebound off an upright.

Banty's boys moved further ahead with a couple of excellent points from Finlay (with the right foot) and Freeman from an acute angle. The changes made by the Monaghan backroom seemed to have had the desired effect as the supply of ball into Armagh dangerman McDonnell had been snuffed out, temporarily at least. The frustrated Orchard No.14 saw yellow for a late tackle.

Armagh were reduced to 14 men on the stroke of half time when corner forward Brian Mallon deservedly saw red for a mistimed and therefore dangerous high challenge on Woods; Monaghan finished the half with a late Finlay free three minutes into stoppage time to lead by four at the short whistle.

Armagh brought in James Lavery and Kevin Dyas at half time but it was Monaghan who made the best start to the second half with instant points from Freeman and Finlay (free) to lead by six, 1-9 to 0-6.

Hanratty followed up with a third point in as many minutes after a superb forward surge from debutant Walsh and Corey stormed forward to make it four in four minutes, shrugging off tackles to bang over a confident score.

Kernan picked up a yellow for clattering into Woods off the ball and Lennon hit his second wide of the game as Monaghan led by eight points with 43 minutes played. McDonnell and Finlay had wides at either end and Lavery also missed the target as Armagh's scoreless streak stretched to 30 minutes.

Clarke finally popped over an Orchard County point as the referee continued to flash needless yellow cards in what was in no way a physical match. By the 50th minute, there had been ten yellows and a red, most of which were unwarranted.

Freeman had a wide as the leaders struggled to put more daylight on the scoreboard. Hanratty, who had a disappointing match, also sent a tame shot wide before being replaced by Hugh McIlroy in the 52nd minute.

Monaghan had gone back into their shells and were almost made to pay when Paul Duffy ran purposefully at them, only to see his goalbound shot deflected over the bar by Darren Hughes. But it was still an Armagh point and the margin was being whittled down by the 14 men. With just six in it, McDonnell missed what was by his own high standards a very easy free.

The scoreboard read 1-11 to 0-8 with 15 minutes left and Monaghan were playing a very dangerous game, simply allowing Armagh to have the ball and effectively inviting pressure on themselves. In the 57th minute, Kieran Hughes picked up a yellow card for a bodycheck on Kernan. Armagh continued to pour forward against a blanket of retreating white and Finlay finally settled the issue with his team's first score in 20 minutes - a wonderful left-footed 45 from the right wing.

McIlroy arrowed over a nice point as the winners suddenly realised attack was the best form of defence. Freeman beat Andy Mallon to the ball and fisted over the bar in the 61st minute, making it 1-14 to 0-8. On 63 minutes, Finlay dropped a sideline ball expertly through the posts to leave ten points between the sides.

Damien Freeman got in on the scoring act and Hughes justified his selection between the posts with a couple of very assured late clearances. Gareth Swift curled over a peach of a consolation point for Armagh - their third of the second half - but Dick Clerkin instantly replied for the runaway winners.

On the stroke of full time, Clerkin followed up with a magnificent point from distance to complete the rout in some style.

Monaghan: D Hughes; D Mone, JP Mone, C Walshe; D Freeman (0-1), V Corey (0-1), G McQuaid; D Clerkin (0-2), Eoin Lennon; S Gollogly, P Finlay (0-7), K Hughes; C Hanratty (0-1), C McManus (0-1), T Freeman (1-4). Subs: R Woods, D McArdle, H McIlroy (0-1), N McAdam.

Armagh: P Hearty, A Mallon, B Donaghy, V Martin, P Duffy (0-1), C McKeever, F Moriarty, C Vernon, K Toner, M Mackin, A Kernan (0-1), G Swift (0-1), B Mallon, S McDonnell (0-4), J Clarke (0-2). Subs: J Lavery, K Dyas. Tweet

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