Pauric Dowdall netted a hat-trick as Monaghan scored a 4-10 to 0-10 success over Longford at Clones this evening.

Stephen Lambe also found the net for the Farney County from the penalty spot and the hosts turned around for the second-half with a 2-6 to 0-6 cushion.

Elsewhere, goals from Eoin McGuinness and Ryan Gaffney boosted Armagh to a 2-16 to 2-11 victory over neighbours Louth at the Athletic Grounds.

The Orchard County held a 2-6 to 1-8 half-time advantage and held on to make a winning start.

Roscommon, meanwhile, proved too strong for Fingal on a scoreline of 3-12 to 0-9 in Swords.

Ronan O'Meara, Jerry Fallon and Cathal Kenny raised green flags for the winners.

Monaghan - K Hannify; J Guinan, K Crawley, B Flanagan; D Crowe, A Kenny, C McKenna; M Murphy (0-1), E MacSuibhne (0-1); N Garland (0-1), M Treanor (0-1), R Meegan (0-3, 1f); P Dowdall (3-1), S Lambe (1-2, 0-1f), F Rafter. Subs: C McNally for B Flanagan, H Byrne for R Meegan, A MacSuibhne for P Dowdall, S Forde for N Garland, S McNally for C McKenna.

Longford - D Duggan; G Moore, B Stakem, C Flanagan; K Cox, E Kavanagh, K Murray; J Casey, P Barden; K Mealiff, M Coyle, L Kelly (0-2); J O'Brien (0-7, 3f, 1'65), J Mulhern, E Donnellan. Subs: C Kavanagh (0-1) for E Donnellan, J Rosney for M Coyle, S Farrell for K Cox, R Murray for J Mulhern.

Referee - G McGrath.

**

Armagh - S Doherty; O Curry, C Clifford, C Devlin (0-1); K McKiernan, N Curry, P Hughes; S Renaghan (0-1), S Gaffney; R Gaffney (1-6, 0-5f), C Carvill (0-1), E McGuinness (1-0); M Moan (0-1), D Carville (0-1), C Gorman (0-2). Subs: D Coulter (0-3) for D Carville, J Corvan for P Hughes, A McGuinness for C Gorman.

Louth - J Connolly; E McKeown, J Carter, A McCrave; J Condon, B Carter, C Ryan; D O'Hanrahan, R Maher (1-1); G Smyth (0-1), L Dawn (0-8, 5f, 1'65), C O'Reilly; G Kane, S Connelly (1-1), A Mackin. Subs: P Lynch for C O'Reilly, G O'Brien for D O'Hanrahan.

Referee - C Cunning.

**

Roscommon - N Fallon; I Delaney, P Kellehan, L Kilcline; D Leonard, M Kelly, T Seale (0-1); C Dolan (0-1), K Kilkenny; J Moran, R O'Meara (1-1), J Fallon (1-6, 0-5f); C Egan (0-1), G Fallon, A Murphy (0-1). Subs: C Kelly for G Fallon, C Kenny (1-0) for A Murphy, H Rooney for C Kelly, J Coyne (0-1) for C Egan.

Fingal - P Sheridan; N Feeney, I Kennedy, A Morris; P Quinn, N Ring (0-1), R McGarry; D Hattie, P McAllister; P Graves, S O'Brien, C O'Flynn (0-1); J M Sheridan (0-6, 5f), D Butterly (0-1), D Smyth. Subs: P Coyne for P Quinn, I Furlong for C O'Flynn, R Sheridan for S O'Brien.

Referee - P Murphy.

Tweet

Most Read Stories