Monaghan produced a strong third-quarter surge to register a 0-15 to 1-8 victory over Derry at Inniskeen.

The Oak Leafers, who saw off Down in the preliminary round last week, led by 1-5 to 0-6 at the interval, having had midfielder Neill McNicholl dismissed moments before Niall Loughlin netted the only goal of the game on 24 minutes.

But the hosts stepped on the turbo after the restart, making their numerical superiority count as they reeled off unanswered points from Conor McCarthy, Fergal McGeough (2) and Donal Meegan (2).

When McCarthy supplied the hosts' sixth score without reply to stretch the gap out to five, there was no way back for the Derrymen, who were reduced to 13 four minutes from the end.

The prize for Monaghan is a semi-final meeting with Donegal in a fortnight, on April 1st.

Monaghan - D Kirk; R Wylie, M Murnaghan, K Loughran; D Ward, B Hanratty, F Malone; C Lavelle, B Greenan (0-1); R McAnespie, D Freeman, P Keenan; C McCarthy (0-8, 6f), F McGeough (0-3), F McMahon (0-1f). Subs: C Meegan for D Freeman, D Meegan (0-2) for F McMahon, M McCarville for C Lavelle.

Derry - B McKinless; A Hargan, M Sweeney, D Brown; C Carville, L McGoldrick, P McElroy; N McNicholl, C McAtamney (0-1); J Kearney, D Tallon, C McFaul (0-3, 1f); N Loughlin (1-3, 0-2f), C Murphy (0-1), N Toner. Subs: R McDonnell for P McElroy, J Bradley for D Tallon, T O'Brien for C Carville, D Mullan for N Loughlin.

Referee - N Cullen.

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