Holders Dublin are through to the Division One semi-finals after thumping Monaghan by 1-22 to 1-11 at Clones.
The result books a semi-final place for the Dubs, who finish second on the final league table and will face today's opponents again for a place in the final after draws at Castlebar and Omagh today.
Monaghan will hardly go into that game with much confidence as the grim reality is that the final scoreline here flatters them.
Dublin bossed the first half to deservedly lead by seven points at the interval, 1-9 to 0-5.
After a delayed throw-in to allow the 10,066-strong crowd into St Tiernach's Park on what felt like a championship Sunday, the Dubs silenced the home crowd early as Brian Fenton's goal helped them roar into a 1-2 to no score lead inside four minutes.
Owen Duffy opened Monaghan's account before Rory O'Carroll made a great block to deny the hosts a goal. A Dean Rock free was cancelled out by frees from Rory Beggan and Paul Finlay before Paul Flynn lofted over a beautiful Dublin point to make it 1-4 to 0-3 after 15 minutes.
Conor McManus and Bernard Brogan flashed over points at either end as did Diarmuid Connolly and Duffy - 1-6 to 0-5 with ten minutes left before the break. The visitors finished the first half strongly with a run of points from substitute Philly McMahon, Rock (free) and Kevin McManamon, while the border county had key man Dessie Mone black-carded for a foul on Flynn before the short whistle.
Connolly and Rock (free) pointed either side of a Beggan free when the action resumed and the outcome was beyond doubt once Jim Gavin's men whacked over further scores courtesy of sub Emmet O'Conghaile, Jonny Cooper and McMahon: 1-14 to 0-6.
It got embarrassing for the hosts as Flynn, Tomas Brady (2) and Rock (free) increased the gap to 15 points. The winners had floated over eight successive scores but Monaghan rallied late on with points from Thomas Kerr and Kieran Hughes and a Darren Hughes goal. It would be inaccurate to say those scores put some respectability on the scoreboard…
This is Monaghan's second heavy defeat to Dublin inside eight months and they'll need to improve substantially to avoid another one in seven days' time.
Dublin - S Cluxton; E Culligan, R O'Carroll, J Cooper (0-1); J McCarthy, J Small, J McCaffrey; MD Macauley, D Bastick; P Flynn (0-2), D Connolly (0-2), B Fenton (1-1); K McManamon (0-2), D Rock (0-6, 5f), B Brogan (0-2). Subs: P McMahon (0-2) for E Culligan, E O Conghaile (0-1) for MD Macauley, C Kilkenny for K McManamon, T Brady (0-2) for D Bastick, D Byrne (0-1) for E O Conghaile (BC), N Devereux for J Cooper.
Monaghan - R Beggan (0-2, 1f, 1'45); K Duffy, D Wylie, R Wylie; K O'Connell, V Corey, F Kelly; N McAdam, D Hughes (1-0); D Malone, P Finlay (0-1f), D Mone; K Hughes (0-1), C McManus (0-2f), O Duffy (0-2). Subs: P McKenna for D Mone (BC), D Clerkin for N McAdam, R McAnespie (0-1) for P Finlay, P McGuigan for D Wylie, T Kerr (0-1) for D Malone, S Carey (0-1) for K Hughes (BC).
Referee - M Deegan.
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