Monaghan 2-13 Armagh 0-8
Two second half goals inside sixty seconds made the major difference as Monaghan saw off Armagh by 11-points.
The Farney men controlled the majority of the game and handed Armagh their second defeat of the campaign, following their recent loss to Derry.
Armagh were the better side in the opening quarter, however, but didn’t make it count on the scoreboard and trailed 2-1 early on.
John Joe Hughes stroked over a lovely point to open the scoring, soloing with the left before swinging it over with the right.
Monaghan edged ahead with points from Canice Murphy and a fisted effort straight after from Matthew Finn.
Armagh levelled, with an exceptional effort from Cohen Henderson. The Clann Eireann man swung over with the outside of his right boot from the right-hand side.
The Orchard County should have been ahead in the next attack, but for a brilliant point-blank save from the home keeper.
Calum Hughes, left one-on-one inside, saw his goal-bound effort turned away by the Monaghan shot stopper.
The hosts took control in the final ten minutes of the half, hitting an unanswered five points. That put them ahead 0-7 to 0-2 at the halfway stage.
Monaghan picked up where they left off at the start of the second period, with Sean Og McElwain pointing inside 30 seconds.
Armagh replied through their captain Daragh McNulty. The O’Hanlon’s man curled over a free from the deck to reduce the gap to five.
O’Hanlon followed up with another great effort, this time from the hands, swinging over from 45 metres out.
Monaghan popped over another two scores before two goals from Matthew Finn put the result beyond doubt.
Hughes traded frees with Max McGinnity before the home side added on another score to go 14-points ahead.
Armagh finished strong, with McNulty (free), Conall McGeough and Hughes all scoring. But the gap was too big, and Monaghan eased to an 11-point victory.
Armagh: Liam Carroll, Caolan Murray, Daire Young, Fionnbar McKee, Adam Reavey, Aodhan O’Connor, Tiarnan McDonald, Aaron Haughey, Ryan Nugent, Paul Hendron, Conall McGeough 0-1, Daragh McNulty 0-3 (3f), John Joe Hughes 0-3 (2f), Calum Hughes, Cohen Henderson 0-1. Subs: Fionn O Tuathail for C. Murray, Eoin Kane for A. Reavey, James Moriarty for P. Hendron.
