Monaghan demonstrated a killer streak in a hugely competitive and enjoyable derby duel at Kingspan Breffni.
The visitors carved a convincing and comfortable victory with their clinical finishing and better shot selection major stand-out traits of what was an impressive display.
Cavan were up for the fight on what was a wild evening for the showcasing of the new rules but they laboured to tie down a Monaghan team bolstered by a Conor McCarthy penalty conversion after just two minutes.
McCarthy’s superb spot kick proved all-important in giving the Oriel County a 1-10 to 0-12 interval advantage into the teeth of a forceful win.
Both sides showed an appetite for the spoils and eschewed the erstwhile tedious business of shuffling the ball side-ways and, instead, continuously rifled the ball direct and fast up the field.
The exchanges were evenly fought throughout the game and the sticky underfoot conditions didn’t prevent both sides putting on a very entertaining tie which hung in the balance right to the bitter end.
Cavan bravely fought their game of catch-up but with the likes of Ryan McAnespie and newbie Gavin McPhillips in particularly fine form Monaghan rammed home their advantage with a second goal from the in-form Garland – after a McAnespie assist – just three minutes into the second-half.
The in-form Dara McVeety led a Cavan fightback with the Blues hitting four points without reply to cut Monaghan’s lead to a very manageable six points (0-18 to 2-18) with seven minutes of normal time remaining but that was as close as they got to getting their noses in front.
Scorers – Cavan: G O’Rourke 0-1 (f); P Faulkner 0-1; O Kiernan 0-1, K Clarke 0-1, E Crowe 0-1, L Molloy 0-1 (f),TD Donohoe 0-1, f, C Brady 0-1, D McVeety 0-5, S McEvoy 0-5 (1 2pf, 2f), C Madden 0-2. Monaghan: R Beggan 0-6, (2 2pf (f); C McCarthy 1-2 (1p); B McBennett 0-3, M Bannigan 0-4, (2pf); R McAnespie 0-1, D Garland 1-4 (2pf); S Mooney 0-1, J McCarron 0-1, (f).
Cavan: G O’Rourke 7 : N Carolan 6, B O’Connell 6, J McLoughlin 7 ; P Faulkner 7, D McVeety 8, O Kiernan 7; K Clarke 7 , E Crowe 6; C Brady 6, G Smith 6, L Molloy 6; R O’Neill 6, J Smith 6, S McEvoy 6. Subs: R Donohoe 6 for E Crowe (h-t); TE Donohoe 6 for R O’Neill (h-t); C Madden 6 for G Smith (46); T Madden 5 for L Molloy (54); C Reilly for P Faulkner (69).
Monaghan: R Beggan 7 ; R Wylie 7, K Lavelle 7, D Byrne 6; R O’Toole 6, G McPhillips 8 , C McCarthy 7; B McBennett 7, M McCarville 6 ; R McAnespie 8 , M Bannigan 8 , C McNulty 6; D Garland 8, M Hamill 7, S Mooney 6. Subs: S Jones 6 for S Mooney (42); B McCaul 6 for C McNulty (54); J McCarron 6 for B McBennett (60); J Irwin 6 for G McPhillips (64); C Lennon 6 for R O’Toole (69).
Referee: L Devenney (Mayo).