Ulster champions Monaghan ran into a Tyrone ambush at Croke Park today and lost by 0-18 to 0-14.

The winners, who were beaten in the preliminary-round of the Ulster SFC but came back into contention with four Qualifier wins, led from the ninth minute onwards and never looked like losing this game. Darren McCurry was their top scorer today with six points; Sean Cavanagh was immense; manager Mickey Harte has earned a sixth All-Ireland quarter-final win!

Monaghan, on the other hand, who have yet to win a quarter-final, never showed up.

Three players were sent off in the closing stages: Monaghan pair Darren Hughes and Paul Finlay either side of Tyrone's Ronan McNamee. Mickey Harte's men deserved to advance to a semi-final meeting with Kerry in 15 days' time but they will get a lot of criticism for some of the cynicism and play-acting displayed today.

Tyrone imposed themselves on their opponents for most of the first half to lead by 0-7 to 0-5 at the interval. The Anglo-Celt Cup holders were living on scraps, unable to penetrate the massed defence in front of them and were dependent on a series of super scores to keep them in the game.

The Red Hands started as per match programme, while the Ulster champions introduced Stephen Gollogly and Ryan McAnespie to their starting XV in place of Dermot Malone and Owen Duffy.

Four points were shared inside the opening five minutes: Connor McAliskey opened the scoring from a simple free after 45 seconds but Kieran Hughes equalised with a stunning third-minute score. Dessie Mone struck over another superb Monaghan point before Joe McMahon did likewise at the other end off his weaker left foot.

That was McMahon's only contribution as he hobbled off injured, to be replaced by his brother Justin on eight minutes. Darren McCurry restored the Red Hands' lead via the inside of a post from an acute angle and followed up with a sweetly-struck free from the deck as two points separated the teams for the first time.

Midfielder Fintan Kelly and McAliskey (free) traded scores and the influential Peter Harte made it double scores on 24 minutes after Conor Meyler was shown a debateable black card for a deliberate body collision.

A sumptuous Conor McManus point was cancelled out by the softest of frees from McCurry and McManus closed the first-half scoring with a beautifully-struck free.

McCurry stretched the gap within seconds of the restart and a McAliskey free left four in it before McCurry added a '45' to make it double scores after 40 minutes: 0-10 to 0-5. A brace of fantastic McManus frees brought the Farney County back into contention.

McAliskey popped over yet another free and Cavanagh benefited from a Beggan error to increase the winners' tally before substitute Owen Duffy replied. Duffy then cancelled out a Ronan McNabb point: 0-13 to 0-9 after 50 minutes.

A flurry of scores at either end from McCurry (free), McManus and McAliskey meant the Red Hands led by five at the three-quarters stage. Full back Ronan McNamee stretched the gap to six with 14 minutes left. Clerkin and Finlay (free) pulled back a couple of consolation points before the excellent Mattie Donnelly added two more points for the victors either side of a McManus brace.

Niall Morgan denied the losers a late, late goal and chaos erupted during nine additional minutes, with three men sent off late on (including Hughes for ruffling Tiernan McCann's hair...) and men rolling around all over the place. But the record books will show that Tyrone were worthy winners; the rest is just side salad.

Tyrone - N Morgan; A McCrory, R McNamee (0-1), C McCarron; R McNabb (0-1), Joe McMahon (0-1), P Harte (0-1); C Cavanagh, M Donnelly (0-2); T McCann, M Bradley, C Meyler; D McCurry (0-6, 3f, 1'45), S Cavanagh (0-1), C McAliskey (0-5, 4f). Subs: Justin McMahon for Joe McMahon, C McCann for C Meyler, P McNulty for C McCann, R O'Neill for C McAliskey, R Donnelly for M Bradley, B Tierney for T McCann.

Monaghan - R Beggan; V Corey, C Walshe, D Mone (0-1); R Wylie, N McAdam, K O'Connell; F Kelly (0-1), O Lennon; D Hughes (0-1), S Gollogly, R McAnespie; C McManus (0-7, 5f), K Hughes, K Duffy. Subs: D Clerkin (0-1) for O Lennon, D Wylie for V Corey, O Duffy (0-2) for R McAnespie, D Malone for N McAdam, P Finlay (0-1f) for S Gollogly, C McGuinness for K Duffy.

Referee - M Duffy.

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