Monaghan will be in Division One again in 2017 after Colin Walshe's injury-time point gave them a dramatic 1-10 to 1-9 victory over Donegal at Castleblayney.

The visitors led by 1-9 to 1-6 going into the last quarter but scores from Ryan McAnespie, Conor McManus (2) and former All Star defender Walshe saw the hosts over the line. The win means Monaghan finish level on the final Division One table with Mayo, Donegal and Cork - all on six points - with the Rebels going down as they have the worst score difference of the four.

Astonishingly, even though this was their fourth straight loss, Donegal advance to the semi-finals, wherein they will face holders Dublin.

Rory Gallagher's men led by three points at the break, 1-7 to 1-4, having led by seven before the Farney County finally got off the mark some 20 minutes after throw-in.

The Tir Chonail men made an electrifying start and Martin McElhoney's 19th-minute major gave them a seven-point lead, allied to points from Michael Murphy (free), Eoin and Ryan McHugh and Patrick McBrearty (free).

The hosts didn't register until the 20th minute and their opening score was a goal from Daniel McKenna, who then traded points with Murphy (free) after Hugh McFadden had stretched the gap back to five. Darren Hughes' goalbound effort was touched over the crossbar and a brace from McManus had the Ulster champions back within two points three minutes shy of the short whistle.

But McBrearty closed the first-half scoring in the third added minute as his team claimed a three-point interval advantage.

Upon the restart, McManus popped over a couple of frees either side of a Murphy '45' and the two-times All Star attacker then made it a one-point game following an exchange between Anthony Thompson and McAnespie. In a tense finale, it was - predicatably - McManus who equalised from another free six minutes from time before corner back Walshe kicked over one of the biggest scores of the day in the second added minute.

Monaghan - R Beggan; C Walshe (0-1), D Wylie, R Wylie; D Mone, F Kelly, K O'Connell; N McAdam, D Hughes (0-1); V Corey, D Malone, K Hughes; R McAnespie (0-1), D McKenna (1-1), C McManus (0-6, 5f). Subs: T Kerr for D Mone, O Duffy for D Malone, C McCarthy for D McKenna.

Donegal - M A McGinley; P McGrath, N McGee, F McGlynn; R McHugh (0-1), A Thompson (0-1), E McHugh (0-1); M Murphy (0-3, 2f, 1'45), O MacNiallais (0-1); R Kavanagh, L McLoone, M McElhinney (1-0); H McFadden, P McBrearty (0-2, 1f), M O'Reilly. Subs: C McFadden for E McHugh, E McGee for M O'Reilly, C Toye for L McLoone, S McBrearty for M McElhinney, E Doherty for N McGee (BC), M McHugh for H McFadden (BC).

Referee - R Hickey.

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