Conor McCarthy came into his own at Clones as Monaghan recorded a vital 2-16 to 0-13 victory over Mayo.

The win moves the Oriel County up to third on the Division One table, with three rounds to go, while the losers slip into the drop zone.

A crowd of 7,346 hardly souls braved the North Monaghan elements to take in the action and they were treated to a wonderful display from the hosts, Scotstown clubman McCarthy the pick of the lot while Niall Kearns won his battle with Aidan O’Shea in the engine room and the Wylies impressed at the back, as did Conor Boyle.

Having had a nightmare finish to their clash with Dublin in the last round at Croke Park, Banty’s boys this time finished with real intent, adding 1-6 to their tally from the 55th minute onwards. Mayo finished the game with 13 men, having had both Jordan Flynn and Padraig O’Hora sent to the line for second yellow-card offences late on.

The sides were level at the end of a pulsating first half, McCarthy’s excellent goal ensuring Seamus McEnaney’s men of parity, 1-5 to 0-8.

The visitors made a flying start with points from corner back O’Hora and centre forward Ryan O’Donoghue, McCarthy speeding through to fist the Oriel men’s opening score in the seventh minute before Darren Coen’s exquisite left-footed finish restored the holders’ two-point cushion.

2018 All Stars Conor McManus and Karl O’Connell – blazing a goal chance over at the end of a lighting Monaghan move –tied the scores up for the first time but Flynn punctuated a patient Mayo move with an excellent point. No sooner had McManus (free) equalised than James Durcan re-established Mayo’s lead from an advanced mark, but the hosts hit the front when McCarthy kept going following a foul and finished excellently to the net in the 24th minute – 1-4 to 0-6, visiting full back Oisin Mullin having struck a wonderful point moments earlier.

Rory Beggan’s trademark free was cancelled out by Coen and Diarmuid O’Connor’s free had the sides level again with three minutes left in an enthralling opening period.

Kearns and Kevin McLoughlin (free) traded frees upon the restart, half-time substitute Jack McCarron and McManus (free) pushing the home side two points ahead, but back came Mayo again with a Coen point, only for the home team to power three clear thanks to points from McManus (free) and the excellent McCarthy, with a lovely strike off his weaker right boot.

McCarthy was on fire and he fisted the next Monaghan point, which was bookended by a couple of McLoughlin scores as James Horan’s men refused to wave the white flag. With just 15 minutes left, the hosts led by three points, 1-11 to 0-11, and it was still anyone’s game…

The visitors were reduced to 14 men when Flynn was shown a really harsh second yellow card, both his fouls of the innocuous variety, and Monaghan took full advantage as corner back Kieran Duffy got on the end of a Kieran Hughes centre to palm their second goal to the back of the net.

Five minutes from the end, McManus pointed after gathering a sublime McCarron pass and his Clontibret clubmate Conor Boyle stole forward from full back to hit the 13th Monaghan point before McManus arrowed over a classy free.

Paul Towey pulled back a consolation point on the stroke of 70 minutes, substitute Shane Carey replying with a great finish to restore the eight-point margin. O’Hora was dismissed for a second yellow-card offence deep into added time and McCarron steered over the resultant free to give the Farney boys a very important nine-point margin of victory.

Monaghan - R Beggan (0-1f); D Wylie, C Boyle (0-1), K Duffy (1-0); K O’Connell (0-1), R Wylie, M Bannigan; D Hughes, N Kearns (0-1); R McAnespie, C McCarthy (1-3), D Ward; D Malone, K Hughes, C McManus (0-6, 3f, 1m). Subs: J McCarron (0-2, 1f) for D Malone, C Walshe for D Wylie, S Carey (0-1) for M Bannigan, C McGuinness for C McManus, P Keenan for N Kearns.

Mayo - R Hennelly; P O’Hora (0-1), O Mullin (0-1), L Keegan; S Coen, M Plunkett, P Durcan; D O’Connor (0-1f), A O’Shea; F Boland, R O’Donoghue (0-1), J Flynn (0-1); K McLoughlin (0-3, 2f), D Coen (0-3), J Durcan (0-1m). Subs: T Conroy for F Boland, K Higgins for J Durcan, P Towey (0-1) for D Coen, C Loftus for R O’Donoghue, E O’Donoghue for M Plunkett.

Referee - A Nolan.

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