Jack McCarron notched 1-7 as Monaghan eased to a 2-17 to 1-13 win over pointless Roscommon at Inniskeen.

Victory moves Malachy O'Rourke's men level with Dublin, Tyrone and Donegal at the top of Division One on seven points, while the Rossies looked doomed to relegation after five successive defeats.

Six McCarrron points helped the winners assume a 0-12 to 0-8 interval lead, with visiting goalkeeper Darren O'Malley twice denying the home team in one-on-one situations.

A converted Conor McManus free in the first minute gave the hosts the best possible start and McCarron followed suit in the third minute before O'Malley thwarted McManus with a smart right-footed save.

The next six points were shared as a trio of Ciaran Murtagh frees kept the Rossies in touch (with McCarron, Dessie Ward and Darren Hughes on target at the other end) and McCarron's 14^th-minute point made it double scores, 0-6 to 0-3. McManus left four between them but the visitors rallied to draw level with a run of scores from Ciarain Murtagh (2), Conor Devaney and Gary Patterson.

McCarron and McManus (free) restored the Farney advantage and Shane Carey cancelled out a Donie Smith effort. O'Malley stood firm again on the stroke of half time to deny Fintan Kelly this time after McCarron had arced over another free to give the hosts a three-point lead. McCarron was in the mood and he clipped over another free in added time to bring the curtain down on the first half.

Four points were shared in the first twelve minutes of the second half and it was fitting that McCarron supplied the breakthrough goal at the midway stage in the first half when he poked the ball home following great work from Darren Hughes. Substitute Owen Duffy and Kelly left nine between them and Diarmuid Murtagh pulled back a consolation point from a free.

It was double scores again on the hour when Duffy got through for a second Farney major - 2-16 to 0-11. Ward replied to an Enda Smith consolation and the hosts had the luxury of emptying their bench safe in the knowledge that the points were theirs.

Tadgh O'Rourke bagged a consolation goal and Devaney pulled back a point with the game long since over as any sort of contest.

Monaghan are in Ballyshannon next Sunday for a top-of-the-table meeting with Donegal, while Roscommon will take on holders Dublin in Croke Park on Saturday night.

Monaghan - R Beggan; F Kelly (0-1), D Wylie, R Wylie; R McAnespie, N McAdam, K O'Connell; D Hughes (0-1), K Hughes; G Doogan, S Carey (0-1), K Duffy; J McCarron (1-7, 0-5f), C McManus (0-4, 2f), D Ward (0-2). Subs: O Duffy (1-1) for S Carey, C McCarthy for R McAnespie, V Corey for K Duffy, O Coyle for D Wylie, B Greenan for D Hughes, S Gollogly for K O'Connell.

Roscommon - D O'Malley; S McDermott, T Featherston, N McInerney; G Patterson (0-1), S Mullooly, D Murray; T Corcoran, T O'Rourke (1-0); F Cregg, C Devaney (0-2), E Smith (0-1); C Murtagh (0-6, 5f), D Smith (0-2), C Connolly. Subs: U Harney for F Cregg, P Brogan for T Featherston, R Stack for G Patterson, D Murtagh (0-1f) for C Connolly, C Compton for E Smith, S Killoran for T Corcoran.

Referee - N Mooney.

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