Monaghan bared their teeth to beat Kildare by 0-15 to 1-10 in their Super 8s opener at Croke Park.

So long the graveyard of Farney hopes and dreams, HQ was wet and soggy today but it will take a lot to dampen the winners' spirits after they prevailed dramatically with late points from Niall Kearns, Conor McManus and Rory Beggan to take the points on offer.

Displaying resolution, resolve and no little skill, the winners will entertain Munster champions Kerry in Clones next weekend, knowing that another victory would leave them within touching distance of the last four. The losers, meanwhile, will have to defeat Galway in Newbridge to keep their hopes alive.

Malachy O'Rourke's men shaded a gruelling opening period and were full value for their 0-10 to 1-5 interval advantage.

Daniel Flynn's fantastic fifth-minute solo goal had the Lilywhites - donned in unfamiliar green - two points ahead, 1-1 to 0-2, after McManus and the superb Kearns had replied to a Neil Flynn free. The Kildare goal - finished to the net via the underside of the crossbar at the end of a direct run - was an excellent score but the Farney County were back in front by the tenth minute courtesy of two McManus frees either side of a lovely Conor McCarthy point.

The northerners had a lucky escape when Neil Flynn's free dropped onto the crossbar and Beggan then diverted a Daniel Flynn effort over for an equalising Kildare point. After Owen Duffy was needlessly black-carded for a clear trip, Beggan speared a trademark '45' between the posts at the Hill 16 end to restore Monaghan's lead, the goalkeeper's eleventh point of the championship making it 0-6 to 1-1.

Karl O'Connell, who is moving into All Start territory, doubled the difference with an exceptional point from the right wing off the outside of his boot. Tommy Moolick's excellent 22^nd-minute point from 40 metres at the end of a patient Kildare move halved the deficit but Shane Carey replied with a point, firing over the bar in a one-on-one with Mark Donnellan - 0-8 to 1-3 with twelve minutes left before the break.

Monaghan's Ryan Wylie attempts to block down Neil Flynn of Kildare. ©INPHO/Bryan Keane.

A stunning 28^th-minute McCarthy point off his trusty left boot struck off Neil Flynn's second pointed free and O'Connell hammered one over on half an hour to stretch the gap out to three, 0-10 to 1-4. A brilliant Neil Flynn point from play closed the first-half scoring.

McManus and Flynn missed presentable frees at either end when the action resumed but a super Fergal Conway point brought the Lilygreens back within the minimum. Neil Flynn duly equalised with his side's third successive point after substitute Paudie McKenna missed a glorious opportunity to double Monaghan's advantage.

Donnelly denied O'Connell with a diving save but the flying wing back reacted quickest and fisted over the lead point from the rebound first time, the border county's first score of the second half arriving with 21 minutes remaining. Wing back Johnny Byrne brought Cian O'Neill's charges level again and it was untidy, scrappy, nerve-wracking stuff as chances were spurned at both ends before Kieran Duffy restored Monaghan's lead amid high drama in the 56^th minute.

Kevin Feely's free drew the losers back on terms with eight minutes left but the men in blue reclaimed the lead through young midfielder Kearns on 64 minutes. Flynn sent a pressure free from distance wide with four minutes remaining and Moolick's effort came back off the upright 90 seconds later.

Excellent defending by Kearns denied Kildare and dual All Star McManus tagged on the insurance point at the other end on the stroke of 70 minutes.

Substitute Eamonn Callaghan reduced the Leinster county's deficit in the first of five additional minutes. The tension was unbearable as Beggan came forward to nail the insurance point from a free in the fourth minute of injury time and the Farney army held on for a superb victory - their first All-Ireland quarter-final win in six attempts.

Monaghan - R Beggan (0-2, 1f, 1'45); R Wylie, D Wylie, K Duffy (0-1); F Kelly, V Corey (0-1), D Mone; N Kearns (0-1), D Hughes; R McAnespie, S Carey (0-1), K O'Connell (0-3); C McCarthy (0-2), C McManus (0-4, 1f), O Duffy. Subs: P McKenna for O Duffy (BC), J McCarron for F Kelly, K Hughes for P McKenna, D Malone for S Carey.

Kildare - M Donnellan; M O'Grady, D Hyland, P Kelly; J Byrne (0-1), E Doyle, K Flynn; K Feely (0-1f), T Moolick (0-1); F Conway (0-1), P Cribbin, K Cribbin; P Brophy, D Flynn (1-1), N Flynn (0-4, 2f). Subs: N Kelly for P Cribbin, C Healy for P Brophy, D Slattery for K Cribbin, E Callaghan (0-1) for T Moolick, C McNally for N Flynn.

Referee - A Nolan.

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