Monaghan scored a resounding 12-point win over 14-man Armagh to book their place in the Ulster Football Championship semi-final at Casement Park.
Seamus McEnaney’s side demolished the Orchard challenge in ruthless fashion in front of a crowd of 11,675.
Armagh had to play the entire second half with 14 men after Brian Mallon was sent off just before the break, and they were unable to live with a Farney side which played with passion and desire all afternoon.
The drama began even before the ball was thrown in, with Monaghan full-back Darren Hughes taking over as emergency goalkeeper following an injury to Shane Duffy and the sudden departure from the squad of reserve ‘keeper Sean Gorman.
McDonnell wasted no time in displaying his legendary finishing powers, steering three delightful points between the posts in the opening 10 minutes, and forcing Monaghan manager Seamus McEnaney to shift JP Mone on to the Killeavy man.
Jamie Clarke had just eased the Orchard men into a 0-04 to 0-01 lead when Tommy Freeman silenced the Armagh supporters with a clinically finished goal, slotting low to the net past Paul Hearty from Ciaran Hanratty’s perfectly timed pass.
Aaron Kernan and Paul Finlay swapped points before McDonnell’s fourth had Armagh back in front, and goalkeeper Hearty denied Conor McManus an equalising point when he stretched his massive frame to pluck the ball from a foot above the crossbar.
Eoin Lennon and Dick Clerkin imposed themselves on the midfield battle for a sustained period of pressure in the final 15 minutes of the half, and they were rewarded by some glorious points from goalscorer Finlay and McManus.
And Armagh suffered another serious blow in the 35th minute when playmaker Brian Mallon received a straight red card for striking out at Rory Woods.
Finlay’s fourth point sent Monaghan in with a 1-07 to 0-06 interval lead, and Freeman stretched the advantage within 30 seconds of the restart.
Within four minutes they were eight points clear, with Finlay, Hanratty and centre-back Vinnny Corey all slotting over points.
Jamie Clarke pulled back a point for Armagh, but they struggled to get any fluency into their game, until a flowing move ended with wing-back Paul Duffy unleashing a ferocious shot which stand-in ‘keeper Daren Hughes did well to deflect over the bar.
Monaghan turned up the tempo again, scoring six of the game’s final seven points, with Finlay driving over a couple of gems from a ’45 and a sideline ball.
Dick Clerkin saluted the rapturous crowd after thumping through a couple of long-range scores, and Damien Freeman and substitute Hugh McElroy also hit the target.
Armagh reverted to route one strategy, but a series of dropping deliveries were punched away by goalkeeper Hughes, on his way to a clean sheet.
Armagh: P Hearty, A Mallon, B Donaghy, V Martin, P Duffy (0-01), C McKeever, F Moriarty, C Vernon, K Toner, M Mackin, A Kernan (0-01, f), G Swift (0-01), B Mallon, S McDonnell (0-04), J Clarke (0-02).
Subs: K Dyas for Martin (h-t), J Lavery for Mackin (h-t)
Monaghan: D Hughes, JP Mone, D Mone, C Walshe, D Freeman (0-01), V Corey (0-01), G McQuaid, D Clerkin (0-02), E Lennon, S Gollogly, P Finlay (0-07, 3f, 1 ’45), K Hughes, C Hanratty (0-01), C McManus (0-01, f), T Freeman (1-04).
Subs: R Woods for Gollogly (21), H McElroy (0-01) for Hanratty (51), F Caulfield for K Hughes (57), N McAdam for D Freeman (67)
Referee: M Sludden (Tyrone)
