Defending champions Derry are back in another Ulster SFC final following a comfortable 1-21 to 2-10 win over Monaghan at O'Neills Healy Park.
Shane McGuigan led the way with a nine points haul, one of ten different players on target, as a controlled display saw them reach successive provincial deciders for the first time since 1998.
They dominated the Farney men in almost every sector, with Conor Glass and Brendan Rogers giving them a huge platform in the central third.
Trailing from start to finish, Monaghan were always chasing the game, and while they kept themselves in touch with goals from Karl O'Connell and Karl Gallagher, there was a certain inevitability about this eight-point success from a well organised and highly motivated Derry side.
In front of an Omagh crowd of 13,371, Glass blasted over a long range opener for Derry, also gaining a foothold in the central area along with Rogers as the Oak Leaf men imposed themselves on the contest early on.
Monaghan protected the 'D', but the accuracy of their opponents from distance neutralised the defensive efforts of Vinny Corey’s men.
And the energy and dynamism of Conor Doherty, Conor McCluskey and Ethan Doherty kept the defending champions on the front foot as they took the game to Monaghan with positivity.
Paul Cassidy arrowed over a couple of scores, and it was Doherty’s superb effort that had them ahead by 0-6 to 0-2 by the end of the opening quarter, both of Monaghan’s scores coming from goalkeeper Rory Beggan’s long range frees.
But in the 18th minute, Karl O’Connell injected a much-needed dose of pace and directness into Monaghan’s approach as they charged through the middle to drill his shot low to the net, exposing a defensive vulnerability when the threat seemed minimal.
But Derry had enough offensive momentum to compensate, responding with scores from Shane McGuigan, who fired over a second off his weaker right foot, and Niall Toner.
And in the 28th minute, corner back Conor McCluskey broke through to rifle home a goal.
O’Connell claimed Monaghan’s only point from play of the first half, while Conor McManus, starved of quality possession, converted a couple of frees, but it was Derry who completed the half in command of the contest, scores from McGuigan, Doherty along with a point from play from goalkeeper Odhran Lynch, sending them in at the break with a 1-12 to 1-5 interval lead.
Padraig McGrogan swept over his second score to stretch the advantage to nine, and Monaghan, living off scraps, struggled to find the spark they so badly needed.
But they did find another lifeline, plundering a second goal when goalkeeper Lynch failed to deal with Killian Lavelle’s high ball, and after Ryan Wylie had his shot blocked, Karl Gallagher finished to the net from close range.
Kieran Hughes narrowed the gap to five, but that was as close as the Farney men were able to get, as a composed Derry outfit stuck to the game plan, creating a goal chance of their own as Gareth McKinless sent Niall Toner in, but Beggan was quick off his line to smother the shot.
McGuigan’s accuracy from frees and play guided Rory Gallagher’s side safely towards the finish line, and Rogers was still going strong at the finish, galloping through for the concluding score.
Derry: O Lynch (0-01); C McCague, E McEvoy, C McCluskey (1-00); C Doherty (0-01), G McKinless, P McGrogan (0-02); C Glass (0-02), B Rogers (0-01); Padraig Cassidy, Paul Cassidy (0-02), E Doherty (0-02); N Toner (0-01, f), S McGuigan (0-09, 5f), N Loughlin
Subs: B Herron for Padraig Cassidy, C McFaul for Loughlin (48), B McCarron for McGrogan (65), P McNeil for McKaigue (68), L Murray for Toner (71)
Monaghan: R Beggan (0-02, 2f); K O’Connell (1-01), K Duffy, R Wylie; C Boyle (0-01), D Ward, R O’Toole; D Hughes, K Lavelle; S O’Hanlon (0-01), M Bannigan (0-01), C McCarthy; J McCarron, K Gallagher (1-00), C McManus (0-03, 3f)
Subs: S Carey for McCarron (29), K Hughes (0-01) for D Hughes (29), G Mohan for Ward (43), C Leonard for Gallagher (63), S Jones for Wylie (65)
Referee: S Hurson (Tyrone)
