Monaghan 1-13 Longford 2-13
Longford produced one of the shocks of the summer to send Monaghan crashing out of the 2016 All-Ireland title race after a remarkable clash in Clones.
Longford raced into a 1-01 to 0-00 lead after just four minutes against the wind but Monaghan finished the opening half very strongly.
They hit Longford for 1-06 without reply in the closing eight minutes of the opening half to lead by 1-09 to 1-06 at the end of an entertaining opening half.
Longford made a blistering start and Mickey Quinn found the net after Liam Connerton, son of manager Denis, was denied by Monaghan goalkeeper Rory Beggan.
Conor McManus settled Monaghan with a brace of points but it was obvious that Longford were confident of a shock win.
Two points from James McGivney and one from Brian Kavanagh saw them deservedly open up a 1-04 to 0-02 advantage after 15 minutes.
Longford managed to keep that five points advantage until eight minutes from the break as the sides twice exchanged points but then the reigning Ulster champions hit top gear and struck for 1-6 without reply before the interval.
Conor McCarthy and Jack McCarron both got their second points of the match before Longford’s Donal McElligott was black-carded.
Another McCarthy point was followed by Monaghan striking for their only goal of the game.
They struck from deep in a counter-attack and while McCarron’s shot was smothered Colin Walshe followed through and finished the ball to the net with a first-time effort.
Another McManus free and a good point from Ryan McAnespie saw Monaghan lead by three points at the interval and seemingly on their way to the next round.
A third point from McManus and one from Ryan McAnespie saw Monaghan go in leading by 1-09 to 1-06 at the end of a highly entertaining opening half in front of a crowd of 5,262.
Longford sliced the deficit to a point early in the second-half and then pushed two in front before efforts from Conor McCarthy and Shane Carey levelled the match 12 minutes from the end.
But Longford pushed on as Monaghan’s third game in 14 days took its toll and Robbie Smyth sent the midlanders on their way to victory when his goal pushed them four clear with eight minutes left.
Monaghan, who hit nine second-half wides, got it back to a goal but never looked like saving their season and Longford deservedly held on for a famous win to book their place in the next round with one of the finest performances produced by the county in years.
Monaghan: R Beggan (0-01, 0-01 free); C Walshe (1-00), D Wylie, C Boyle; K O'Connell, V Corey, F Kelly; N McAdam, D Hughes; R McAnespie (0-01), D Malone, T Kerr; J McCarron (0-02), C McManus (0-04, 0-03 frees), C McCarthy (0-04).
Subs: O Duffy for Malone (36 mins), S Carey (0-01) for O'Connell (36 mins), D Mone for Kerr (50 mins), K Hughes for McCarron (56 mins), S Gollogly for Duffy (63 mins).
Longford: P Collum; C Farrelly, P McGee, B Gilleran; D McElligott, M Quinn (1-00), B McKeon; M Brady, D Gallagher; D Masterson (0-03), D Brady, J McGivney (0-03); R Smyth (1-03, 0-02 frees), B Kavanagh (0-03, 0-01 free, 0-01 sideline), L Connerton (0-01).
Subs: B O'Farrell for McGee (24 mins), D Reynolds for McElligott (31 mins, black card), M Hughes for M Brady (36 mins), R Connor for McKeon (60 mins, black card), B Farrell for Gallagher (65 mins), S Hannon for Smyth (72 mins).
Referee: C Branagan (Down)
