It was all about the result at rain-soaked Clones, where Monaghan pushed neighbours Cavan close to relegation with a 0-14 to 1-8 victory.

The result means that the Breffni County (with just two points accumulated) must beat All-Ireland champions Dublin in the last round to have any chance of staying up, while the Farney men – for whom Conor McManus pointed six times – move up onto four points but are still not out of the relegation woods themselves, with a trip to Castlebar looming next.

A brilliant Conor Madden point off his right boot from the tightest of angles and a left-footed Conor McCarthy free flew between the posts deep into added time at the end of a very poor opening period, leaving the sides level at the break – 1-3 to 0-6.

St Tiernach’s Park passed a pitch inspection this morning following rainfall of biblical proportions overnight but conditions remained particularly challenging, rendering quality football nigh on impossible.

The visitors got off to a dream start when an excellent Raymond Galligan restart worked its way to Killian Clarke, who ghosted through a non-existent Monaghan defence and picked out Cian Mackey, who calmly slotted a first-minute goal.

The Farney County hit poor wides from Shane Carey and McManus either side of that goal but the latter finally got them up and running as he swung over frees in the fifth and seventh minutes. But Niall McKiernan’s ninth-minute free made it double scores, 1-1 to 0-2.

Rory Beggan denied Madden a second Cavan major before arrowing over a stunning free from distance, leaving Mickey Graham’s men ahead by the minimum at the end of the opening quarter. McManus’ third converted free drew the sides level on 20 minutes and there were wides at either end from McManus (free) and Martin Reilly as both sides struggled to impress.

Reilly and McCarthy increased the wides tally and things failed to improve as Galligan dropped a free short after Drew Wylie unceremoniously swung an opponent to the sodden surface. McManus (free) and Ciaran Brady missed the target.

Both goalkeepers showed real quality under dangerous dropping balls and midfielder Dara McVeety edged Cavan back in front two minutes from the end of the first half – their first score in 24 minutes – only for fellow midfielder Darren Hughes to reply with a stunning score off the outside of his right boot at the other end in injury time at the end of a lacklustre first half.

The late exchange between Madden and McCarthy at least signalled an eventful conclusion to a drab first half…

The latter nudged the hosts in front for the first time in the first minute of the second half and McManus spurned a free for the third time before Mackey’s super score brought the visitors back on terms.

Substitute Jack McCarron restored Monaghan’s lead and McManus’ free ensured that the gap was two as the heavens opened going into the final quarter. After McManus lofted over a beauty from play to stretch the gap out to three, Beggan eased over a free to make it four but substitute Gearoid McKiernan hit back – 1-5 to 0-11 with twelve minutes left.

A McCarron free provided the insurance point with 63 minutes played but Cavan were given renewed hope as Galligan effortless speared over a free from in front of the posts half an hour into a nervy second half. But Malachy O’Rourke’s men powered five clear thanks to points from McManus and McCarron, who was sent off two minutes from the end of normal time when picking up a second yellow card and a red.

McKiernan made no mistake from a 69th-minute free and popped over another one in the fourth added minute but it was Monaghan – with defenders Ryan Wylie and Conor Boyle catching the eye – who prevailed.

Monaghan - R Beggan (0-2f); C Walshe, D Wylie, R Wylie; K O’Connell, V Corey, C Boyle; D Hughes (0-1), G Doogan; S Carey, D Malone, F Kelly; C McCarthy (0-2, 1f), M Bannigan, C McManus (0-6, 4f). Subs: R McAnespie for G Doogan, J McCarron (0-3, 1f) for M Bannigan, K Duffy for V Corey, O Duffy for S Carey, B Kerr for K O'Connell.

Cavan - R Galligan (0-1f); J McLoughlin, P Faulkner, C Moynagh; G Smith, C Brady, C Rehill; D McVeety (0-1), K Clarke; N McKiernan (0-1f), P Smith, N Murray; M Reilly, C Mackey (1-1), C Madden (0-1). Subs: S Smith for P Smith, G McKiernan (0-3, 2f) for C Mackey, J Smith for N McKiernan, J Brady for N Murray.

Referee - B Cawley.

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