Mayo’s dramatic 3-15 to 1-18 victory over 14-man Monaghan at Castlebar means they’ll face Kerry in the Division One final at Croke Park next weekend.

Having inflicted the only defeat of the campaign thus far on the Kingdom at Tralee last weekend, James Horan’s men claimed the runners-up spot in the final Division One standings courtesy of this victory coupled with Galway’s defeat to Tyrone in Omagh today.

The Farney County, meanwhile, who battled to the end despite being a man down for most of the second half, retain their top-flight status for a sixth successive year as table toppers Kerry’s victory over Roscommon means they finish in sixth place.

A brace of Kevin McLoughlin goals and three classy Fergal Boland points handed the victors a 2-7 to 0-6 half-time advantage.

Monaghan made no fewer than five changes to their starting XV prior to throw-in and one of those late additions, Jack McCarron, opened the scoring only for McLoughlin to hit back with a fifth-minute Mayo major, firing low to the net.

Conor McManus pulled back a point after David Clarke denied Karl O’Connell and a sensational McCarron point had the sides level for the first time on 14 minutes. Doherty’s free nudged the hosts back in front and Boland followed up with a stunning point off the outside of his right boot.

James McCormack and Boland left four between the sides but McCarron replied with a brace, bringing his tally to four, Boland quickly retorting with his third beautiful score.

A poor Rory Beggan kick-out culminated in McLaughlin’s second three-pointer, the Mayo attacker finishing in style to leave six between the sides with half an hour gone, 2-5 to 0-5.

McCarron and Aidan O’Shea exchanged scores and a Brian Reape point from an advanced mark left the rampant hosts seven ahead at the short whistle.

McCarron’s sixth was followed by an exchange between goalkeepers Robbie Hennelly (who replaced the injured Clarke) and Beggan, a brace of McManus points getting the Farney back within four only for their momentum to be taken away by a straight red card for Fintan Kelly, who was adjudged to have gone in on Boland with his elbow.

Darren Coen and McLoughlin pointed within a minute of each other to leave the gap at six, 2-10 to 0-10 after 46 minutes, but the deficit was halved when Darren Hughes sent a bullet to the Mayo net from an acute angle 13 minutes after the restart.

A minute later, the ball spun to the back of the Monaghan net off defender Ryan Wylie after Beggan had brilliantly denied McLoughlin his hat-trick and the gap was back to six. Full back Brendan Harrison got forward to fist another point for the 15 men.

Reape and McLoughlin pointed in response to a McManus free, the wind-assisted visitors reducing their arrears with further points from McCarron and McManus (two) but the damage was done and they trailed by five points with just ten minutes left.

As the clock ticked down, a brace of McManus frees brought the battling 14 men within three and a Conor McCarthy point made it a two-point game with 64 minutes played. Diarmuid O’Connor brought that run of six unanswered Monaghan points to an end.

Ryan McAnespie cancelled out Donal Vaughan’s point and a fantastic game, where both teams impressed, came to an end with Mayo deservedly winning and both teams ultimately getting the outcomes they wanted today as Mayo reach the final and Monaghan stay up.

Mayo - D Clarke; S Coen, B Harrison (0-1), E O’Donoghue; P Durcan, C Barrett, J McCormack (0-1); M Ruane, A O’Shea (0-1); F Boland (0-3), J Doherty (0-2, 1f), D O’Connor (0-1); K McLoughlin (2-2), D Coen (0-1), C Diskin. Subs: B Reape (0-1m) for C Diskin, R Hennelly (0-1f) for D Clarke, J Gibbons for M Ruane, D Drake for E O’Donoghue, J Carr for D Coen, D Vaughan (0-1) for J McCormack, C Treacy for F Boland. R Wylie (1-0og).

Monaghan - R Beggan (0-1f); B Kerr, D Wylie, R Wylie; K O’Connell, C Boyle, K Duffy; D Hughes (1-0), N McAdam; R McAnespie (0-1), D Malone, F Kelly; C McCarthy (0-1), J McCarron (0-7, 1f), C McManus (0-8, 5f). Subs: S O’Hanlon for D Malone, D Mone for N McAdam, V Corey for D Wylie, O Duffy for C McCarthy.

Referee - D O’Mahony.

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