Dr McKenna Cup: A more committed Monaghan took the result in this competitive and entertaining game in Clones yesterday.

Monaghan laid the foundations for victory in the second quarter when Fergal Duffy scored a goal and Dick Clerkin added five points.

Donegal pulled back three points in the final minutes of the half to leave the half-time score 1-10 to 0-7 in Monaghan's favour. Six points separated the sides as the game entered the final quarter before Tom Freeman scored a goal to kill the game as a contest.

MONAGHAN: S Duffy; G McQuaid, J Coyle, C Flanagan; J Ward (0-1), R Ronaghan, D Freeman; M Daly, D Clerkin (0-9); D Mone, S Gollogly, D McArdle (0-1), T Freeman (1-1), F Duffy (1-0), R Woods. Subs: N Corrigan (0-3) for D Mone, D McKernan for S Gollogly, H McElroy for M Daly, D Mone for F Duffy.

DONEGAL: M Boyle; N McCready, N McGee, D Diver; M Maguire (0-1), B Monaghan, K Cassidy; E Sweeney, N Gallagher; R Bradley (0-3), S McDermott (0-1), B Roper; P McNulty, S Cassidy (0-1), C McFadden (0-5). Subs: R Kavanagh for E Sweeney, M Hegarty (0-1) for P McNulty, A Sweeney (0-1) for S Cassidy, B Boyle for S McDermott, E Reddan for B Monaghan.

Referee: M Sludden (Tyrone).