Monaghan SFC Final/ Clontibret 1-10 Castleblayney 0-10: A goal and five points by Conor McManus helped propel Clontibret to their second title in a row when they defeated Castleblayney in front of 4,000 spectators in Clones yesterday.

Man-of-the-match McManus got his side off to the perfect start with a goal after two minutes and that goal separated the sides at the finish.

The sides were level three times during in a very close first half, Castleblayney levelling twice although they did briefly take the lead for the only time when Ciarán Tavey pointed a free three minutes into stoppage time.

Clontibret led 1-4 to 0-7 at the break and eight minutes into the second half they extended their lead with points from Fergal Mone and Conor McManus with Castleblayney's best chance of a goal being denied by the bottom of the upright after 46 minutes.

Entering the final quarter of an absorbing match one point separated the sides with Vincent Corey and Conor McManus then combining to tag on a brace of points inside a minute for a cushion that the champions never relinquished.

Twice Castleblayney got the margin down to two points in the final quarter but they lacked the penetration up front to get the goal they needed to have any chance of overturning the favourites.

Clontibret meet Crossmaglen Rangers in the quarter-final of the Ulster club football championship on November 4th at a Monaghan venue.

CLONTIBRET: P McElroy; M Corey, E Ward, P Duffy; D Mooney, D Mone, Paul McGuigan; JP Mone, E Greenan; R Gorman (0-1), C McManus (1-5), Paraic McGuigan; M Hughes, V Corey (0-1), F Mone (0-3). Subs: B O Magennis for Paraic McGuigan, R Murphy for M Hughes, D McKeown for E Greenan, J Golden for R Gorman.

CASTLEBLAYNEY: P McBennett; P Mallon, C Brady, C Hughes; F Moore, S McGeough, R McArdle; R Teacey, G Ward; D McArdle, C Tavey (0-6), M McElroy; C Hanratty (0-3), J Hughes (0-1), A Irwin. Subs: K Duffy for S McGeough, J McHugh for G Ward.

Referee: J O'Rourke(Eire Óg).