Ben O'Carroll, Roscommon, and Dessie Ward, Monaghan, in Allianz Football League action. Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile
Allianz Football League Division Two Final
Monaghan 1-26 Roscommon 0-19
By Paul Keane at Croke Park
A first piece of significant silverware since 2015 and smiling faces all around in the Farney camp.
Jack McCarron's impact from the bench was significant as Monaghan hit the afterburners at Croke Park, burning off Roscommon in the closing quarter to secure the Allianz FL Division Two title.
Monaghan actually trailed by a point at half-time and while they were two-points ahead with 57 minutes on the clock, the Ulster outfit were still far from home and hosed.
But that's when they redoubled their efforts and found an extra gear, displaying all their power, pace and big game experience to outscore Roscommon by 1-6 to 0-1 in the run-in.
It was hugely impressive from Gabriel Bannigan's team who got a big impact from sub McCarron, who finished with 1-2, as well as captain Micheal Bannigan. It was McCarron's 57th minute goal that ignited the late scoring siege.
Two-pointers were a big feature of Monaghan's win and goalkeeper Rory Beggan claimed three of those while defensive colleague Dylan Byrne was named Man of the Match.
It remains to be seen what sort of impact the game will have on Roscommon who will jet across to London next Saturday for their Connacht SFC opener.
Monaghan, meanwhile, won't be in Ulster championship action until April 20 when they will play Derry or Donegal.
Both teams have played huge Championship games at Croke Park in recent seasons though the atmosphere was more subdued this time, initially at least.
An 11,450 crowd turned up for the double header and at times in the first-half it felt like a vital spark was missing.
Still, the new rules ensure that there'll always be exciting passages of play with plenty of one-v-one attacking and defending.
Monaghan wing-back Conor McCarthy was keen to run at the Roscommon rearguard whenever the chance arose.
He also popped up on the edge of the arc in the 13th minute to shoot a two-pointer, matching Dessie Ward's earlier effort.
Skipper Bannigan buzzed with attacking intent too, as did Andrew Woods and Stephen O'Hanlon.
Pacy O'Hanlon burst through in the closing moments of the first-half but was met with a huge hit, shoulder on shoulder, by Roscommon's Keith Doyle.
Roscommon brought their own arsenal of attacking talent to the big stage, starting the Murtagh brothers, former All-Star Enda Smith and Ben O'Carroll in a potentially explosive forward unit.
The Murtaghs picked off five points between them in the first-half to help the Rossies lead by 0-12 to 0-11 at the interval.
There was a trademark 45 conversion in there too from goalkeeper Beggan though his forays forward were limited.
Beggan spilled a catch in the 27th minute that fell to Rosscommon's Ruaidhri Fallon who blazed just over.
That left the sides level at 0-9 apiece, one of six times they were deadlocked in a near 50-50 opening stanza.
They were tied again at 0-12 apiece after the restart before Monaghan made a decisive burst with three two-pointers in a row.
Beggan nailed two from long-range frees before Bannigan played a neat one-two with O'Hanlon and curled another over, 0-18 to 0-13.
Roscommon kept at it and reduced the gap to a point at one stage, thanks in part to a Diarmuid Murtagh two-pointer, but they never got back to level terms again.
Ciaran McNulty and sub McCarron tagged on Monaghan scores to keep them in control.
McCarron was an increasingly central figure and rifled the decisive goal in the 57th minute to stretch the Farney's lead to five.
O'Hanlon and Ryan McAnespie combined to play in McCarron and though he had to turn onto his weaker right side, under pressure from John McManus, the Scotstown clubman struck sweetly.
Monaghan turned on the style late on with eye-catching Gary Mohan and Bannigan points before Beggan boomed over yet another score from downtown.
Scorers for Monaghan: Rory Beggan 0-7 (3 tpf, 1 45), Jack McCarron 1-2, Micheal Bannigan 0-5 (1tp), Andrew Woods 0-3 (0-1f), Dessie Ward 0-2 (tp), Conor McCarthy 0-2 (tp), Ryan McAnespie 0-1, Ryan Wylie 0-1, Stephen O'Hanlon 0-1, Ciaran McNulty 0-1, Gary Mohan 0-1.
Scorers for Roscommon: Diarmuid Murtagh 0-8 (4fs, 1 tp), Ciarain Murtagh 0-2 (0-2f), Cian McKeon 0-2, Enda Smith 0-2, Ben O'Carroll 0-1, Conor Carroll 0-1 (45), Eddie Nolan 0-1, Ruaidhri Fallon 0-1, Donie Smith 0-1
Monaghan: Rory Beggan; Ryan Wylie, Ryan O'Toole, Dylan Byrne; Dessie Ward, Aaron Carey, Conor McCarthy; Gary Mohan, Micheal McCarville; Ryan McAnespie, Micheal Bannigan, Ciaran McNulty; David Garland, Andrew Woods, Stephen O'Hanlon.
Subs: Jack McCarron for Garland 45, Stephen Mooney for McAnespie 58, Jason Irwin for Carey 67, Joel Wilson for McNulty 68, Kieran Duffy for McCarthy 70.
Roscommon: Conor Carroll; Niall Higgins, John McManus, David Murray; Colm Neary, Ruaidhri Fallon, Dylan Ruane; Eddie Nolan, Keith Doyle; Ciaran Lennon, Cian McKeon, Ciarain Murtagh; Ben O'Carroll, Diarmuid Murtagh, Enda Smith.
Subs: Ronan Daly for Fallon 35, Senan Lambe for Higgins 38-50, blood, Conor Hand for Lennon 43, Ultan Harney for Doyle 52, Donie Smith for McKeon 55, Cathal Heneghan for Ciarain Murtagh 62.
Referee: Barry Tiernan (Dublin).
