Fermanagh came into the game on the back of their excellent victory over Down in the quarter-final but on the day they had no answer to the hunger and power that Monaghan generated throughout the game.

Central to that performance was the excellent fielding of Brendan McKenna in midfield who picked up the man-of-the-match award and the grafting of Eoin Greenan who between them totally controlled the middle third of the field.

Monaghan got off to a lightening start with a goal by Eoin Duffy in the opening minute and they were rarely threatened although manager Seamus McEneaney felt they might have had a few more scores.

Monaghan went on to lead at half time by 1-5 to 0-1, but in the second half Fermanagh pulled back two early points. However they found the going difficult against a hardworking Monaghan defence and when Rodney Gorman struck for Monaghan's second goal in the 21st minute the result was never in any serious doubt.

MONAGHAN

P McBennett; C Hughes, D Hughes, D Mooney; M McNally, J Ward, C McManus; B McKenna, E Greenan; N Treanor, B O'Brien (0-1), M McElroy; C Hanratty (0-5), E Duffy (1-1), S Smith (0-1) Subs R Gorman (10) for Smith, D Bishop for Hanratty, D McKeown for Hughes, C Brady for McManus, M McKenna for E Duffy

FERMANAGH

F Murphy; N Leonard, M McGovern, B Mulrone; A Dennison, C McCaffrey, P Gormley; B Connolly (0-1), D McAvinney; T O'Flanagan (0-1), B Og McGuire (0-1), P McCusker; E Ferris, D Kille (0-1), J Connolly Subs C Leonard for E Ferris, J Carrigan for P McCusker, D McQuaid for P Gormley, C McGeehan for O Flanagan Referee S McNamee (Tyrone)