Just when winning the league was all the rage, now it's not such a smart idea. It certainly doesn't seem that bright to win it and run into Monaghan anyway. Like Donegal, this year's kings of April ran into a side smarting from their own Ulster exit and were again outfought and outthought. Worse, again, the league champions imploded.

The fallout will be massive. As uplifting as it was to see Banty McEnaney back strutting along that line, knowing he'll be at it again next weekend, it was tainted by the inescapable conclusion that Paddy Crozier won't walk an inter-county one again.

Derry were shapeless for the first half, totally misattributing their defeat to Fermanagh. Instead of tweaking attitude and intensity levels, they made a raft of changes.

Only one defender started where he did against Fermanagh, the midfield duo was dismantled, while Raymond Wilkinson and Collie Devlin replaced Conleth Gilligan and Paul Murphy. The most radical of all though was Paddy Bradley at centre forward.

It didn't work. Derry missed the outlet he provided inside, while any time he did get on the ball, the only player he looked to bring into the game was his brother, Eoin. Mark Lynch and Enda Muldoon meanwhile spent the first half rotating between spots 12 and 14. In trying to confuse Monaghan, they only confused themselves. It was only after half-time they figured out what they were trying to do and contributed to a marvellous second half, but in the end, Monaghan's superior cohesion and nerve edged it.

It was a monumental win. For too long they had been ovedependent on Paul Finlay and Tommy Freeman, but yesterday Stephen Gollogly, Conor McManus and Ciaran Hanratty combined for five first-half points. Though it will take Finlay's brilliance to get back to Croke Park, Monaghan might reflect it also took his absence for one game to make it happen too.

Monaghan were a bit disoriented themselves, mind, and when the scoring opened around the 13th minute, it was Paddy Bradley. But when that was quickly followed by another effort from Eoin, the game really took off. Or to be more specific, Monaghan did.

Eoin Lennon and Dick Clerkin dominated, Damien Freeman swept up everything else, while Derry's new centre forward was being swamped. A couple of minutes after Dick Clerkin poked to the net, and Monaghan were 1-7 to 0-4 up. Derry looked dead and buried.

By half-time though they were still breathing, with Muldoon, just like in Ballybofey, being the one to resuscitate them with a massive point. Then, with the last kick of the half, Eoin Bradley pounced.

The second half was pulsating. Derry finally adjusted, and Doherty came into it, but Monaghan kept pucking away, exemplified by Hanratty's wonderful point. A minute from time, Freeman kicked the winning free. Derry would get their chance to cancel it out, but didn't take it. Instead their disintegration was personified by Fergal Doherty, he just coming off a suspension, wrangling on the ground with Eoin Lennon even though his side had a 50-yard free to level the game. It was the game in a nutshell. Derry hadn't the necessary poise. Monaghan did.

MONAGHAN P McBennett; P McGuigan, D Hughes, D McArdle; JP Mone, D Mone, C McManus (0-1); E Lennon, D Clerkin (1-0); D Freeman, R Woods (0-1), S Gollogly (0-2); C Hanratty (0-3), V Corey, T Freeman (0-5, 0-2 frees) Subs S Smith for Hughes, 44 mins; N McAdam for McGuigan, 51 mins); B McKenna for Clerkin, 67 mins

DERRY J Deighan; G O'Kane, N McCusker, J O'Kane (0-1); L Hinphey, K McCloy, M McBride; F Doherty (0-1), Patsy Bradley; M Lynch (0-2), Paddy Bradley (0-4, 0-2 frees), R Wilkinson; C Devlin (0-1), E Muldoon (0-1), E Bradley (1-1) Subs C McCaigue (0-1)for Hinphey, h-t; C Gilligan for Wilkinson, 44 mins; J Diver for McCloy, 62 mins; J Conway for Patsy Bradley, 68 mins, P Murphy for Muldoon, 51 mins

Referee D Coldrick (Meath)