Monaghan blitzed as Derry maintain impressive start to Division 1

Derry cruised to a third successive Division One victory as goals from Conor McCluskey, Padraig McGrogan and Conor Doherty saw the Oak Leafers breeze past Monaghan aside in a one-sided affair in Celtic Park.

Mickey Harte's team were in charge throughout with McCluskey's excellent first half effort easing them to a 1-09 to 0-06 interval lead which Monaghan rarely looked like threatening. And while the goals caught the eye, Shane McGuigan's contribution of 0-11 merely underlined the quality of a forward currently playing at the top of his game.

And he wasn't alone with Ethan Doherty, Diarmuid Baker and Ciaran McFaul all excellent.

Derry made three changes from the side that started the victory over Tyrone two weeks previous, hamstring victims Odhran Lynch and Grateh McKinless replaced by Ryan Scullion and fit again Eoin McEvoy while Cormac Murphy's broken finger meant a first league start of the season for Lachlan Murray.

And just like they had against the Red Hands, the Ulster champions played with the wind in the first half. However, unlike against the Red Hands, Derry took full advantage of the elements.

A cagey enough opening period saw the sides swap two scores apiece with Monaghan keeper Darren McDonnel and Michael Hamill cancelling out two McGuigan frees. Indeed those opening exchanges were Monaghan versus McGuigan and the Farney were losing as last season's championship top scorer hit Derry's opening five points to hand the home side a 0-5 to 0-2 lead by the 13th minute.

Four minutes later Derry had doubled that three point lead as Ciaran McFaul pointed twice in quick succession before McGuigan grabbed his sixth of a superb half with his best of the day.

Joel Wilson's point was Monaghan's first for 15 minutes but it