Roscommon backed up last weekend’s encouraging performance against Kerry by picking up two league points against Monaghan in the King and Moffatt Dr. Hyde Park sunshine.
Mark Dowd’s side found themselves two points adrift at the break but a devastating start to the second half, which included goals from their top scorers Diarmuid Murtagh and Enda Smith, turned the tide in their favour.
Monaghan welcomed back goalkeeper Rory Beggan but the visitors ran out of steam in the face of the Rossies’ second-half onslaught.
The game exploded into life with both sides finding the net inside the opening seven minutes.
Louis Kelly and Smith swapped early points before Kelly punctured a huge gap in the home side’s defence and finished to the net.
Roscommon responded with a Daire Cregg free but a two-pointer from Micheál Bannigan stretched wind-assisted Monaghan’s advantage to 1-3 to 0-2 after six minutes.
But when Dessie Ward was dispossessed a minute later, Smith was on hand to place the ball beyond Beggan for a Roscommon goal.
A great run by Darragh Heneghan was rewarded with the levelling score for the Rossies — 1-3 apiece after ten minutes.
Beggan (’45) and Ryan McAnespie exchanged scores with Diarmuid Murtagh (a point from play and a free) to still leave nothing between them after 19 minutes.
Roscommon enjoyed plenty of possession, but it was Monaghan who made the majority of their opportunities count.
Bannigan, Andrew Woods and Gary Mohan added to Monaghan’s tally, while McAnespie had a goal ruled out for a square ball.
A free by Cregg on the stroke of half time ended a 16-minute scoring famine for the home side as they trailed by 1-8 to 1-6 at the change of ends.
Fisted points on the resumption from Dylan Ruane and Darragh Heneghan hinted that Roscommon were reborn and meant business, and even though Dessie Ward and Andrew Woods (free) replied for Monaghan, a loose pass from Gary Mohan left Beggan stranded in the middle of the field.
Roscommon worked the ball upfield quickly, allowing the rampaging Enda Smith set up Diarmuid Murtagh for a crucial goal.
In the 48th minute, Roscommon bagged a third goal. Another turnover saw the supporting Paddy Gavin bearing down on goal. Darragh McElearney brought the Clann na nGael defender to ground, and Enda Smith stroke home the resultant penalty with aplomb.
Roscommon never relinquished their grip on the contest after that, with a couple of two-point frees from Daire Cregg and Diarmuid Murtagh keeping Monaghan at arm’s length on the scoreboard.
Micheál Bannigan brought his tally to 0-05, while substitute Eddie Walsh hit a two-pointer on the hooter but, in truth, there was precious little for Monaghan to shout about.
Roscommon were home and hosed, giving themselves a major lift in the division ahead of the visit of Armagh to the Hyde on Valentine’s weekend.
E. Smith 2-2 (1-0 pen), D. Murtagh 1-5 (tpf, 1f), D. Cregg 0-4 (tpf), D. Heneghan, D. Ruane 0-2 each, P. Carey 0-1.
M. Bannigan 0-5 (tp), L. Kelly 1-1, E. Walsh (tp), A. Woods (1f) 0-2 each, R. Beggan (1 45), R. McAnespie, G. Mohan, D. Ward, S. O’Hanlon, S. Mooney 0-1 each.
A. Brady; P. Gavin, C. Keogh, N. Higgins; O. Cregg, R. Daly, S. Lambe; K. Doyle, C. Ryan; D. Ruane, E. Smith, D. Heneghan; D. Murtagh, D. Cregg, R. Heneghan.
E. Ward for O Cregg (h-t), C. Heneghan for D. Cregg (52), P. Carey for R. Heneghan (57), J. Duggan for D. Heneghan (65), C. Neary for Ruane (70).
R. Beggan; D. McElearney, D. Treanor, R. McAnespie; R. O’Toole, D. Ward, T. Hughes; K. Gallagher, G. Mohan; R. Boyle, M. Bannigan, S. O’Hanlon; A. Casey, A Woods, L. Kelly.
M. McCarville for Kelly (38), S. Mooney for McAnespie (45), O. McGorman for Hughes (49), L. McDonald for Mohan (60), E. Walsh for Woods (67).
S. Hurson (Tyrone).
