Malachy O’Rourke couldn’t help but feel a little short-changed after an exciting afternoon in Clones.

A penny for Eamonn Fitzmaurice’s thoughts right now as he spies Tyrone’s red and white army marching across the horizon again.

Malachy O’Rourke admitted he’d be disappointed if Tyrone’s Tiernan McCann feigned injury to get Darren Hughes dismissed.

Nine years Conor McManus has spent in the Monaghan shirt, on but one occasion was he overlooked.

Michael Murphy mightn’t have been happy with the performance but he was at least content in the knowledge last Saturday has dispelled some of the perceptions that Donegal were going to stroll to another Ulster championship.

Dick Clerkin has been knocking about Monaghan’s senior panel for 16 years and the veteran midfielder has little doubt that Conor McManus is the best player he has soldiered with in all that time.

The two live TV games yesterday were boosted by impressive performances by both referees who applied the rules consistently.

Cavan chairman Gerry Brady has revealed their senior football management will speak to players about avoiding verbals ahead of Sunday’s Ulster quarter-final derby with Monaghan.

Peter McNamara looks at this weekend's GAA.

Monaghan 0-15, Derry 0-10:

Donegal 1-4, Monaghan 0-9: At half-time yesterday at O’Donnell Park in Letterkenny, the stadium announcer informed the crowd that Mark English had won silver in the 800m at the European Indoor Athletic Championships in Prague.

Donegal 1-4, Monaghan 0-9:

Mayo 3-15 Monaghan 0-11

Mayo claimed a fully merited second win of the current Allianz Football League Division 1 campaign against 13 men Monaghan at Elverys McHale Park this afternoon.

Allianz FL Division 2 Round 2: Monaghan 1-16 Cork 2-14:

Tyrone 0-9 Monaghan 1-13: Allianz Football League Division 1: It’s three years since Seamus McEneaney’s era ended and the obituaries were written for this generation of Monaghan footballers, but the team he built continues to show obvious signs of rude health under Malachy O’Rourke.

Monaghan returned to Division One in a blaze of glory, turning over Tyrone at Healy Park to launch their season with two points on the road.

Cavan 1-13 Monaghan 0-13

The semi-final line-up in the Bank of Ireland Dr McKenna Cup has been confirmed following the completion of the remaining weather-affected Round Three ties.

Armagh picked up a first competitive win under new manager Kieran McGeeney with a 2-11 to 1-1 victory over Antrim yesterday.

Lambs to the slaughter they may not be but Monaghan go into today’s All-Ireland quarter-final against Dublin in full knowledge of the disembowelment the reigning champions have handed out to all who have gone before this year.

Monaghan 2-16 Kildare 2-14 (aet)

By Peter O’Dwyer

ULSTER SFC FINAL:

Donegal 0-15 Monaghan 1-09

ULSTER SFC FINAL:

Monaghan 1-18 Armagh 1-13

Monaghan 1-18 Armagh 1-13

Enda McNulty is understandably wary of the Monaghan threat this evening. If history has taught him anything, it is to never underestimate the white and blue shirt.

The armchair pundit can be cynical, malicious and extremely cutting and this can be viewed as acceptable by many.

He’ll always be Wee James to us and nearly anyone who saw him play, but when it comes to inter-county management there’s a case a certain Mr McCartan could be termed Old James.

Donegal 1-10 Monaghan 1-16

Monaghan 1-16 Donegal 1-10

Monaghan 0-13 Galway 0-12

Monaghan 2-20 Fermanagh 0-11

Tyrone, Donegal, Monaghan, Derry, Antrim and Cavan were victorious in the Power NI Dr. McKenna Cup in Ulster this afternoon.

Tyrone made it through to their first All-Ireland SFC semi-final since 2009 with a narrow win over Ulster neighbours Monaghan in an attritional battle at Croke Park.

Stephen Gollogly has recovered from an eye injury to take his place in the Monaghan team to play Tyrone in Saturday's opening All-Ireland SFC quarter-final at Croke Park (throw-in 5pm).

Heaven. He’s in heaven.

In one corner of the tunnel was Dick Clerkin holding court with a gaggle of journalists.

Monaghan 0-13 Donegal 0-07

Karl Lacey will make his first championship start of the season in Sunday’s Ulster final against Monaghan in Clones.

Paul Finlay and Dermot Malone have been added to the Monaghan attack for their Ulster SFC final showdown with defending champions Donegal in Clones on Sunday (throw-in 4pm).