Monaghan defeat Cavan in Division Two opener

Monaghan marched to a 2-22 to 0-20 victory over neighbours Cavan at Breffni Park on their return to Division Two.

An early goal from Conor McCarthy got new Farney boss Gabriel Bannigan off to a flyer and the away team led 1-10 to 0-12 at the break.

David Garland, who scored 1-5 on the night, struck a quick-fire goal and point at the start of the second half to give Monaghan a firm grip on proceedings.

Gary O'Rourke and Conor Madden were on target for the Breffni County, but the result always seemed out of reach.

McCarthy engineered a score from beyond the arc, but it was Rory Beggan who may prove a cheat code with the new two-point rule.

The goalkeeper boomed over three times from a distance that resulted in orange flags.

Michael Bannigan added to his tally in the closing stages to seal the deal as Monaghan's bid for an immediate return to the top tier took flight.