Three smash and grab goals enabled Derry to switch to cruising speed by the time the second half of yesterday's Ulster SFC clash was three minutes old. Monaghan, playing without their captain Edwin Murphy, harshly sent to the line in the opening half, spent most of the remaining time running up cul de sacs.

From the moment Gary Magill knocked home Derry's third goal for a 10-point advantage, three minutes into the second half, Monaghan's cause was lost.

The only real issue to be decided after that concerned Donegal referee Michael McGrath and the likelihood of him setting up a new record in bookings for a rough and tumble match that clearly warranted firm control.

The bone-shaking exchanges had to be kept under control and referee McGrath's firm hand met with the approval of the 12,000 crowd who were subjected to a free-riddled match.

The official was clearly reacting to more recent instructions from on high to punish the pull and drag merchants. He booked 10 players in all, but his decision to send Murphy to the line in the 10th minute, after consulting with a linesman, seemed an over-reaction.

Monaghan manager Eamonn McEneaney's opinion on the sending off seemed a proper appraisal. "He (Murphy) pushed the guy. He didn't hit him," he said.

Before the Monaghan captain was dispatched, Derry had stamped their considerable authority on the game with industrious forwards Eamonn Burns, Joe Brolly and Joe Cassidy opening with points. The match was 15 minutes old before Declan Smyth hit Monaghan's opening score, a pointed free. More than half of the losers' scores came from placed balls, with Smyth the most successful in this area.

Generally, though, the match was all about Derry's hat-trick of goals and the damaging effect they had on Monaghan's morale.

The loss of their captain was the prelude to a forgettable day for the challengers. They reacted to the sending-off by dropping Kevin Hughes back into defence, but Derry, prompted by Anthony Tohill's control under the high ball in midfield, launched waves of attacks.

Wing back Paul McFlynn was generally given the free role in the Derry defence, but Damien Freeman and to a greater extent Peter Duffy and Declan Smyth repeatedly showed the ability to worry the Derry cover.

Henry Downey and Sean Martin Lockhart impressed in the central defensive positions for Derry, with Downey often starting the most elaborate Derry moves.

The other half of the Lavey duo, Seamus Downey, was forced to retire concussed at half-time. Before he departed the scene he more than earned his keep.

He picked up a loose Monaghan pass just before half-time and set up Derry's second goal. Downey's shot, an obvious attempt for a point, dropped short and Joe Cassidy was on hand to knock in an opportunist goal past a bemused John O'Connor.

Downey had also played a part in Derry's first goal, combining in an impressive move with Dermot Dougan before setting up Eamonn Burns with the easy task of netting.

A pleased Burns said afterwards: "It was my first goal in the Derry shirt in almost seven years."

Magill's goal three minutes into the second half put the result beyond doubt. Joe Brolly flat-footed his marker at the corner flag on the right and careered along the endline before passing to Dougan who in turn released Magill. There was some doubt as to whether Magill was inside the small square when receiving the ball, but in truth it would hardly have made any difference to the result one way or the other. Derry manager Brian Mullins was delighted with the way his team performed from the start and sustained the effort. But he was not prepared to get over-excited with the result and rebutted the notion that it gave rise to expectations of Derry regaining the Ulster crown.

"I am always happy to be over the first round," he said.

Mullins had a special warning relating to training for his players. "You can tell your clubs that ye are going to be with us on Wednesday week," he emphasised.

"It was exactly the same as last year," said Monaghan manager Eamonn McEneaney. "We gave away two goals in the first half and went in at half-time eight points down. You would want to be a super team to come back after that.

"Our players kept battling away, they never gave up, and I would certainly give them credit for that. They were playing for their pride," he added. "We were slow starting and Derry got away from us and then we got a man sent off. It knocked us back a bit," McEneaney added.

Eamonn Burns, scorer of Derry's first goal, said that as far as he was concerned the match was over at half-time. "The referee was blowing for the pulling and dragging, which he is entitled to do, but it must have been very disappointing for the spectators," he said.

"Forwards will benefit more from the new approach by referees against players who repeatedly obstruct," Burns reckoned.

"Last year we went out and hammered Tyrone in the first round, but it counted for nothing in the next match against Cavan." Former star and current Derry county chairman Jim McKeever said: "They (Derry) can win the Ulster title this year, but that is not saying they will win it. I think the next match against either Down or Armagh is going to be a helluva match.

"The goals were all important," he said. "I thought the first goal by Burns was excellent and the second was a very good finish by Cassidy."