Ulster SFC holders Tyrone began the defence of their title with a two-point win over 13-man Monaghan on Sunday.
Mickey Harte's men are on course for a third successive provincial success after downing the Farney County by 1-13 to 1-11 in the quarter-final at Omagh's Healy Park.
Brian McGuigan's first half goal helped Tyrone to a 1-7 to 0-6 interval lead, with Eamonn McEneaney's side having had Dick Clerkin sent off. Dessie Mone was also to be dismissed late on, but not before a penalty from Darren Hughes helped Monaghan close the gap.
In miserably wet conditions, the visiting side showed signs of staging an upset early on. Conor McManus hit a brace of early points, with Paul Finlay equalling that tally with frees.
Martin Penrose, Sean Cavanagh and McGuigan were the first three men to split the posts for the hosts, but a third McManus point had Monaghan’s advantage back at two.
The Red Hand went on to hit the front for the first time though when Aidan Cassidy seized possession from Kieran Duffy and, via Peter Harte, got the ball to Stephen O’Neill. The Tyrone talisman picked out McGuigan with a truly superb pass and he powered the ball beyond Mark Keogh.
A Harte point extended Tyrone’s lead before two yellow cards in two minutes, the second for a challenge on Cavanagh, saw the Farney’s Clerkin sent from the field. Cavanagh and O’Neill stretched the Tyrone advantage further before McManus’s score left his men 1-7 to 0-6 behind at the break.
Conor Galligan’s foul on Mark Donnelly gave the Red Hand a seocnd half penalty, but the chance was blown when Penrose blasted it wide. The opposition then got a spot kick of their own, with Hughes more proficient as he fired beyond Pascal McConnell.
Further points followed with O’Neill and Owen Mulligan on the mark for Tyrone, while McManus, Hughes and Finlay dragged Monaghan closer. However, they then lost Mone after his reckless high challenge on Philip Jordan.
It left them short of men as they just came up short on the scoresheet. Tyrone will face either Donegal or Cavan in the last four of the province.