Monaghan fell to a convincing eight points defeat to Louth 3-15 to 16 points in a game they never trailed in.
It took Monaghan 10 minutes to get their first score of a game by this stage Louth had found a goal and three points. Fergal Rafter and Stephen Lambe brought the margin to a goal on 14 minutes.
Fergal Rafter, Niall Garland, Hugh Byrne and Stephen Lambert put one point between the sides a Louth led 2-3 to eight points, five minutes before the break.
Louth rallied with four points in those five minutes to lead 2-7 to eight points at half-time.
It would take Monaghan nine second-half minutes to get their first score of the half thanks to Fergal Rafter after Louth found a goal as Louth led 3-12 to 12 points at the second water break.
Fergal Rafter helped a Monaghan comeback but it was too little to late as Louth won out 3-15 to 16 points.
