Eight points from the boot of Con O’Callaghan helped Dublin get off the mark in Division One as they condemned Monaghan to a third-straight loss.
It was a case of what might have been for the Ulster side as they failed to take a number of goalscoring opportunities as the Dubs did find the net late on through Quigley to bank their first win.
Early missed opportunities for both were a prelude of things to come, but Dublin did twice edge ahead through Ciaran Kilkenny and Con O’Callaghan with Ryan McAnespie and Micheal Bannigan responding, while Ross McGarry’s shot at goal rattled the crossbar for the hosts.
Monaghan then edged ahead twice with O’Callaghan and Sean Bugler cancelling out Oisin McGorman and Bannigan. Meanwhile, Dublin’s stand-in goalkeeper Hugh O’Sullivan saved from Stephen O’Hanlon and later in the half, produced a double stop from Micheal McCarville and McGorman.
A two-pointer from Dessie Ward was the highlight of the opening half, with Dublin replying with three points on the spin but the first could have been a goal when Luke Breathnach blazed over.
Ward would then help the ball onto the base of the post late in the half, but an Aaron Carey score restored parity with the sides level at 0-7 apiece at the break.
Monaghan made the better start to the second period with five of the first six scores, but Ward could have had more when his effort grazed the top of the bar on the way over.
Helped by an O’Callaghan two-pointer, Dublin drew level before Bugler then saw a shot cannon off the bar and over.
Monaghan rallied with four points, including a two-point free from Rory Beggan, to move three clear but Bannigan had a goal chance in this time when he improvised to swivel on the bar but watched as the effort flew past the post.
The Dubs would hit back with another two-pointer from O’Callaghan before they forced a turnover at midfield and broke with pace, leading to Quigley blasting high to the net.
They saw it out with three of the final four scores to get their first points of the campaign, while Monaghan’s wait goes on.
