We regained our honour - Cassidy

Damien Cassidy shakes hands with Seamus McEnaney after the game

Damien Cassidy said that his Derry team had "got our respect and our honour back" after Saturday's impressive qualifier win over Monaghan at Clones.

Cassidy's team folded in their Ulster semi-final defeat by Tyrone but he was pleased by his response of his players in Saturday's contest.

"I was pleased to see that (attacking) aspect of our game come to the fore," Cassidy told BBC Sport.

"We've been working all year to build an attacking game."

Cassidy added:"Whilst our last two games had looked as though it was defensive, that was never genuinely the plan.

"Our football in the National League was quite impressive.

"We hit up big scores and it was just in the last couple of championship games where that aspect didn't come into play."

Cassidy insisted that Paddy Bradley's haul of 2-8 should put to bed any suggestions of friction between the Glenullin player and the Derry management.

If people had kept their noses out and minded their own business, there was not a story to start with Damien Cassidy

"After the week he's had, his performance showed senior character and quality.

"The two of us get on like a house on fire. That's what made the stories even more difficult to take.

"It wasn't a football issue whatsoever. There's no doubt Paddy has been having injuries and his form had dipped but that's not what this was about.

"If people had kept their noses out and minded their own business, there was not a story to start with.

"It's yesterday's story and it was yesterday's story on Tuesday.

"As far as I'm aware, Paddy has moved to the top of the scoring charts in Ulster football. He deserved immense credit."

Man-of-the-match Bradley said he was "delighted" with his afternoon's work.

"We took a lot of flak after the Tyrone game and rightly so. We didn't perform on the day.

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"It's great to come back with a good win against Monaghan because they are a really good side."

Bradley joined Cassidy in hitting out at coverage of the apparent saga in Derry over the past week.

"Stories like that keep the papers and the TV cameras in stories.

"I trained with the team last Sunday. I was carrying a bit of a niggle.

"There was the possibility I might have to miss the game but intense physiotheraphy throughout the week got me there today.

"And once you are out there in the heat of battle, the injury goes to the back of your head."

Bradley added that there was "nothing" in the stories about his alleged brief departure from the squad last weekend.

"The county board and Damien Cassidy said that there was nothing to them."