Monaghan 1-12 Sligo 0-7:Monaghan got their NFL campaign back on track with this fully deserved victory over a disappointing Sligo side in St Tiernach's Park yesterday.
The home side dominated from start to finish but it wasn’t until the final minutes of the opening half that they made it count on the score board. Owen Duffy put Monaghan two points up 21 minutes before Adrian Marren, who hit all but one of the visitors’ scores, opened their account on 23 minutes.
Both sides added a pointapiece before two from Kieran Hughes and one from Dick Clerkin helped Monaghan lead 0-6 to 0-2 at the interval.
It was more of the same after the resumption with Dessie Mone superb in a very solid Monaghan defence. They stretched their lead to 0-8 to 0-3 as goalkeeper Rory Beggan (a 45) and Kieran Hughes added points before Christopher McGuinness pounced for the only goal on 44 minutes.
Adrian Marren tried to keep Sligo in touch but Monaghan added further points from Tomas Freeman (two, one free), Colin Walshe and McGuinness to complete a comfortable eight-point win.
MONAGHAN:R Beggan (0-1, 45); K Duffy, D Mone, F Kelly; K O'Connell, N McAdam, C Walshe (0-1); O Lennon, D Clerkin (0-1); G Doogan, K Hughes (0-3), O Duffy (0-2); C McGuinness (1-1), P Finlay (0-1, free), T Freeman (0-2, 0-1 free). Sub: S Smyth for T Freeman (63 mins). SLIGO: P Greene; C Harrison, J Martin, R Donovan; N Ewing, A McIntyre, M Quinn; S Gilmartin, S McManus; M Breheny, P Hughes B Curran; B Egan, N Murphy (0-1), A Marren (0-6, 0-2 frees). Subs: F Quinn for B Curran (34 mins), J Kelly for B Egan (half-time), B McGovern for P Greene (46 mins), J Kilcullen for M Breheny (49 mins), K Cawley for N Ewing (57 mins). Referee: S McLaughlin (Donegal).
