North strike leaves Sligo heading with all points west

Monaghan Utd 0 Sligo Rovers 1:A WELL-TAKEN goal by Danny North four minutes into the second half was enough to take all three points back to Sligo on a beautiful evening in Gortakeegan for football. The loss left Roddy Collins' Monaghan still waiting for their first win of the season

The rest of the half was largely uneventful but Sligo did step up the pressure after the interval and their pressure was eventually rewarded when after a corner kick was cleared, a slack back pass let in Sligo centre forward North and he beat Bennion with a well-taken effort into the top-right-hand corner on 49 minutes.

The game opened up after that. with both sides pressing and as things got heated Monaghan’s Willo McDonagh was booked and just minutes later Robert Bayly was also booked for a two-footed tackle and was lucky Wicklow referee Ritchie Winter did not flash the red.

Bennion did well on 75 minutes when he got quickly to deny Ross Gaynor from six yards with his feet. and on 80 minutes Monaghan some how survived a goalmouth scramble and Bennion again was the saviour, denying Sligo sub John Dillon on the line.

MONAGHAN UNITED:C Bennion; J Keegan, C McMahon, A Byrne, R Bayly (capt), W McDonagh, C Murphy, A Griffiths (67) for O Humphrey, K Quinn, S Maher, G 0'Conner (67) for S Dunne.

SLIGO ROVERS:G Rogers; R Boco, G Peers, J McGuinness, R Gaynor, D Ventre, L Daveron, L Lynch, J Ndo, R Cretaro (77) for J Dillon, D North.

Referee:Richie Winters (Wicklow)