Monaghan hurlers beaten by Sligo in opener

NHL Division 4

Monaghan 0-8

Sligo 2-20

Monaghan’s NHL campaign began with a one-sided loss to Sligo in Inniskeen on Saturday, writes Colm Shalvey.

A Sligo team who had contested a Division 3A Final in 2024 before last year’s relegation were boosted by the availability of several of their players from Easkey, who went agonisingly close to clinching All-Ireland Club JHC honours earlier this month. One of those was Thomas Cawley – a late addition to the match-day panel – who caused Monaghan’s inexperienced defence problems throughout a wet and windy afternoon, hitting six points from play and creating both goals for full-forward colleague Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch.

After some early misses by Sligo, they took charge with four consecutive points from Robert O’Kelly-Lynch, who would finish the first half with seven to his name.

Sligo had 12 wides by the end of the half, but with Monaghan managing just three scores via Niall Garland, Eithan Flynn and Niall Arthur, the visitors were in cruise control at the break: 0-13 to 0-3.

Monaghan had faced the elements for the opening 35 minutes, but he picture didn’t brighten for them after the restart, as Cawley doubled his tally to six, as well as turning provider for Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch to crash home a brace of close-range goals.

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