Last year's Nicky Rackard Cup champions Sligo retained their third tier status for 2010 with a 3-14 to 2-9 relegation play-off victory over Monaghan at Ballinamore yesterday. Second half goals by Damian Burke and Niall Cadden proved all-important for the Yeats County, who bounced back from last weekend's heavy defeat to Armagh. The Connacht side opened the scoring through Liam Reidy, but goals from John McAnestie and Willie O'Toole ensured Monaghan of parity, 2-5 to 1-8, at half-time. With Reidy in fine from from placed balls, however, and Burke and Cadden both finding the net, Sligo had too much for their opponents in the second half. Meanwhile, in the first of the Lory Meagher Cup quarter-finals, Tyrone saw off the challenge of Leitrim by 1-20 to 3-8. Scorers - Sligo: L Reidy 0-6 (5f), M Burke 1-2, S Lynch, N Cadden 1-1 each, W Gill 0-2 (1f), K Brennan, J Bennerton 0-1 each. Monaghan: M McHugh 0-5 (4f), W O'Toole 1-1 (0-1f), J McAnestie 1-0, S Lambe 0-2, B Phelan 0-1 Sligo: M Kearney; F Coyne, J Mullins, J Kenny; C Hackett, M Burke, R Cox; K Brennan, N Cadden; M Gilmartin, D Burke, L Reidy; J Bannerton, W Gill, S Lynch. Subs: P Quinn for Lynch, C O'Mahoney for Cadden, F Hayes for Kenny. Monaghan: H Byrne; B O'Connor, P Murphy, G Baxter; McSuibhne, W O'Toole, S Lynch; J McAnestie, B Phelan; S Lambe, A Hughes, N Morgan; R Lee, M McHugh, B McGuigan. Subs: J O'Rourke for Murphy, J Green for Lynch, F McKenna for McSuibhne. Referee: A Kelly (Galway). Tweet

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