Sligo target AFL promotion
Sligo’s latest attempt to get out of Division Four begins with a home game against Laois this Sunday
SLIGO senior team selector Noel McGuire maintains that not only is it vital for Sligo to be targeting promotion in this year’s Allianz Football League – winning their opening fixture against Laois this Sunday is a crucial part of this process.
“The aim is to get out of Division Four and we’ve a tough game on Sunday against a Laois team who were relegated from Division Three last year.
“It is a very tough start for us but, at the same time, it is a game that we’re approaching with a lot of confidence.
“It is a game that we feel we can win – we have to go after the result and hopefully get two points in the bag.”
It isn’t ideal for Sligo that established goalkeeper Aidan Devaney is out through injury and another goalkeeper with AFL experience, Eamonn Kilgannon, is not available for this campaign.
This means that for the early rounds of this year’s competition, two newcomers to this grade, Daniel Lyons (Shamrock Gaels) and Jack Teape (St Mary’s), are the options for the netminder’s role.
Devaney proved himself – again – last year and was chosen on the Tailteann Cup Team of the Year for 2022.
His absence will put pressure on Sligo’s rearguard, even though the return of Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch, Luke Nicholson and Eddie McGuinness increases the defensive options. Jack Lavin, who captained the Sligo U-20 team that famously won provincial honours last year, is another defender who is fresh to this level. Evan Lyons will be hoping to build on the superb season he enjoyed last year as an ultra-realible defender. McGuire, a shrewd inter-county defender during his playing days, admitted that not having Aidan Devaney for Sunday’s game – and possibly the second and third round fixtures – will be a blow.
“Aidan’s injury is a setback for him and it is a setback for the squad. But this presents an opportunity for the two lads [Daniel Lyons and Jack Teape]. We still have to finalise our matchday squad and our team [McGuire was speaking at a press event on Monday].”
He continued: “I don’t think that this [a different goalkeeper] will cause any issues for the backs – they know them well now having been
SLIGO’S AFL DIVISION FOUR FIXTURES
Sunday, January 27
ROUND ONE: Sligo v Laois (Markievicz Park, 2pm) (Kieran Eannetta)
Sunday, February 5
ROUND TWO: Wicklow v Sligo (Echelon Park, Aughrim, 2pm)
Sunday, February 19
ROUND THREE: Sligo v Waterford (Markievicz Park, 1pm)
Sunday, February 26
ROUND FOUR: London v Sligo (McGovern Park, Ruislip, 1pm)
Sunday, March 5
ROUND FIVE: Sligo v Wexford
training for a number of weeks.
“This is just something that we have to deal with, injuries are part and parcel of every season. Whatever player gets the nod to start on Sunday has that chance to claim that number one jersey and we’ll see how things go from there.”
Sligo have already had a competitive fixture in 2023 – the FBD Connacht GAA Senior Football League semi-final against Roscommon earlier this month at the University of Galway Connacht (Markievicz Park, 2pm)
Saturday, March 18
ROUND SIX: Carlow v Sligo (Netwatch Cullen Park, 5pm)
Sunday, March 26
ROUND SEVEN: Leitrim v Sligo (Avant Money Páirc Seán Mac Diarmada, 1pm)
GAA Air Dome at Bekan.
Sligo lost that game but still chalked up 2-13 on the astroturf surface indoors – a reasonable tally considering that attacking talisman Niall Murphy only came on for the last 15 minutes. “Roscommon are a Division One outfit. Ideally, if it was played outdoors on a grass pitch, we would have gotten more of an exact feel of where we are at,” McGuire stated.
“But I still think there were a lot of positives to be taken from that game – the performance was good overall. We conceded a late goal and a couple of points to lose by seven points but it was a seven-point defeat.
“We have to try to bring those positives into Sunday’s game.”
Sligo’s 39-strong panel includes six players that won a Connacht GAA U-20 Football Championship last year – never before has a Sligo senior squad featured players with medals won at either U-20 or U-21 level.
“In fairness to these lads [the U-20s from 2022], they have acquitted themselves well since joining the panel.
“I think they have brought that enthusiasm with them that you get from winning a Connacht title – it has given everyone a lift, the entire panel and management, to have those guys involved. “These fellas are pushing hard to be involved on Sunday – they aren’t fazed by being involved in a senior panel. They are very much in the mix to be selected in our final 26.
“We also have a number of players who weren’t in last year’s panel – some of them are doing well in the Sigerson Cup and they are in our plans as well.
“We believe this is something that will stand to us – the fact that our panel is stronger this year. Over the course of the National Football League, where we will at least seven games, our panel will be tested.”
Sligo won five of their seven Division Four games last year and finished third behind the two teams that were promoted, Tipperary and Cavan.
Laois and Wicklow, who made the drop from Division Three last year, will be tipped to make an immediate return to the third tier.
Sligo, who take on Laois on Sunday (Markievicz Park, 2pm), can make a bold statement of intent with a win over the Leinster county. Tyrone’s Kieran Eannetta is the referee.
Oisin Flynn, Sean Carrabine (Castleconnor); David Quinn, Daniel Lyons, Evan Lyons, Lee Deignan, Sean Carroll (Shamrock Gaels); Niall Murphy (c), Peter Laffey, Keelan Cawley (Coolera-Strandhill); Donal Conlon (Geevagh); Barry Gorman, Nathan Mullen, Ray Connolly (CoolaneyMullinabreena); Paul McNamara, Marc ConnollyMcGowan (St John’s); Conor Griffin, Aidan Devaney, Darragh Cummins, Brian Cox (Calry-St Joseph’s); Kenny Gavigan (Tourlestrane); Mikey Gordon (Easkey); Luke Towey, Joseph Keaney (St Molaise Gaels);
Nathan Rooney, David Phillips, Gerard O’KellyLynch, Luke Nicholson, Jack Teape, Paul Kilcoyne (St Mary’s); Eoghan Smith, Cian Lally (Drumcliffe-Rosses Point); Jack Lavin (Ballymote); Eddie McGuinness (Tubbercurry); Patrick O’Connor, Finnian Cawley (St Farnan’s); Alan Reilly (Curry); Pat Spillane (St Jude’s, Dublin); Mark Walsh (Owenmore Gaels)
Management: Tony McEntee (manager), Joe Keane (head coach and selector), Noel McGuire (defence coach and selector), Paul Durcan (goalkeeping coach and selector), Colm McFadden (forwards coach), Sean Boyle (strength & conditioning), Alan Dunne (athletic therapist/physio), Elaine
Kenny (team doctor),
Mark Evans (nutrition),
Aidan Carty (kitman)