BRILLIANT SLIGO HALT INSTONIANS’ UNBEATEN RUN WITH A GUTSY WIN

25 24

IF EVER there was a statement result, this was it. Last Saturday’s intense 25-24 home defeat of the previously untouchable Instonians, a result that broke the thrill-o-meter, guarantees Sligo’s place in the Energia AllIreland League Division 2B promotion play-offs with three rounds to go.

But this outcome at Hamilton Park was much more than that. This was about Sligo overturning a 52-19 loss to Instonians last November in Belfast, one of 14 successive wins for the promotion favourites who scored 639 points in those 14 victories.

And, what’s more, this was Sligo ending a 32-game winning sequence from Instonians, whose return to the Energia

All-Ireland League was marked by last season’s 18 wins when taking the Division 2C title.

Defensive grit, attacking flair and a refusal to yield – traits glued together by constant support from the home fans, many of them there for the pre-match occasion that honoured those Sligo teams that won the Connacht Junior Cup in 1954, 1966, 1969, 1999 and 2011.

Breeze-assisted Sligo set the tone by putting the first score on the board – a successful penalty from Julian Leszczynski.

Instonians’ opening try, which was converted, was a blow. But Sligo recovered and midway through the first-half they were back in front.

It was a textbook score – lineout possession, followed by a maul and then smart play from Ryan Feehily and Euan Brown, with the latter releasing Cathal Finneran, who touched down.

A second try from Sligo enthused the vocal home support. Team captain Matthew Earley got the final touch, with Ciaran Cummins also involved, as Sligo mauled their way to a good score after 35 minutes.

But Sligo’s six-point advantage, 13-7, was erased before the break when Instonians profited from a maul and scored a try that was converted.

A point down at half-time, 14-13, and facing the breeze, Sligo were certainly up against it for the second-half. The task got bigger when a third try from Instonians widened the margin to six points, 19-13.

Sligo’s responded almost instantly. The move began with sturdy carries from Aidan Healy, James O’Hehir, Brian West and Tom Gormley.

Then the backs got involved and Julian Leszczynski’s crossfield kick was collected by Finn Bamber, who got through for a brilliant score.

Just a point down, 19-18, Sligo stayed in contention and were rewarded in the closing stages when they were awarded a penalty try after looking certain to score from a maul situation in the corner. There was still time for Instonians to bag a fourth try and so make it a one-point game, 25-24, but the conversion attempt was missed that would have undone Sligo’s brave and ultimately successful effort.

Sligo’s ninth win of this season was one of their finest results ever.

Sligo RFC senior men’s team (v Instonians): Euan Brown, Cathal Finneran (1 try), Ethan Faitaua, Ryan Feehily,

Finn Bamber (1 try), Julian Leszczynski (1 pen), Brendan Cunningham, Aidan Healy, Matthew Earley (c) (1 try), Tom Gormley, Archie Maclean, Rob Tiernan, Brian West, Daire Byrne, Ambrose Bamber Replacements: Ben Hynes, Oisin Lawley, James O’Hehir, Ciaran Cummins, Philip Carter