Relegation for Sligo after sixth defeat in seven NFL outings
Lidl Ladies NFL Division Three – Round 7 Sligo 2-7 Louth 2-12
ACAMPAIGN that became increasingly bleak has reached its doomed conclusion – relegation. Sligo have finished bottom of Division Three in this year’s Lidl Ladies National Football League thanks to zero wins, six losses and one draw.
The final nail in the coffin for Cormac Reape’s charges was last Sunday’s five-point reversal against
Louth at Cloonacool Community Park, a 2-12 to 2-7 outcome at the south Sligo venue that has saddened the county.
Sligo went into this game needing to win and also relying on Roscommon, who were already promoted and into the Division Three final, to beat Antrim away.
Roscommon won by one point in Hannahstown, 4-6 to 1-14, in a fixture that started at the same time as Sligo’s win-or-bust challenge. But Sligo’s failure to win means that they are heading to Division Four along with Antrim, with Louth avoiding the drop. Sligo were under the cosh immediately as Louth began on fire with an unanswered 1-2 – the goal coming from Mia Duffy.
But by the ninth minute Sligo had recovered and drawn level thanks to a brace of pointed frees by Rianne Smith and Leah Duffy’s goal.
Three points from Louth left Sligo chasing matters once more but yet again the home side’s response was robust as Leah
SLIGO’S RESULTS
Offaly 1-8, Sligo 1-8 (January 21); Clare 4-11, Sligo 2-6 (January 28); R3: Sligo 1-9, Down 1-10 (February 11); Sligo 0-8, Roscommon 0-17 (February 18); Antrim 2-15, Sligo 3-6 (March 3); R6: Wexford 3-7, Sligo 1-7 (March 17); Sligo 2-5, Louth 2-12
LIDL LADIES NFL DIVISION THREE
The number of victories achieved by Sligo in this year’s Lidl Ladies NFL Division Three campaign.
Duffy’s point and a goal by Nicola Brennan put Sligo a point up, 2-3 to 1-5. Louth replied with two further points to be a point clear at the break, 1-7 to 2-3.
Sligo will regret that they didn’t push on in the second-half as they only scored 0-4 during the second period, with Louth scoring 1-5.
The hosts were still in the mix during the first 15 minutes of the second-half as points from Leah Duffy and Rianne Smith (2) ensured it was all square, 2-6 to 1-9, with 56 minutes on the clock. Louth got back in front thanks to three points and coped with a yellow card for Aoife Halligan Roche.
Substitute Lauren Normanly landed Sligo’s final score of the day – a stoppage time point to cut the gap to two points, 1-12 to 2-7, but a second goal for Louth ended Sligo’s slim hopes. The goalscorer was the talented Kate Flood, who scored 1-6.
Meanwhile, the Division Three final will be contested by Roscommon and Clare on Saturday week,
April 6, in Birr, Co. Offaly.
Sligo LGFA (v Louth, Lidl NFL): Ellen McGuire, Jennie Creegan, Claire Dunne, Ellie McDermott, Cara King, Aoife Morrisroe, Tara Breheny, Eryn Lavin, Sinead Regan, Cora Gilligan, Rachel O’Brien, Megan McCormack, Rianne Smith (0-4, 4f), Nicola Brennan (1-0), Leah Duffy (1-2)
Subs used: Sarah Cunney, Lauren Normanly (0-1), Fiona Feeney, Ciara Gorman, Jade Lyons
Subs not used: Macayla Burke (gk), Isabella Henry, Aisling Molloy, Aife Haran, Leah Kelly, Ella Boland, Amy Kennedy, Nisha McDonagh, Eimear Hunt, Sarah Curley
STANDINGS
LIDL LADIES NFL DIVISION THREE
W L FA Diff 6 0 100 66 +34 5 1 115 60 +55 5 2 91 69 +22 3 3 90 91 -1 3 3 59 70 -11 2 4 87 104 -17 1 6 87 129 -42 0 6 79 119 -40
1. Roscommon
2. Clare
3. Down
4. Offaly
5. Wexford
6. Louth
7. Antrim
8. Sligo
Meanwhile, teams from Sligo All-Stars Basketball Club have qualified for the top four in the LLR Senior Men’s League and LLR Senior Women’s League. The club’s senior men’s team won four of their 10 games to finish fourth in the standings, with the Sligo All-Stars senior women’s side winning five of their 10 fixtures.
The top four weekend takes place on the weekend after next, April 5-7.