Sligo players making their mark on the college football scene
SLIGO inter- county players are currently playing a major part in third level football which is a positive thing to see from a local perspective.
The numbers of Sligo footballers now playing in third level college teams throughout the country both at fresher and senior level has increased greatly over the past few years.
This can only be promising for the county during the winter break ahead of the new season.
At present, Niall Murphy ( Coolera/ Strandhill), Cian Breheny ( St Mary’s) and Darragh Cummins are part of the DCU Senior panel which has reached the Ryan Cup Final,
Calry/ St Joseph’s Cummins played a large part in DCU winning the Intermediate league.
Over in the west, Kevin McDonnell of Castleconnor captained NUI Galway side to winning the Division 2 Senior league bringing them back to Division 1 football for the 2017/ 18 season with St Mary’s Gerard O’Kelly- Lynch also playing a big part in this achievement. At Freshers level throughout the country, Sligo players Eddie McGuinness ( Tubbercurry), Michael Gordon ( Curry) and Nathan Rooney ( St Mary’s) have helped DCU reach the freshers final, which is another great achievement. Over in UCD, Paddy O’Connor ( St Farnan’s) has just received a Scholarship and himself, Sean Power, Cian Lally ( both Drumcliffe/ Rosses Point), Joe Mc Hugh ( Easkey) and Aaron Kearns ( Curry) have been regulars in the UCD side. Gary Walsh is full back on a Maynooth side which have taken a number of big scalps in the league including the aforementioned DCU. Kyle Cawley, Liam Gaughan, Brian Mahon, Daragh Hailstones, Jack Haran and Daragh Elliot are all playing a big part at IT Sligo who lost out after extra time to UUJ in the quarter final. “This large number of Sligo players playing at a high level in college football gives great confidence going into the future and we wish all our lads competing at third level the best of luck into the future,” said Liam Óg Gormley, Sligo GAA Games Manager. Many of the aforementioned players were part of the Sligo Minor team who won the Connacht League and reached the Connacht final in 2015.