Sligoclingonforvictory

SLIGO LEITRIM 2- 13 0- 16 SLIGO finished their FBD League campaign with two wins from three when they met Leitrim on Sunday in Tourlestrane.

The south Sligo pitch was glistening in the bright winter light, however Leitrim’s first half performance was anything but shiny.

Sligo immediately went on a scoring rampage and it looked ominous for Brendan Guckian’s men as goals from Niall Murphy and Mark Breheny, along with a barrage of points from Adrian Marren ( 3), Breheny ( 3), Murphy ( 3), Neil Ewing, Keelan Cawley and Paddy O’Connor, meant Sligo were twelve points ahead at the break.

With both managers agreeing to use unlimited subs, Niall Carew did just that, as 14 subs were introduced to make their mark ahead of the Allianz League opener with Armagh Sunday week. Cian Breheny linked up with Murphy who netted in the first minute and from there Sligo took control, oozing in free- flowing style in the opening 35 minutes, leading 2- 12 to 0- 6 at the break, Gary Plunkett scoring three for Leitrim who were struggling to keep up with the pace.

The visitors, to their credit, didn’t let their heads drop and the second half saw them outscore their opponents by ten points to one. Murphy’s point in the 36th minute was Sligo’s sole score of this period.

Leitrim began to chip away at the Yeats men’s advantage and began to find their scoring boots which were missing in the first half.

Emyln Mulligan was working hard for the visitors and got their first of this half and from there Leitrim were beginning to show more promise as the Sligo subs were being introduced.

Kyle Cawley threatened the Leitrim goal on 43 minutes, keeper Philip Farrelly getting his fingertips on the ball.

Further scores from the impressive Donal Wrynn, Plunkett, Wayne McKeon, Ryan O’Rourke, Brendan Gallagher and Keith Beirne meant that when Mulligan pointed from play on 64 minutes, there was only six separating the sides.

Another Beirne point two minutes later was looming close to the Sligo goal, as shortly after Sligo keeper Aidan Devaney misjudged an incoming high ball as Leitrim could have pounced, much to the relief of the large Sligo support.

Try as they might, Sligo were unable to score more than one point in the second half, with Eoin McHugh seeing his goal attempt blocked on 71minutes after Brian Egan passed to the oncoming Padraic Clarke who also had a goal chance. Leitrim kept chipping away at the Sligo lead but couldn’t catch the Yeats advantage in the en as the Yeats County won by three.

Sligo’s focus is now very much on their opening League encounter with Armagh in Markievicz Park on Sunday week in the first game of their Allianz League Division Three campaign.

SLIGO: A Devaney, N Gaughan, E McHugh, K McDonnell, C Breheny, N Ewing ( 0- 1), K Cawley ( 0- 1), R Donovan, A McIntyre, K Cawley, M Breheny ( 1- 3, 3f), C Davey, P O’Connor ( 0- 1), A Marren ( 0- 3, 1f), N Murphy ( 1- 4).

Subs used: S Gilmartin for C Davey ( 20), G O’Kelly- Lynch for K McDonnell ( 33), C Henry for N Murphy ( 42), S Coen for A Marren ( 44), P Laffey for C Breheny ( 46), L Nicholson for K Cawley ( 48), D Cummins for N Ewing ( 50), T Taylor for R Donovan ( 56), S Henry for A McIntyre ( 56), P Clarke for M Breheny ( 57), B Egan for P O’Connor ( 58), C Brennan for K Cawley ( 62), J Clarke for E McHugh ( 63), E Connolly for N Gaughan ( 65), E McHugh for L Nicholson ( 68) ( black card).

LEITRIM: P Farrelly, F Carney, A Armstrong, M Murphy, J Rooney, W McKeon ( 0- 1), R Gallagher, D Wrynn ( 0- 1), G Plunkett ( 0- 3), C Gallagher ( 0- 1), E Mulligan ( 0- 3, 2f), C Canning, N O’Donnell ( 0- 1), D Moran, B Gallagher ( 0- 2).

Subs used: M Plunkett for D Moran ( 20), J Heslin for C Canning ( 23), O Meehan for J Rooney ( 28) ( black card), K Beirne ( 0- 3) for C Gallagher ( 31), R O’Rourke ( 0- 1) for N O’Donnell ( h- t), G Reynolds for M Murphy ( 38), C Gaffney for J Heslin ( 46), J Mitchell for R Gallagher ( 54), R Kennedy for G Plunkett ( 65). Referee: J Molloy ( Galway).