Roscommon minors see past Sligo
the goal after consulting with the umpires for a square ball.
Sligo responded almost immediately with the excellent Duffy pointing from play for the game’s first score on three minutes.
Roscommon counter-attacked with Ruaidhrí Fallon finding Eoghan Derwin who pointed. Richard Walsh put the hosts into the lead before Duffy again added his second with Smith and Sean Carroll involved. An Adam McDermott free edged Roscommon in front before they had another goal chance on 7 minutes. McDermott fed Derwin whose shot was expertly stopped Harte in the Sligo goal.
Deignan brought the game level again with a fine point on 9 minutes, Duffy again involved as the team’s had three points apiece. The first goal arrived on 10 minutes and it was Michael Duffy’s men who were celebrating. A great move from Smith sought out Duffy and he found the net.
Celebrations were somewhat shortlived though as Roscommon retaliated immediately, Derwin finding James Fitzpatrick who netted their first on 11 minutes as the hosts took back the lead.
Two minutes later Roscommon hit their second goal this time through the lively Derwin who was causing a lot of problems for the visitors.
A Deignan free was responded with a Shane Cunnane free for Roscommon with Derwin adding another from play as Roscommon led by 6 on 19 minutes.
Sligo’s Rian Moylan added a brilliant score from play for the Yeats men with Derwin down the other end getting his third from play. Roscommon had another goal chance with Derwin again bounding down on goal and once again Harte stood strong and his shot slammed off the side netting on 25 minutes. Smith, taking frees with both feet, sent over two points as Sligo reduced the gap to 4.
Fitzpatrick and Derwin pushed Roscommon into a 6 point lead on 28 minutes but the Yeats men finished out the half strongly.
Deignan pointed from play before Smith ran and fisted over the bar with the excellent Duffy then pointing one of the scores of the game with Carroll involved in the build up.
Sligo brought it back to a 3 point game at the interval, Roscommon ahead by 2-10 to Sligo’s 1-10.Roscommon went on an early attack after the resumption and again Harte had to be alert as they threatened on goal. Two frees from Cunnane and McDermott put them 5 in front before the referee gave the hosts a penalty for a foot block which Derwin converted as they led by 3-12 to 1-10 on 36 minutes as Roscommon were beginning to pull away.
Sligo came back to within 6 after Smith pointed a free on Moylan with Deignan adding another fine score, his third from play, as the scoreline read 3-12 to 1-12 on 39 minutes. Three unanswered points from the hosts a 45 and free from Cunnane and a point from Charlie Carthy had them in the driving seat and then on 49 minutes they found the net again a fantastic move involving McDermott, Robbie Dolan and Fitzpatrick saw the latter blast the net, Fallon added another a short time later and again Harte was called on to make another block in the late stages as Duffy with a good point from play got the game’s final score.
SLIGO: K Harte, M Connolly McGowan, D Barrett, L Fleming, N Kilcullen, S Carroll, E Sweeney (C), M Clavin, R Wilson, E Smith, S Doyle, O Murphy, R Moylan, G Duffy, L Deignan. Subs: S Carnahan for Kilcullen (inj 13), M Jennings for Connolly McGowan (21), J Davis for Moylan (51), L Wilson for R Wilson (54), K Cosgrove for Doyle (60).
ROSCOMMON: D Connolly, C Brogan, D Farrell, K Gunning, R Dolan, J Hester, J Lohan, E Crawley, S Cunnane (C), R Fallon, F Lennon, R Walsh, E Derwin, A McDermott, J Fitzpatrick. Subs: N Moran for Gunning (37), C Carthy for Walsh (44), D Murray for Cunnane (46), A aron McDermott for Adam McDermott (54), C Walsh for Fitzpatrick (59).
REFEREE: M Flaherty (Galway).