Sligo youths and juvenile teams in action
SLIGO U18.5s currently lie 5th in the Division 1A of the U18.5 league. Last Saturday they travelled to Corinthians RFC, who are second in the league, on equal points with Ballinasloe, but with a lesser points difference. The home side proved strong in the end and were comfortable victors with a 33-14 score line.
Sligo U17s Development team hosted Westport on a stunning day in Hamilton Park. This was a complete try-fest, the visitors gaining the upper hand at the end, with an incredible final score of 54-70. The U17s have a huge squad of players and the emerging development team has been the result. Well done to all players and coaches involved.
The highly anticipated U16 derby between Sligo and Ballina kicked off on Saturday and the game lived up to the hype, with neither side giving an inch in the opening twenty minutes of the game.
The visitors were first to strike and had a period of dominance at the end of the first half, to stretch their lead to 5-12 at the half-time whistle. The second half was a torrid affair, with a litany of high tackles marring the game and the tension was mounting between the two sides.
Ballina struck again to go 14points up on the home side, but Sligo showed their determination to exert a sustained period of pressure on the visitors and were rewarded for their efforts when Adam Hunter drove over for the try. Sean Gilvarry slotted home the extras to bring the home side within 7points.
Ballina’s defence held strong and a succession of penalties eventually led to a yellow card for another high tackle. Sligo again led a barrage against the Ballina try line, but their maul was held up and a scrum to the defence was the result.
The visitors cleared their lines with a long punt up the pitch, which was chased by the Ballina back line, despite the calls for offside and the resultant try under the posts was awarded.
With only minutes remaining, the visitors crossed the whitewash again to bring the final score to 12-31.
The U14s travelled to Castlebar, where the home side were determined to notch up their second win of the season and move up the table, but Joe Walsh’s team had other ideas.
The result was a tough encounter between the two sides, but it was the visitors who held their nerve to win 26-21 and come away with all 4points and maintain their dominance of the U14 Division 1 Pool A, proudly topping the table after four games.
Sligo RFC Juvenile section travelled en masse to Carrick-on-Shannon on Saturday to play in the Carrick RFC blitz. A total of 130 players, representing teams from U8s to U12s played a series of games against their Carrick counterparts and a great day was had by all, despite the blustery and cold conditions.