Carlow defeat Sligo
SLIGO began their Allianz Division 3 league campaign with a long trek to Carlow on Sunday afternoon and for Paul Taylor’s men it wasn’t the start they were hoping for.
The hosts were defensive, and aided by a fortuitious goal, never looked like giving Sligo a lifeline back into the game.
Leading by 1-6 to 0-3 at half-time, the Yeats men did show more momentum after the resumption with three points on the bounce to reduce it to a 4 point affair, but Carlow went on to outscore them by four points to one as Turlough O’Brien’s men were deserving of the win.
Sligo will now have to regroup and focus on the arrival of Down this weekend in Connolly Park in the second round of Division 3.
Sligo were unchanged to the starting 15 that played Roscommon 2 weeks earlier in the FBD league, with captain Niall Murphy joined by Brian McGowan and David Quinn in the full forward line.
It was the first time since the 2001 season that Sligo were wearing a white strip having launched their new jersey last week.
As the match got underway there was only 32 seconds registered on the clock when Paul Broderick got Carlow off the mark with a point from play, the hosts playing with the aid of a strong breeze.
Midfielder Eoghan Rua added another 5 minutes later before Sligo’s keeper Aidan Devaney sent over an excellent ‘45 against the breeze a minute later.
Sligo had to make an early substitution when Keelan Cawley left with an arm injury with Adrian McIntyre coming in to replace him on 8 minutes.
Sligo’s Paul McNamara, Darragh Cummins and Paddy O’Connor linked up to see O’Connor’s shot launching toward the Carlow goal with teammate Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch oncoming but Carlow keeper Robbie Molloy was there to thwart any goal threat for the hosts on 16 minutes.
A foul on Carlow’s Sean Gannon was converted by Broderick for his second from the 45m line.
Carlow’s Brendan Murphy and Sean Murphy were constantly influencing their attacking runs and the former added Carlow’s fourth point on 22 minutes, a massive score from 45m out largely greeted by cheers from the home support.
Sligo’s Luke Towey linked up with Sean Carrabine who was fouled with Murphy adding Sligo’s second point with 26 minutes played.
Broderick added his 3rd point for a foul on Sean Murphy as they led by 5 points to 2 with half time approaching.
Carlow had a goal chance after turning over possession on a Sligo attack, Gannon and Lee Walker on the prowl and Sligo’s Murphy, who did extremely well to run back and defend, almost accidentally slotted the ball into his own net but it went out for a ‘45 much to Sligo’s relief.
Moments later however the ball was in the back of the Sligo net,
Broderick’s ‘45 was edging close to the Sligo goal and McIntyre tried to collect but the touch slipped the ball past Devaney and into the net as Carlow were gifted a goal to give them a 5 point advantage.
Broderick was again on target moments later, his contribution of 1-4 from this half very much boosting Carlow’s lead of 1-6 to Sligo’s 0-3 at the break, Carrabine converting a free for the visitors for a foul on O’Kelly-Lynch.
Carlow’s Darragh Foley got the first score of the second half from a placed ball as Sligo substitute Pat Hughes did well to win possession but his attempt went narrowly wide of the posts.
Cummins and O’Kelly-Lynch went on the attack for Sligo, the latter being awarded a mark which he duly converted which was the first of 3 on the bounce for the visitors on 45 minutes.
Cummins was unfortunate to see his attempt drift wide after good work from his midfield partner Paul Kilcoyne. The sides traded wides before Hughes pointed from another mark as McIntyre once again turned over the Carlow kick-out with Cummins fouled and Murphy converting as Sligo brought it back to a 4 point game on 54 minutes.
Carlow responded with two quick points through Foley (free) and Sean Murphy from play as they led by 6 with 14 minutes remaining.
Then the visitors were dealt another blow when Cummins was red carded after the linesman alerted referee James Molloy to a late challenge on 59 minutes.
Ruth from play and a Broderick free put Carlow out of reach as substitute Liam Gaughan got Sligo’s first from play on 73 minutes as the hosts won by seven.
CARLOW: R Molloy, C Crowley, S Redmond, B Molloy, J Morrissey, D S Ledger, C Moran, B Murphy, E Ruth, S Gannon, D Foley, L Walker, P Broderick, D O’Brien, S Murphy.
Subs used: D Walshe for Moran (49), S Clarke for Foley (61).
Scorers Carlow: P Broderick (1-5, 3f), Ruth (0-2), D Foley (0-2), B Murphy (0-1), S Murphy (0-1).
SLIGO: A Devaney, N Mullen, P Laffey, J F Carr, K Cawley, P McNamara, G O’Kelly-Lynch, P Kilcoyne, D Cummins, L Towey, P O’Connor, S Carrabine, B McGowan, D Quinn, N Murphy (C).
Subs used: A McIntyre for Cawley (8 inj), P Hughes for McGowan (31), L Gaughan for Quinn (h/t), A Marren for O’Connor (54), L Nicholson for O’Kelly-Lynch (61 inj).
Scorers Sligo: N Murphy (0-2, 2f), A Devaney (0-1, 1f), S Carrabine (0-1f), G O’Kelly-Lynch (0-1, m), P Hughes (0-1, m), L Gaughan (0-1).
Referee: J Molloy (Galway).