Crowley’s centre stage to sink Sligo

LANCASHIRE 3-15 SLIGO 2-9

CORNER-FORWARD Ronan Crowley was the star of the show at Markievicz Park as Lancashire secured top spot with victory over Sligo on Saturday.

The Cork man hit 2-8, with opportunistic goals coming in either half, as Sligo’s hopes of reaching the final were ended.

Crowley netted his first on 15 minutes and also pointed from a sideline cut, while Martin Hawley claimed the visitors’ second goal ten minutes before half-time.

A second Crowley goal early in the second-half meant that three-pointers from Sligo subs Tony O’Kelly-Lynch and Frankie O’Flynn provided mere consolation.

SCORERS: Lancashire – R Crowley 2-8 (7f), M Hawley 1-1, D Crowley 0-3, S Duncan, D Power, N Unwin 0-1 each;

Sligo: T O’Kelly-Lynch, F O’Flynn 1-0 each, R Brennan 0-4 (4f), K Gilmartin 0-2, R MacNamara, J McHugh, K Banks 0-1 each.

LANCASHIRE – P Coates 6; L Knocker 7, E Kenny 7, S Wallace 7; D Power 7, G Jacob 7, N Unwin 8; J Fitzmaurice 6, S Duncan 6; D Crowley 8, T Duane 6, D Maskey 7; P Duggan 7, M Hawley 7, R Crowley 9. Subs: S Hannon 7 for Duggan 52, J Cleere 7 for Knocker 55, S Dunne 7 for Maskey 60, S Power for Hawley 65.

SLIGO – D Reidy 6; M Comerford 6, D Keown 7, T Brennan 7; J Weir 7, R Cox 8, A Morrison 7; E Comerford 6, G Cadden 7; R MacNamara 6, K Banks 6, D Collery 7; J McHugh 6, C O’Mahony 6, R Brennan 6. Subs: T O’Kelly-Lynch 7 for MacNamara HT, K Gilmartin 8 for M Comerford HT, K Prior 7 for R Brennan 50, F O’Flynn 7 for O’Mahony 55, T O’Callaghan 7 for Morrison 63.

REF – L Gordon.