SPORTING IMAGES FROM 2020
track but the meeting is held behind closed doors.
Sligo athletes impress at the Athletics Ireland National Senior Championships, which are held over two weekends at Santry’s Morton Stadium (a Dublin venue).
Christopher O’Donnell, North Sligo AC, takes gold in the senior men 400 metres final and bronze in the senior men 200 metres decider, with Sligo
AC’s Michael Morgan winning the junior men 5,000 metres event.
The Sligo-based John Travers finishes second in the senior men 5,000 metres race and there was silver for race walker Ruth Monaghan, Sligo AC, in the senior women 5,000 metres walk.
St Mary’s defeat Calry-St Joseph’s in the Sligo Minor ‘A’ Football Championship Shield final – a high-scoring thriller that ended 4-10 to 0-15 in St Mary’s favour. Conor White scored 1-3 for St Mary’s, with Conor Stinchon hitting 0-8 for the beaten finalists. Paddy Pearson returns as head coach of Sligo RFC’s first XV, with Shane O’Meara appointed as head coach at Sligo All-Stars Basketball Club – this will O’Meara’s second stint in this role.
Meanwhile, at the Athletics Ireland National Masters Championships, medals are won by John MacDermott, Eamon McAndrew, Eamon Murphy and Rachel Conlon.
The Sligo LGFA adult championships are won by Shamrock Gaels (Junior), Eoghan Rua (Intermediate) and Geevagh (Premier). Shamrock Gaels are too strong for Calry-St Joseph’s, winning 2-17 to 0-9, while Eoghan Rua dominate against Eastern Harps on a 4-16 to 1-9 scoreline. Geevagh needed a reply to overcome Tourlestrane, getting over the line by a point, 1-18 to 2-14.
Daithí Hand unexpectedly steps down as manager of the Sligo Senior hurlers. During his time in charge Sligo won the Lory Meagher Cup and the Nicky Rackard Cup.
St Molaise Gaels and Ballymote-Bunninadden produced a sensational contest in the Sligo Minor ‘A’ Football Championship final – St Molaise Gaels won 4-18 to 4-11 to secure their second title in this grade in three years.
Lee Deignan scores 1-13 for Shamrock Gaels in their Sligo Minor ‘B’ Football Championship success –
an extra-time win over Geevagh-St Michael’s, 2-26 to 3-17, at Markievicz Park.
Curry are crowned Sligo Intermediate Football champions – they beat St Molaise Gaels in the final by six points, 1-16 to 1-10, with Adrian Marren and Red Óg Murphy each scoring half a dozen points for the team in green.
Tourlestrane complete the five-ina-row but their fifth successive Sligo Senior Football Championship title comes after a hard-fought encounter with Drumcliffe-Rosses Point. Tourlestrane, with veteran midfielder Pat Harte very much involved, win by three points, 1-14 to 1-11. The winners’ outstanding forward, Liam Gaughan, is the competition’s top scorer with 2-37 (43 points).
Tourlestrane also win the Sligo Junior ‘A’ Football Championship, beating Owenmore Gaels in the decider. It finished 2-12 to 0-8. John Marren scored 1-5 for Tourlestrane.
Ballymote teenager Brian Colsh, a member of Sligo Rowing Club, is part of the Irish team that finishes second in the Junior Men’s Quadruple Scull category at the European Rowing Junior
Championships in Belgrade. Easkey are Sligo Senior Hurling Champions for the first time since 1963. Bolstered by a significant number of hurlers from neighbours St Farnan’s, the west Sligo side defeat holders Naomh Eoin by a point, 1-17 to 2-13, in the final at Markievicz Park. The Sligo Junior ‘B’ Football Championship final between St Farnan’s and Coolaney-Mullinabreena ends in a stalemate, 1-14 each, with Coolaney-Mullinabreena goalkeeper Lorcan Callaghan responsible for the equalising score – a pointed free – in second-half stoppage time.
Sligo RFC’s first XV start their Energia Community Series Connacht Conference campaign with a 33-14 away defeat of Buccaneers. A number of players make their debut at Senior level for Sligo, among them two Brazilians and one Argentinian. Padraig Mannion is appointed Sligo Senior hurling team manager – filling the vacancy left by Daithí Hand’s departure.