Late to save teen dream
number for Roscommon.
Manager Daragh Fallon made one change to his starting XV – Ross Chambers came in for Zaak Mahon, who picked up an injury in the semi-final at the same venue against Mayo. Sligo threatened first – Luke Marren’s point attempt tailed wide from a Dylan Walsh pass – but it was the wind-assisted Roscommon that almost wasn’t carried through to the final. “But it was a completely different day – the conditions were a lot different.” “I thought the boys did try,
BEST FOR SLIGO: Dylan Walsh
SLIGO: Jack Lundy (Tourlestrane), Ross Chambers (Drumcliffe-Rosses Point), Dara Foy (Calry-St Joseph’s), Mark Heraghty (St Molaise Gaels), Luke Casserly (St Molaise Gaels), Canice Mulligan (St Patrick’s) (01), James Kiernan (Eastern Harps), Ciaran O’Reilly (Drumcliffe-Rosses Point) (c), Brian Byrne (Curry), Cian Oates (Drumcliffe-Rosses Point), Dáire O’Boyle (Calry-St Joseph’s), Dylan Walsh (Eastern Harps) (1-0, 1-0f), Luke Marren (Bunninadden), Ronan Kelly (St John’s), Adam Gallagher (Curry) Subs used: Simon McKeon (St Michael’s) (0-1), Brian Duffy (Enniscrone-Kilglass), Conor Mitchell (Bunninadden), Thomas Langan (Castleconnor) Subs not used: Adam Kearns (Shamrock Gaels), Sean Clifford (St Mary’s), Josh Fallon (St Molaise Gaels), Dylan McLoughlin (Curry), James Burns (St John’s)
Other panel members: Ciaran goaled inside the opening five minutes but Conor Hand’s low shot was just off target.
Although a mighty point from Oisín Cregg then got Roscommon on the scoreboard, Sligo remained comfortable in possession, making strong carries upfield and winning good kickouts from goalkeeper Jack Lundy.
With 15 minutes gone Sligo were still
you could see them working, but sometimes when the body is cold it doesn’t respond the way you want it to respond.”
“But credit to Roscommon –
only a point down, 0-1 to 0-0, and had created further chances but Ciaran O’Reilly and Dylan Walsh shot wide from play and a free respectively.
Ten minutes later Roscommon had increased their lead to three points, 0-3 to 0-0, but Sligo’s resilience continued. They were unlucky that a promising move involving Ciaran O’Reilly, Canice Mulligan and Luke Casserly broke down, while the wind stymied another free by Dylan Walsh.
Sligo finished the half with four wides and zero scores. Roscommon also tallied four wides but, crucially, they landed four points – the fourth of these came in stoppage time.
Because of the wind and rain, as well as the way they moved the ball with purpose, Sligo had no reason to fear the interval deficit, 0-4 to 0-0.
But as the second-half unfolded it became apparent that Sligo were unable to maintain the robustness displayed in the opening period. Furthermore, even with wind advantage, Sligo seemed reluctant to push more players upfield. They had possession but moved the ball laterally, with no consistent means of hurting
Smith (Drumcliffe-Rosses Point), Daniel O’Connor
(St Molaise Gaels), Jack Duffy (Curry), Kian Golden (Coolaney-Mullinabreena), Liam Carty (Cloonacool), Mark Mulhern (St Mary’s), Michael Langan (St Molaise Gaels), Ronan Keenan (Ballymote), Zaak Mahon (St John’s), Fionn O’Hehir (St Mary’s), Cormac Niland (St Mary’s), Conor White (St Mary’s) ROSCOMMON: David Farrell, Michael Sugrue, Caelim Keogh, Luke Walsh, Colm Neary, Alan McManus, Eoin Ward, Oisín Cregg (0-1), Jamesie Greene, Shane Walsh (1-0), Ryan Conlon, Conor Hand (0-3), Aaron Shannon, Eoin Colleran (0-1, 1f), Darren Gately
Subs used: Thomas Lennon, Bobby Nugent, Dylan Coleman, Darragh O’Beirne
Referee: Patrick Guckian (Leitrim)
their opponents.
While Sligo were struggling, Roscommon enhanced their lead (although they only scored twice in the second-half and would ultimately be outscored by Sligo, 1-2 to 1-1, during this phase of the final).
Shane Walsh netted precisely with 14 minutes of normal time left. The assist was from Conor Hand, who scored three of his side’s five points and was a player to watch having
DISAPPOINTED: Curry’s Adam Gallagher, after Sligo’s loss to Roscommon on Saturday last.
bagged 1-4 in Roscommon’s semi-final defeat of Galway.
When Roscommon struck their sixth and final score of proceedings – Conor Hand’s big point after 54 minutes – Sligo were eight points adrift, 1-5 to 0-0. Grizzled observers, frayed by watching too many Sligo teams deliver undercooked displays, wondered aloud if Fallon’s teens would score at all.
Then came hope. Canice Mulligan pointed with aplomb, a score equalled in skill and style by substitute Simon McKeon, whose point came in the 57th minute.
In the last minute Sligo found a lifeline. Dylan Walsh took responsibility with a free from about 50 metres out. He belted it goalwards from his hands and, intended or not, the free-taker’s skyscraper dropped short and under Roscommon’s crossbar.
Sligo had somehow whittled the difference down to three points, 1-5 to 1-2, and were just a second goal away from forcing extra-time. Sadly, the magic ran out in additional time. There was pressure from Sligo, a few wasted possessions, but nothing more.