Of 2020: How well do you sporting months in Sligo?
2020 campaign, theirs was one of the few competitions completed before Covid-19 intervened.
Sligo’s path to the Connacht Boys U-15 League Division One title included 10 wins in Pool ‘A’, a decisive semi-final victory and then a 12-10 defeat of Galway Corinthians in the final.
This team, captained by Ambrose Bamber, notched 75 tries in 12 fixtures. Bamber scored two tries in the decider and kicker Oisín O’Neill was also on target.
Sligo Rovers FC
THE Liam Buckley-managed Bit O’Red finished fourth in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division standings – their highest placing in the top tier since 2013 – were Extra. ie FAI Cup semi-finalists (losing to Shams) and also secured a berth in Europe for 2021.
Their Premier Division exploits, even in a truncated season due to Covid-19, are remarkable. Bottom of the table (four games, four losses) when the campaign was paused, Rovers were unbeaten in nine of the remaining 14 fixtures (eight wins and one draw).
Merville United FC
THE Maugheraboy outfit won the Connacht Region final of the SFAI (Schoolboys Football Association of Ireland) U-15 National Cup, beating Galway’s Mervue United 4-0 in the decider at Lecarrow, a Roscommon venue. In that final there were goals from Zak Gilligan, Gary Farren and Gavin Lynch.
Along with provincial honours, the Ronan Niland-captained Merville United reached the last 16 of the
SFAI Boys U-15 National Cup (20192020 season). But they lost 3-0 away to Dundalk’s Glenmuir United FC, who were subsequently beaten in the quarter-finals.
Summerhill College
THE 2019-2020 season delivered another provincial soccer title for Summerhill College. The Sligo town secondary school’s Senior side won the FAI Schools Dr Tony O’Neill Senior Connacht Cup final.
In the decider at Milebush, Summerhill were 3-1 winners over St Gerald’s College (Castlebar). On target for Summerhill were Niall McDermott, Sean McAteer and Conor McKeon.
But Summerhill’s hopes of further progress ended at the All-Ireland semi-final stage. The team captained by Daniel Gray-Harrigan lost 3-0 to Douglas Community School (Cork) at Athlone Town’s all-weather pitch.
Sligo-Leitrim Youth Soccer
THE Sligo-Leitrim Youth and Schoolboys/Girls League’s Boys U-13 representative side were beaten semi-finalists in the SFAI Boys U-13 National
the Senior ‘A’ decider, earning a shot at glory after a tense semi-final win over St Colman’s College (thanks to Eoghan Smith’s late winning point). But the decider didn’t go their way. They ended up losing by six points to Castlebar side St Gerald’s College, 1-13 to 0-10, at Charlestown.
Sligo GAA
ANOTHER team whose campaign was turned upside down because of Covid-19 restrictions. They got to play two games in the Ulster
GAA Minor Football League before everything was halted.
Eventually they competed in the Connacht GAA Minor Football Championship – now being played on a straight knockout format – and qualified for the final after beating Mayo in the semi-final.
This was only Sligo’s fourth time to beat Mayo in a Connacht Minor Football Championship fixture. Sligo lost to Roscommon in the provincial final, however.
Easkey GAA Club
WHILE 2020 was a breakthrough year for Easkey’s Senior hurlers, the west Sligo outfit’s Minor hurling team were also making records. Easkey’s capture of the Sligo U-18 Hurling Championship Cup, with a two-point win over Naomh Eoin, 1-14 to 1-12, was their sixth consecutive title in this grade.
Thomas Cawley scored 0-9 and there were four scores from Fionn Moylan, who bagged 1-3 at Markievicz Park. Easkey’s team included players from St Farnan’s and one from St Patrick’s. Their Minor title sequence began in 2015.
Ballymote Celtic FC
THE 2019-2020 Sligo-Leitrim & District Soccer League season, disrupted like everything else because of Covid-19, concluded in August with Ballymote Celtic crowned champions of the Sligo Pallets Premier League. Ballymote Celtic were unbeaten in 18 games, winning 15 times and recording three draws. Their top scorer was striker Mark Irwin, who notched 23 goals.
They added a second trophy when beating Coolaney United 4-1 in the Cleary Landscapes & Pitch Maintenance Cup final. Ballymote Celtic’s goalscorers were Jack Hever (2), Mark Irwin and Adam Cunnane.