Super hurlers produce a big performance in home win

Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch scores 1-11 as Sligo begin their AHL campaign with merited defeat of tough Armagh

AHL Division 3A Round Two Sligo

Armagh

S2-24 1-18

LIGO ended 2020 on a winning note and have commenced their 2021 campaign with similar invigorating purpose.

Padraig Mannion’s determined charges were full value for their 2-24 to 1-18 dismissal of a good Armagh team last Saturday at Markievicz Park, as last year’s Allianz Hurling League Division 3B winners made a flourishing start to life in Division 3A. Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch, whose last competitive outing for Sligo yielded 3-4 (that was in last October’s Division 3A decider), was just as hungry for to impact here.

The full-forward reeled off 12 scores, a sensational haul that comprised of a converted penalty, 10 pointed frees and one wonder point from play.

Joe McHugh, back on song after a successful recovery from an ankle injury, and teenager Thomas Cawley, who made a clinical debut at this level, made memorable contributions of 1-3 and 0-3 respectively.

McHugh’s razor-sharp goal finish after 23 minutes – from Cawley’s assist – was a score that reflected Sligo’s first-half dominance, while Cawley was fouled for the penalty that O’Kelly-Lynch drilled home in the 42nd minute.

Just as important as any of the scores from the aforementioned attacking trio was the penalty stop by Sligo goalkeeper Stephen Fleming with 51 minutes played.

That incident led to the sin-binning of Niall Kilcullen, otherwise sturdy in an uncomprising full-back line that also featured James Weir and team captain Niall Feehily, and Armagh’s deadly free-taker Fionntan Donnelly look odds-on to convert.

But Fleming dived to his right to parry Donnelly’s effort and, within 60 seconds, thwarted another Armagh goal attempt.

These two moments from the custodian more than made up for any hint that he could have done better with an awkward shot that did go by him – Mark McClatchey’s 24th minute

AHL DIVISION 3A

P W D L Tyrone 2 1 1 0 Sligo 1 1 0 0 Armagh 2 1 0 1 Longford 2 0 1 1 Monaghan 1 0 0 1

F A 56 47 30 21 48 46 44 55 19 28 strike for Armagh’s only goal, a score that diluted the potential rewards of Joe McHugh’s fine goal finish just a minute earlier.

Indeed, Fleming made a hat-trick of immense saves in the second period to erase his first-half wobble – the first of these was his turning over of Fionntan

Diff +9 +9 +2 -11 -9

THERE’S a bit of recent history between Sligo and their next opponents final. given their thrilling showdown two years ago in the AHL Division 3B lost after At a weather-lashed Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence, Sligo and extra-time, 2-15 to 3-10. In that game Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch shot 1-7 five games Kevin Gilmartin netted twice. Longford, who lost two of their year’s Division 3A campaign, drew with Tyrone on Saturday last (it in last away finished 2-22 apiece) and the Saturday before that, May 16, they lost to Armagh, 2-21 to 0-16.

FOULED: The unfair challenge on Thomas Cawley that led to a penalty being awarded to Sligo in the secondhalf against Armagh on Saturday last. Pts 3 2 2 1 0