Pragmatic Brennan is left unhappy by team’s underpar performance
THIS wasn’t how Sligo wanted to begin their TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Football Intermediate Championship campaign, this being the year of redemption after last year’s washout.
But last Sunday’s 12-point loss to Wexford at Shannonbridge, 4-13 to 1-10, means that Sligo have to be perfect from now on, with victories required against both Westmeath and Longford.
As good as Wexford were – a menacing display that contradicted their Lidl National Football League form that saw them lose three games in Division 2A – Sligo’s woes were self-inflicted. After a switch of venues – the Ferbane pitch ended up unplayable after a deluge and so the day’s action moved to Shannonbridge – Sligo appeared to switch off, gifting Wexford
NEVER one to mince his words, Sligo Ladies Football team manager Anthony Brennan perfectly summed up last Sunday’s reversal.
“It wasn’t great. A bad day at the office,” the experienced mentor said after the 12-point loss to Wexford, 4-13 to 1-10, a result that has immediately dented Sligo’s hopes of a progressive TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Football Intermediate Championship.
The concession of four goals, three of these scored by Wexford in the first-half, was Sligo’s downfall as their manager reflected afterwards.
“It was just a poor performance, we obviously conceded two goals early on. Once we conceded the first goal – and almost handed it to them – we went downhill from there.” “The players’ heads were
CHALLENGE: Sligo substitute Leah Duffy is put under pressure by two Wexford players.
three first-half goals.
Often it looked as if Wexford would score every time they moved the ball through the centre, with Sligo’s turnovers and overall sloppiness making this a most uncomfortable afternoon at the Offaly venue.
With Katie Walsh ruled out because of a broken hand and Ciara Gorman off the boil, it was left to Emma Kevany
SLIGO RESULTS
TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Football Intermediate Championship
Played on Sunday, July 11
GROUP ONE – ROUND ONE: Sligo 1-10, Wexford 4-13
SLIGO FIXTURES
TG4 All-Ireland Ladies Football Intermediate Championship
Sunday, July 18
GROUP ONE – ROUND TWO: Sligo v Westmeath (Mullahoran, 2pm) (Siobhan Coyle)
Sunday, July 25
GROUP ONE – ROUND THREE: Sligo v Longford (TBC, 2pm) (TBC)
somewhere where they shouldn’t have been. It is what it is – this result is over now. No-one died.” The second-half was slightly better but Wexford remained the
of St Patrick’s to carry Sligo’s scoring burden.
The full-forward scored five points which was half of Sligo’s eventual points total. The tall attacker could have goaled twice in the second-half. Found by Denise McGrath’s 44th minute pass, Kevany got a shot at goal but it was kept out by Wexford goalkeeper Sarah Merrigan. dominant force.
“We made a few changes and things improved a bit [in the second-half]. Having said that, we didn’t bring the scoreline down by that much until the last 10 minutes.”
“On that basis you just couldn’t be happy with how things turned out. They [Wexford] were 10 points ahead at half-time, it then went up to 12.”
“There is always pressure to get results. I didn’t see that performance coming – that bad of a performance. We just didn’t play.”
“In fairness, we didn’t play [well] against Kildare either,” added Brennan, who was referring to Sligo’s Lidl National Football League Division Three semi-final loss to Kildare last month.
Next up for Sligo is the challenge of Westmeath at
In the closing stages Kevany had the option of converting a free with a simple tap over – instead she let fly with a powerful shot, a rasping effort that was deflected over for her fifth score of the day.
Mullahoran – a Cavan venue – this Sunday. Westmeath lost to Longford last weekend, 3-11 to 2-11. Sligo’s third group game is against Longford on Sunday week. Sligo have to beat both Westmeath and Longford in order to get out of Group One and reach the quarter-finals. But Tourlestrane native Brennan is remaining upbeat, knowing that his players can play much, much better. “We have to try to learn from this defeat – there are two more games to go.” “The way I see it, we can still get out of this group.” “On paper, some people would say that we don’t have a hope [of doing that] but you just never know,” he added.
The substitute Leah Kelly pointed with aplomb following a build up that involved Denise McGrath and Jade Lyons.
In the last five minutes Sligo finally got a consolation goal that their