Sligo’s narrow home victory
Gutsy Sligo consolidate fourth place in Division 2B after a tense one-point defeat of dogged Belfast Harlequins
Energia All-Ireland League Division 2B – Round Seven Sligo Rugby Club 21 Belfast Harlequins 20
HAVING suffered a one-point loss away to Dolphin, 25-24, Sligo Rugby Football Club’s senior men’s team were one the right side of a similarly narrow scoreline, 21-20, when overcoming Belfast Harlequins on Saturday last at Hamilton Park. Sligo had to work hard for what was a fourth win from seven games. They were 14-8 up at half-time and, after going 13 points clear following a third converted try, 21-8, they absorbed pressure from the visitors.
Although Belfast Harlequins bagged two tries (the first of these was converted) to close the gap to the minium, the home side held on for the win. Sligo might have secured a try bonus point at the death but Philip Carter was stopped short of the line after he looked likely to complete one of Sligo’s best attacking moves. Belfast Harlequins were first on the scoreboard with a penalty after two minutes but by the eighth minute Sligo had moved ahead. Sligo’s pack were to the fore throughout this game. The opening try originated in the carries of Gary Duffy and Kuba Wojtkowicz. A lineout led to a decisive maul and team captain Matthew Earley got the final touch. Kicker Euan Brown’s conversion made it 7-3. An unconverted try from Belfast Harlequins saw Sligo trailing again, 8-7, but Sligo found their rhythm and a powerful scrum ended up with Daire Byrne getting over the line for the hosts’ second try. A second conversion from Brown meant that Sligo were six points up at the break, 14-8.
The second-half began with Sligo again dictating the play and another purposeful piece of mauling resulted in a third try – Archie MacLean was heavily involved and Matthew Earley was the scorer. Euan Brown’s third conversion increased Sligo’s advantage, 21-8.
Sligo were not out of the woods in this tense fixture, one that was absorbing but without fluency, and tries from Belfast Harlequins after 60 minutes and then 16 minutes later made for a tightrope finish. But only one of these tries was converted and Sligo were breathing a little easier when the full-time whistle sounded. Next up for Sligo is an away game
The number of points that Sligo have scored in their seven AIL Division 2B games so far.
SLIGO’S RESULTS 2023-2024
ENERGIA AIL DIVISION 2B
Rainey Old Boys 31, Sligo 33 (October 7) (W); Sligo 45, Dungannon 20 (October 14) (W); Sligo 33, Wanderers 43 (October 21) (L); Instonians 52, Sligo 19 (November 4) (L); R5: Sligo 31, Malahide 12 (November 11) (W); R6: Dolphin 25, Sligo 24 (November 18) (L); Sligo 21, Belfast Harlequins 20 (December 2) (W).
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SLIGO’S UPCOMING FIXTURES
ENERGIA AIL DIVISION 2B
Skerries v Sligo (December 9); Sligo v Galway Corinthians (December 16); Galway Corinthians v Sligo (Corinthian Park, 2.30pm) (January 13); Sligo v Skerries (Hamilton Park, 2.30pm) (January 20);
Belfast Harlequins v Sligo (Deramore Park, 2.30pm) (January 27). *2023-2024 campaign resumes on January 13, 2024, after the Christmas break. All games take place on Saturdays. against Dublin outfit Skerries, who secured promotion to Division 2B for the start of this season.
Skerries, currently eighth in the standings, have had a mixed record so far – two wins, two draws and three losses. Their most recent result was only a second win in seven games – a 47-28 away hammering of mid-table Rainey Old Boys. Saturday’s game at Holmpatrick has a 2.30pm start. Meanwhile, last Saturday’s game, which had an earlier start of 2pm, was preceded by a minute’s silence of the late Aidan Mannion, a popular Sligo man and father of Ross Mannion, who was a former player and title-winning coach at Sligo Rugby Club.
Euan Brown (3 cons), Finn Bamber, Ryan Feehily, Ethan Faitua, Philip Carter, Julian Leszczynski, Brendan Cunningham, Tom Gormley, Matthew Earley (c) (2 tries), Kuba Wojtkowicz, Ben Donald, Archie Maclean, Gary Duffy, James O’Hehir, Daire Byrne (1 try)
Replacements: Brian West, Martino Quiroga, Ciaran Cummins, Ben Hynes, Darragh Feehily
STANDINGS
P 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 7 2 2
D 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 2 0 0 5 5
F A Diff BP 319 142 117 7 267 105 162 6 275 190 85 7 206 203 3 6 223 250 -27 8 161 184 -23 8 145 208 -63 3 142 208 -66 1 136 230 -94 3 116 270 -154 0