Sligo begin with a Clare trip
Tony McEntee’s charges will have four home fixtures in next year’s Allianz Football League
SLIGO’S upcoming campaign in Division Three of the Allianz Football League – the county’s first in Division Three since 2019, the year they were relegated – will see Tony McEntee’s men take on Clare, Wicklow, Limerick, Antrim, Down, Offaly and Westmeath.
Sligo’s AFL season kicks-off with an away fixture against Clare at Cusack Park, Ennis, on Sunday, January 28, 2024.
This is one of three away fixtures for this year’s Division Four champions – they will be on the road for games against Limerick (February 18) and Down (March 3).
Four of Sligo’s seven games are at Sligo town’s Markievicz Park, starting with the hosting of Wicklow on Sunday, February 4. Sligo beat Wicklow twice in 2023 – a second round fixture in Aughrim and then the Division Four decider at Croke Park. Sligo will also welcome Antrim, Offaly and Westmeath to Markievicz Park. The Antrim fixture – a round four game – is on February 25 and the games against Offaly and Westmeath are scheduled for March 17 and March 24 respectively.
Finishing in the top two will see Sligo qualify for the Division Three final and also secure a promotion ticket to Division Two for 2025. The bottom two after seven rounds will be relegated.
A high finish in Division Three improves Sligo’s chances of playing in next year’s Sam Maguire Cup (unless they reach the final of the Connacht GAA Senior Football Championship for a second successive season). Meanwhile, Sligo’s Connacht neighbours Leitrim are in Division Four for 2024, while the western province’s three other counties, Mayo, Galway and Roscommon, are in Division One.
Padraig Mannion.
That triumph two years ago followed the previous year’s Division 3B title (2020). Sligo were Division 2B finalists last year.
Sligo will compete in the Christy Ring Cup (the third tier GAA Hurling All-Ireland Championship) in 2024. Meanwhile, the Allianz Hurling League for 2025 is set for a revamp – there will be five tiers instead of six – Division 1A, Division 1B, Division Two, Division Three and Division Four.
The current structure comprises of Division 1A, Division 1B, Division 2A, Division 2B, Division 3A and Division 3B.
If Sligo finish in the top four of next year’s Division 3A they will be placed
Division 3A will put them in Division Four for two years’ time along with the five counties currently in Division 3B.