Sligo are ready to be vibrant in AFL’s third tier
Tony McEntee’s men will compete at a higher level in the Allianz Football League for the first time since 2019
SLIGO GAA fans are correct to wonder if the county’s senior team are ready to impact in Division Three of the Allianz Football League.
After all, Sligo haven’t been in the third tier since 2019 and we know how that year turned out – seven losses from seven games, relegation and, overall, an annus horribilis that saw Sligo, then managed by Paul Taylor, lose all 10 of its competitive fixtures.
But, given last year’s Division Four silverware, qualification for a first Connacht GAA Senior Football Championship final in eight years and a provincial title retention by the county’s U-20s, perhaps Sligo supporters should ask if Division Three is ready for Sligo.
Survival at this level has to be the primary objective, with tough games to come against Clare (this Sunday in Cusack Park, Ennis, 2pm), Wicklow, Limerick, Antrim, Down, Offaly and Westmeath.
Sligo are familiar with Wicklow, having beaten them twice last year, while Clare and Limerick were in Division Two in 2023.
The others – Antrim, Down, Offaly and Westmeath – were either unlucky or not good enough to escape Division Three as two Ulster counties, Fermanagh and Cavan, went up a level.
Down, unlucky not to get promoted, later reached the Tailteann Cup final. They, along with Limerick and Clare, will be the bookies’ tips to be challenging for the two top spots.
Sligo, unfortunately, are away to all three – but their survival (or promotion bid) will hinge on them taking maximum points from their four homes games.
The fact that Sligo’s final two games are at home, against Offaly (March 17) and Westmeath (March 24), could be an advantage if at that stage Sligo are peering down at Division Four rather than looking towards Division Two.
It is likely that Sligo will have to finish either first or second in order to secure a ticket for this year’s Sam Maguire Cup. Fans anticipating that Sligo’s back-to-back success at U-20 level in Connacht will transfer immediately to the senior grade could be disappointed.
The 38-man squad selected for this
The number of years since Sligo last played in Division Four of the AFL (2019 campaign).
FIXTURES
Sunday, January 28
AFL DIVISION THREE
ROUND ONE (ALL GAMES START AT 2PM UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED): Limerick v Antrim (12.30pm); Clare v Sligo; Offaly v Westmeath; Wicklow v Down
year’s Allianz Football League features nine players from those breakthrough campaigns, with .
Certainly manager Tony McEntee would be delighted if even one – or two – of these U-20 medal holders were to enhance or replace some of the existing options, with Sligo once again relying on Sean Carrabine’s input as well as that of team captain
Niall Murphy and Patrick O’Connor.
Talisman Carrabine is back after a knee injury sustained with Castleconnor last September.
The midfield sector generally dominated during last year’s run to Division Four silverware and such control would go a long way to getting results in a tougher level where mistakes are punished ruthlessly and there is almost no room for missing chances.
Still, can’t we be just a little excited about returning to Division Three? Sligo selector Noel McGuire thinks so.
“We have to have our heads right for this game [against Clare] and approach it in the right way. We’ll need a big performance because the first game is always a big one and the fact that it is away from home makes it and Tony McEntee (manager). Sligo’s AFL Division Three campaign begins this Sunday with a game in Clare. a bit more of a challenge.”
He also believes that the squad’s players that won at U-20 level with Sligo can make the step up.
“We have a good number of them involved and they’re definitely making their presence felt. A number of them are going to be in contention to play a significant part in this campaign.”
Furthermore, Sligo just don’t want to be making up the numbers in