Allianz Football League Division Three
SLIGO’S YEAR has begun. A vastly improved display got the job last.done at home against Wicklow last Sunday, therefore purging the ghosts of that sloppy defeat away to Clare on the weekend before
But Sligo’s corrosive trait, The number of
that of forever making life times that Sligo
difficult for themselves, again have defeated
surfaced because they needed Wicklow in the
two well-taken points in the AFL in a 12-month
closing stages from a reborn Sean period.
Carrabine to set up this 2-10 to 1-11 outcome at a breezy Markievicz Park.
First-half goals from Alan McLoughlin and Niall Murphy, who converted a penalty, had Sligo seemingly on easy street after 14 minutes of this Allianz Football League Division Three encounter.
But that six-point lead was down to three points at the break, 2-4 to 0-7, and Sligo were then rocked by a scrambled Wicklow goal within five minutes of the restart.
A nip and tuck second-half ensued, with the scores level on five occasions and the gap never more than one point until the aforementioned Sean Carrabine’s second point of the second period created a two-point cushion in stoppage time.
Wicklow, indeed, looked odds-on to sneak a draw and thus end a poor run against Sligo that saw the Leinster county twice lose to Tony McEntee’s men last year.
Dean Healy’s booming point tied matters, 1-11 to 2-8, with four minutes of normal time left and Wicklow later missed a glaring chance to restore parity when Kevin Quinn, otherwise excellent because of a 0-6 contribution, pulled a free wide in the 69th minute.
Sligo, wearing their trendsetting alternate strip (white jerseys with black trim and a blue hint), got considerable performances all over the pitch – Cian Lally was outstanding, so too Darragh Cummins, while Alan McLoughlin’s contribution of 1-1 made him a valuable scoring outlet alongside Niall Murphy (1-2) and Sean Carrabine (0-3).
Evan Lyons did well, Nathan Mullen’s return was a plus and Brian
Cox, too, played his part. Pat Spillane, although not on the scoresheet, set up Alan McLoughlin’s goal, and was fouled for the spot-kick that Niall Murphy rifled to the net.
The forward, a son of the Kerry GAA legend of the same name, was denied a second-half goal by Wicklow goalkeeper Shane Doyle.
Sligo were without the injured Jack Lavin, with fellow defender Luke Towey suspended, and there were three changes to the starting XV as Nathan Mullen, Brian Cox and Alan McLoughlin were brought into the team.
The home side were dynamic from the outset and they seem settled by early points from Eoghan Smith, who took a nice score from play, and Niall Murphy.
But Wicklow replied with three points without reply to lead 0-3 to 0-2
TURNING POINT: by the 10th minute.
Then came a decisive period – between the 12th minute and the 14th minute – when Sligo registered an unanswered 2-1.
Goalkeeper Aidan Devaney lofted a free from distance with a strong ground kick from around 45 metres (begging the question why he didn’t take that late, late free at Cusack Park), then Alan McLoughlin goaled from close-range – from a Pat Spillane assist – after a weak Wicklow kickout was punished.
Sligo, who were devouring the kickouts at midfield, their own and those of Wicklow, attacked immediately and a masterly move, with Niall Murphy and Brian Cox involved, ended with a foul on Pat Spillane in Wicklow’s goalmouth.
Niall Murphy blasted home the spot-kick, with the ball pinging off the goal’s stanchion at the scoreboard end.
Sligo’s kite was certainly flying in the swirling breeze but the 2-3 to 0-3 advantage wasn’t enhanced as expected.
The home side were picking up possession and creating attacks – there was one moment when Darragh
Cummins, after being found in the middle by a precise Aidan Devaney restart, gave a ‘thumbs-up’ gesture to the goalkeeper, his former Calry-St Joseph’s teammate.
But six first-half wides let Wicklow off the hook and Sligo also went close to a third goal but Pat Spillane’s goal effort was cleared after Sean Carrabine’s graft got the ball rolling.
Indeed, Sligo’s only score for the 22 minutes that followed Niall Murphy’s goal was a well-taken 22nd minute point by Alan McLoughlin, who got a pass from Cian Lally.
Sligo should have been further ahead and they were caught in the opening minutes of the second-half when Wicklow landed 1-1, the goal a messily freakish score from team captain Patrick O’Keane.
Sligo had to roll up their sleeves for a second-half experience that was dissimilar to the first-half but even though they never went six points up, they always looked ready to reply to anything Wicklow managed, especially with Kevin Quinn, who scored 0-5 in the first-half, restricted to just a pointed free in the second period.
Sean Carrabine’s 40th minute