SPORT ROUND-UP
Hefty loss for Sligo in a semi-final
Sligo Rugby Club’s senior women’s team were beaten semi-finalists in the Bank of Ireland Connacht Senior Women’s League. On the Sunday before last, February 18, Sligo lost 56-0 away to Tuam-Oughterard, with the rampant winners scoring 10 tries. The other semi-final saw University of Galway defeat Westport 15-12 at Dangan. The title was won by Tuam-Oughterard, who won 65-0 at Creggs last Sunday. Sligo qualified for the semi-finals by finishing fourth in the six-team competition – they recorded two wins and three losses during the regular season. Meanwhile, Sligo’s Bank of Ireland Connacht Senior Women’s Cup campaign begins this coming Sunday – they are away to University of Galway in a Pool ‘B’ fixture (Dangan, 1pm). Sligo will also be away to Creggs in this section on Sunday week, March 10.
North Sligo AC’s Egan runs well in Seville
North Sligo AC’s Donal
Egan completed the Zurich Seville Marathon on the Sunday before last, February 18. Egan, who is an avid Sligo Rovers fan, clocked 2:38:54 (chip time) and was the 456th male finisher in the Spanish city. He was the 79th Male 40 category runner to finish the 26.2 miles distance. His gun time was 2:39:07. Egan’s club, North Sligo AC, praised his achievement. In a post on social media, the club stated: “Fantastic run [from Donal] and an example to everyone on pacing.”
Rovers face holders in the All-Island Cup
Sligo Rovers will face holders Galway United and Sports Direct Women’s FAI Cup champions Athlone Town in the group stage of this year’s Women’s All-Island Cup.
The Bit O’Red, now managed by ex-Athlone boss Tommy Hewitt, will also play NIFL Women’s Premiership club Glentoran from Belfast in Group ‘D’. This 16-team competition, now in its second year, begins next month – Saturday, March 23. Two of Rovers’ three group games will be at The Showgrounds and they’ll have one away fixture.
Rovers’ Connacht rivals Galway won the inaugural Women’s Island Cup in 2023 – they defeated Cliftonville 1-0 at The Showgrounds in July of last year. Ex-Rovers player Gemma McGuinness scored the game’s only goal.
Group ‘A’ comprises of Linfield, Bohemians, Peamount United and Lisburn. The four teams in Group ‘B’ are Wexford,
Clifonville, Cork City and Shelbourne. Group ‘C’ contains Crusaders Strikers, Treaty United, DLR Waves and Shamrock Rovers. Each group winner progresses to the semi-finals.
Provincial soccer decider at Enniscrone
Today, Thursday, Kilglass-Enniscrone United Football Club hosts the FAI Schools Dr Tony O’Neill Senior Boys Connacht Cup final between Mayo rivals St Gerald’s College (Castlebar) and St Muredach’s College (Ballina). The game has a 12 noon start at Michael McGowan Park, Enniscrone, and will be played on the venue’s astroturf pitch. This is the provincial decider of the FAI Schools national U-19 competition for large schools.
All-Stars are holding their AGM next week
The annual general meeting of Sligo All-Stars Basketball Club takes place on Thursday next, March 7, at the Sligo Park Hotel, Sligo town. Next month’s AGM has an 8pm start – new members are welcome.
Handball titles for Drumcliffe’s Slevin brothers
The Slevin brothers, Hugh and Clive, both handballers with Drumcliffe Handball Club, helped the county win 40x20 doubles titles at provincial level on the Saturday before last.
Hugh Slevin and Darragh Murphy (Castleconnor Handball Club) teamed up to claim the Connacht Handball Junior ‘C’ Doubles title. They defeated a Roscommon pairing in the decider (21-20, 21-12) at Salthill. Hugh’s brother, Clive, partnered Josian Oskoz and the Drumcliffe Handball Club duo won the Silver Masters ‘B’ competition – they overcame a Galway combination at a handball court in Claregalway.
Meanwhile, the Sligo pairing of Michael Murphy and Michael McMorrow were runners-up in the Connacht Handball Ruby Masters Doubles final which was played on Wednesday, February 14.
Schools’ duel took place at Kent Park
Kent Park, the home of St Mary’s GAA Club, hosted an All-Ireland semi-final last Saturday afternoon. The GAA Post Primary Schools All-Ireland Senior Football ‘B’ Championship semi-final between Donegal Town’s Abbey Vocational School and
GOOD RESULT: Coola Post Primary School teammates Sophia-Rose Henry and Leanne Galvin after Coola’s 4-0 defeat of Pobalschoil Ghaoth Dobhair in last Friday’s FAI Schools Junior ‘B’ Girls National Cup semi-final that took place at Monaghan United’s astroturf pitch in Gortakeegan.
Dunmore Community College (Galway) took place at the Sligo town venue. Ulster representatives Abbey Vocational School won by seven points, 2-17 to 1-13. Although they only outscored the Connacht champions by one point in the second-half, 1-8 to 1-7, Abbey Vocational School’s interval lead of six points, 1-9 to 0-6, made the difference. Impressive for the winners was Kevin Muldoon, who is part of the Sligo Rovers Academy. Abbey Vocational School’s All-Ireland final opponents will be Meath’s Ashbourne Community School. On their way to claiming provincial honours, Dunmore Community College defeated St Attracta’s Community School – then holders – in the quarter-final last month.
Goalkeeper Walsh joins Harps on loan
Sligo Rovers’ teenage goalkeeper Conor Walsh has joined SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division side Finn Harps on a loan deal until June 30 of this year.
Walsh, 18, from Westport,
Co. Mayo, made half a dozen appearances for Rovers in last season’s SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division. The teenager, a Republic of Ireland underage international who turns 19 on March 17, was on the bench for Finn Harps’ 1-1 home draw with Cork City last Friday night. The other goalkeepers in the Donegal club’s first team squad are 17-year-old Oisin Cooney and first choice custodian Tim-Oliver Hiemer, a 29-year-old from Germany. One of Walsh’s former Rovers teammates David Cawley is now with Finn Harps.
Locals among the winners in Corballa
The 31st annual Gerard Jones Memorial Handball tournament – which was hosted by Castleconnor Handball Club in west Sligo – was held recently at Castleconnor Community Centre, Corballa.
Two players from the host club, Darragh Bourke and Brian Donegan, featured in the winning pairings of a doubles tournament that catered for players aged 15 and over.
The main category was won by Darragh Bourke (Castleconnor Handball Club) and Eoin Fox (Bofield Handball Club) and Plate honours went to Brian Donegan (Castleconnor Handball Club) and Alan Gilmartin (Bofield Handball Club).
Rovers link up with Future Ticketing
Sligo Rovers’ digital ticketing partner for 2024 are Future Ticketing which means the club and its fans can avail of a paperless tickets and cashless admission system for games at The Showgrounds. Using the Digital Ticketing app, Rovers fans can access tickets on their phones, either season tickets or one-off purchases. Future Ticketing is based in Tullamore, Co. Offaly. Rovers’ first home game of this season’s SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division – last Saturday’s 0-0 draw with Derry City – had an attendance of 4,317. Although tickets were purchased for this fixture using Future Ticketing, some of those that attended were able to use traditional payments methods to gain entry to The Showgrouns. A club post on X at approximately 6.30pm on Saturday evening stated: “There are still tickets left for the game tonight, with payment accepted at the game by card or cash.”
Sligo-Leitrim clubs play in Connacht
Two Junior soccer clubs from Sligo-Leitrim’s top tier, Carbury FC and Cartron United, compete in the Connacht Football Association’s Men’s Junior Cup last 16 this weekend. Carbury host Galway’s Mervue United at MacSharry Park on Saturday afternoon (3pm start) and Cartron are in action on Sunday afternoon – also at MacSharry Park – when they take on Castlebar Celtic (2pm). The winners go through to the competition’s quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, Gurteen Celtic have a Connacht Football Association Women’s Junior Shield semi-final this Sunday – they are away to Galway side Athenry FC (2pm). Gurteen were runners-up in two local competitions this season – the Sligo-Leitrim Women’s League and the Sligo-Leitrim Women’s Cup.
FAI’s inter-pro tournament is set for Sligo
The Football Association of Ireland’s new amateur inter-provincial tournament is taking place at two Sligo venues, MacSharry Park and Ballisodare’s astroturf pitch,