ATU Sligo earn Moynihan Cup semi-final berth

next month. This tournament, which will decide the FAI’s representatives for the 2024-25 UEFA Regions Cup, is being hosted by the Connacht Football Association. Games will be held at MacSharry Park (Sligo-Leitrim and District Soccer League headquarters) and Ballisodare United’s astroturf pitch over three days (March 22-24).

Connacht’s opening fixture is against Leinster (Friday, March 22, MacSharry Park, 7pm) and the following day, Saturday, they play Munster in Ballisodare (2pm). The third round will see Connacht face Ulster at MacSharry Park on Sunday, March 24 (12 noon).

The winner of the roundrobin tournament progresses to the UEFA Regions Cup where they’ll face the representative teams of Northern Ireland, Switzerland and also the winner of a preliminary group that includes Georgia, Azerbaijan and Sweden.

Two Sligo teens selected in ROI schools squad

Two Sligo teenagers, Kyle McDonagh and Daire Patton, are in the FAI Schools Republic of Ireland Boys U-18 squad for the SAFIB Centenary Shield opener against Scotland tonight, Thursday, at Athlone Town Stadium (7pm).

Tubbercurry’s McDonagh is a student at St Attracta’s Community School and Patton, who has already captained the schools selection this season, studies at Sligo town’s Summerhill College.

Kyle McDonagh, a defender, and Daire Patton, who plays in midfield, are both part of the Sligo Rovers Academy. They were in the Rovers senior men’s matchday squad for the opening game of this season’s SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division away to Bohs at Dalymount Park.

The Republic of Ireland are also at home for their clash with Northern Ireland (March 7) and they have two away games – against England (April 5) and Wales (April 18).

Competing at national level indoors

Six Sligo athletes competed in the 123.ie National Senior Indoor Championships on the weekend before last.

Taking part at the Sport Ireland National Indoor Arena in Dublin were Erin Taheny (Corran AC), Aaron Cadden (Sligo AC), Finn Campbell (Sligo AC), Finley Daly (Sligo AC), Cian Flynn (Corran AC) and Colm Bourke (Raheny Shamrocks).

The Dublin-based Colm Bourke, who hails from Grange, took silver in the senior men long jump final. Corran AC’s Cian Flynn was fourth in the senior men triple jump decider – his jump of 12.79 metres was only 0.15 metres off the event’s bronze medal winner. The rest of the Sligo contingent compete in the heats of their respective events but without progressing to the semi-finals or finals. Erin Taheny ran in the senior women 60 metres sprint, Aaron Cadden’s event was the senior men 60 metres sprint, Finn Campbell ran in the senior men 400 metres and Finley Daly’s category was the senior men 3,000 metres.

The ATU Sligo Ladies Footballers (first XV) have qualified for the LGFA Higher Education Moynihan Cup semi-finals. On Tuesday of this week the Gavin Cawley-managed ATU Sligo were 1-16 to 2-9 winners over TU Dublin in a quarter-final at the ATU Sligo pitch in Ballinode.

The home side were four points in front at half-time,

1-7 to 1-3, as a goal from Westmeath player Rebecca Higgins erased a 20th minute goal from the visitors. There were good points in the opening period for ATU Sligo from goalscorer Rebecca Higgins, Orla Hennessy and Ella McNamara.

Early in the second-half

ATU Sligo extended their advantage to seven points – among their scorers was Manorhamilton’s Dearbhla Rooney, a well-known boxer.

A second goal from TU Dublin threatened to derail ATU Sligo but a fine point from

Eilis Keane got the hosts back on track. The Moynihan Cup semi-finals and final are taking place on the weekend after next at MTU Cork. ATU Sligo will play SETU Waterford in the last four.

Sligo’s AIL game against the leaders

Sligo Rugby Club’s senior men’s team are back in action this Saturday – they host table-toppers Instonians at Hamilton Park, Strandhill (kick-off 2.30pm). Sligo currently occupy the final play-off slot – fourth place – in Division 2B of the Energia All-Ireland League. Belfast outfit Instonians, who have demolished all before them in their 14 victories from 14 games sequence, were 52-19 winners over Sligo on November 4. Sligo have won their last four games in the Energia All-Ireland League and on Saturday week they play in the Connacht Senior Cup final. For this Saturday’s game at Hamilton Park, Sligo Rugby Club are honouring the teams that famously won the Connacht Junior Cup in 1954, 1966, 1969, 1999 and 2011. Next year there will be another celebration to mark the 20th anniversary of the 2005 Connacht Junior Cup triumph. Following Saturday’s game, Sligo have Wanderers (away), Dungannon (away) and Rainey (home) left to play in the regular season.

Sligo Ladies take on Antrim in Belfast test

The Sligo Ladies Footballers resume their Lidl Ladies National Football League Division Three campaign this Sunday with an away fixture against Ulster’s Antrim at Belfast’s Davitt Park (2pm start).

Sligo, who are managed by Cormac Reape, have yet to win a game in this year’s third tier – they drew away to Offaly in the opening round and then suffered three losses in succession, against Clare, Down and Roscommon. The most galling of these defeats was the onepoint loss to Down at Fr Kevin Brehony Park, Keash, a game that Sligo could – and should – have won. Antrim are propping up Division Three, with zero wins from four games, as Sligo are above them in the standings thanks to that share of the spoils result gleaned in Offaly. The two teams that finish bottom of this section will be relegated to Division Four for 2025.