Classy victory secures Sligo’s status in third tier for 2025
Team captain Niall Murphy scores 0-8 as Sligo eventually control home test against Antrim
Allianz Football League Division Three - Round 4 Sligo 1-20 Antrim 1-13
IT JUST keeps getting better and better for improving Sligo in Division Three of this year’s Allianz Football League.
Their most productive attacking display of 2024 delivered a deserved seven-point win over Antrim last Sunday, 1-20 to 1-13, with team captain Niall Murphy giving a timely reminder of his enduring prowess by kicking eight of these 21 scores.
An eventually devastating display, with Tony McEntee’s Sligo outscoring their opponents 0-12 to 0-4 in the second period, added to the growing feelgood factor generated by a group that won last year’s Division Four title.
This result at Markievicz Park, when added to Sligo’s other wins over Wicklow and Limerick, as well as the possibilities/probabilities from the remaining three rounds, means that Sligo’s tier three status is secure for another 12 months.
Compare these good days in Division Three to the darkness at this level five years ago when Sligo lost seven games in their relegation year.
With games to come against Down, Westmeath and Offaly, it is in Sligo’s hands if they want to go full throttle and try to finish in the top two.
The push for Division Two would require a minimum two wins from these fixtures and how Tony McEntee’s men fare against Down this Sunday in Newry could set the tone for rounds six and seven that will take place on home soil.
Not everything was flawless against the Andy McEntee-managed Antrim but much of what Sligo did was very, very good. Niall Murphy was excellent, dynamic substitute Luke Towey put himself in the frame to start at Páirc Esler, while Cian Lally, Eddie McGuinness, Brian Cox, Evan Lyons and Sean Carrabine all performed with distinction. Darragh Cummins, the team’s centre-back, chipped in with 0-3, with Patrick O’Connor, again useful, supplying a similar tally.
Sligo, with Donal Conlon in at full-forward, took the game to Antrim in the opening stages but only had a neat point from Darragh Cummins to show for promising phases of possession.
Goalkeeper Aidan Devaney had to produce an early save – he kept out Marc Jordan’s goalbound shot after four minutes – but three minutes later he was foiled in a goalmouth scramble. Ronan Boyle got the decisive touch after a ‘mark’ attempt from Ruairi McCann dropped short.
That Antrim goal reminded Sligo that they were in a game, as the Ulster side, shorn several established players, came to the north-west looking to bounce back from a poor result against Down the previous week.
It took Sligo until the 19th minute to draw level, 0-4 to 1-1, following Niall
Murphy’s ‘mark’ conversion and even then Antrim were proving lively – their goalkeeper Michael Byrne regularly roamed upfield to assist in passing moves.
Sean Carrabine’s pointed free that put Sligo in front, 0-5 to 1-1, was followed by two Antrim scores and there was still an unsettling pattern as home fans wondered if this would be one of those afternoons, a feeling magnified by Sean Carrabine undercooking a point attempt after a clever jink.
Then Sligo scored an unanswered 1-2 and all appeared rosy. Darragh Cummins’ point, a brilliant goal finish by Cian Lally – following work from Pat Spillane and Donal Conlon – and