Manager is happy after big outcome
SLIGO manager Tony McEntee embraced the county’s latest win in this year’s Allianz Football League. Now up to six points – after four games – Sligo have secured another season in the competition’s third tier.
“That [staying up] is a huge monkey off our back, as it would be for any team in a similar position to ourselves,” said the Armagh man after the 1-20 to 1-13 defeat of Antrim on Sunday last.
“It now means we can go and enjoy our next three games. In many ways, what happens next is irrelevant now that we’re safe.”
But the manager is also aware that if Sligo were to win two of their remaining three games – which would mean beating Offaly and Westmeath at Markievicz Park in the final two rounds – they could end up being promoted.
He continued: “Antrim are a fine team, as are
SLIGO SCORERS 2024
AFL DIVISION THREE
(13 scorers so far)
Niall Murphy (1-6, 1-0 pen, 9f, 2 ‘mark’); Sean Carrabine (1-9, 6f); SEVEN
Patrick O’Connor (0-7); FIVE POINTS:
McLoughlin (1-2); FOUR POINTS:
Cian Lally (1-1); THREE POINTS:
(1-0), Darragh Cummins (0-1); TWO POINTS:
Devaney (1f, 1 ‘45’), Luke Towey; ONE POINT:
Lavin, Eoghan Smith, Lee Deignan.
Down, Offaly and Westmeath – to be fair I think they all would be better than the teams we’ve played so far [Clare, Wicklow and Limerick].
“It was important, given the step up [against Antrim], to see if we could give a performance.
I think we controlled most of the second-half, although half-time came at a good time for us.
“I think 12 points should get you promoted and 10 [points] would put you there or thereabouts, especially on the head-to-head rule.
“The two teams who are at the top at the moment, Down and Westmeath, are doing really well – if we can get results against either of them then there’s the potential of us getting promoted with 10 points.”
McEntee praised the impact of substitute
Luke Towey, who is likely to start against Down this Sunday at Páirc Esler.
“He is a fantastic footballer, we all know that, and a gifted athlete. When the game opened up it was perfect for him and he capitalised on it.
“Take him as an example – he got sent off [against Clare] but he has worked hard and got himself back into contention. He wants to start