Sligo surfers competed in Puerto Rico

volunteer by giving selflessly of his time, knowledge and handball expertise, while sharing his passion for handball with so many players of all ages, abilities and backgrounds.”

Two members of the Irish senior surf team for the recent International Surfing Association World Surfing Games in Arecibo, Puerto Rico, were from Sligo – Calry’s Gearoid McDaid, 27, a pro surfer, and Cliffoney teenager Tom Murphy, who is a member of Donegal Bay Boardriders Surf Club. This event in Puerto

Rico was the final qualifier for the Paris Olympic Games.

Meanwhile, the Irish Surfing Student Nationals are due to take place this weekend, March 9-10, at Lahinch, Co. Clare, with Sligo involvement expected.

U-20 panel is selected for title defence

Sligo U-20 Gaelic football team manager Paul Henry has named a 40-strong panel for the Connacht GAA U-20 Football Championship that begins at the end of this month.

Sligo, who have won the last two titles, commence their silverware defence on Wednesday, March 27, with a home game against Roscommon. The Paul Henry-managed holders will also play Galway (away, April 3), Leitrim (home, April 10) and Mayo (away, April 17). The team that tops the standings qualifies for the final and the teams placed second and third in the fiveteam group play a semi-final on April 24.

Sligo U-20 squad: Tom Bailey (Tourlestrane); Conor Johnston, Eoin Barrett (Coolaney-Mullinabreena); Oisin Brennan (Ballymote); Dillon Walsh, Daire Callaghan (Owenmore Gaels); Ronan Niland, Conor Flynn, Ronan O’Hehir, Robert O’Kelly-Lynch, Eli Rooney, Fintan Campbell (St Mary’s); Ethan Carden (Enniscrone-Kilglass); Conor Walsh, Cian Carty (Eastern Harps); James Donlon, Paul O’Brien, Rian O’Callaghan, Ross Chambers (Drumcliffe-Rosses Point); Conor Sheridan, Conor McMorrow, Oisin Conlon (Shamrock Gaels); Kyle Davey (St Michael’s); Oran Harte, Mark McDaniel, Ross Doherty (Coolera-Strandhill); Dylan McLoughlin, Tommy Ross, Stephen Donoghue (Curry); Eoin O’Donnell, Joshua Flynn (Tubbercurry); Ryan Gillespie (Easkey); Ciaran Kenny (Shamrock Gaels); Gavin Lynch (Calry-St Joseph’s); Luke Marren (Bunninadden); Marty Murray, Jamie McCoy (Eastern Harps); Michael Sheridan, Stephen Rogan (Castleconnor); Rossa Sloyan (Easkey).

Cadden’s team finish fifth at World Indoors

The Athletics Ireland women’s 4x400 metres squad, which including Sligo AC’s Lauren Cadden, finished fifth in the final at last weekend’s World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow.

Last Sunday morning saw the Irish team reach the decider thanks to a time of 3:28.45 – a national record – in heat one. This time was sufficient to see them through as one of the fastest non-automatic qualifiers.

The final, which took place on Sunday night, saw the Irish quartet secure fifth place when they combined to clock 3:28.92. The event was won by the Netherlands (3:25.07), with teams from the USA (3:25.34) and Great Britain (3:26.36) taking the silver and bronze respectively. The same four Irish athletes ran in both the heats and final – Phil Healy, Sophie Becker, Roisin Harrison and Sharlene Mawdsley. This meant that Lauren Cadden and the other squad member, Rachel McCann, didn’t feature. Cadden is coached by Dermot McDermott.

Hurlers host Monaghan at Markievicz

Sligo’s senior hurlers are back in action this Saturday when they host Monaghan in an Allianz Hurling League Division 3A round four fixture at Markievicz Park (2pm).

The Stephen Sheil-managed Sligo are currently second in the Division 3A standings, unbeaten, with two wins (against Cavan and Louth) and a draw (with Armagh). Their most recent win was a high-scoring 5-19 to 3-17 away win over Louth on the Sunday before last – Naomh Eoin ace Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch scored 2-12 in that victory.

Sligo’s upcoming opponents Monaghan are second from bottom – they’ve won just once in three games, a three-point win over winless Armagh. Monaghan have been trounced by Mayo, 5-20 to 0-9, and they also lost to Louth, 4-14 to 1-20. Mayo’s James Judge is the referee on Saturday.

Meanwhile Sligo GAA referee Michael Connolly, who hails from Culleens, takes charge of Saturday’s Allianz Hurling League Division 3B game between Longford and Leitrim at Glennon Brothers Pearse Park (2pm).

President’s Cup win for Molloy in Athlone

Gurteen’s Roisin Molloy and ex-Sligo Rovers player Casey Howe helped Athlone Town win last Saturday’s Women’s President’s Cup, the curtain-raiser to the 2024 SSE Airtricty Women’s Premier