Allianz Hurling League Division 3A Semi-Final Hurlers get the job done against a dogged Cavan THEGAME
Allianz Hurling League Division 3A Semi-Final Sligo 0-22 Cavan 1-14
THIS WASN’T the most polished of performances from Sligo’s hurlers. But it was a winning one and, as manager Stephen Sheil said afterwards, that’s what semi-finals are for – winning.
Sligo, without being brilliant yet still looking a step ahead, were fivepoint winners over Cavan, 0-22 to 1-14, and so progress to Sunday’s Allianz Hurling League Division 3A decider against Mayo at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park, Castlebar (2pm).
A dozen points from reliable freetaker Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch, midfield energy by Finnian Cawley, who contributed 0-3 as did his younger brother, Thomas, as well as Rory McHugh’s astute defensive work were the prime ingredients in Sligo’s semi-final victory last Saturday afternoon.
They scored 22 times here – without players such as Conor Hanniffy, Eddie O’Donoghue and Conor Griffin – but in terms of excitement it couldn’t compare with February’s thrilling clash against the same opposition (Sligo scored 4-19 that day yet also conceded 3-18).
Cavan were in this contest mainly because of Nicholas Kenny, one of only two forwards to score for the Ulster county, but then again Kenny did supply 0-11.
Thomas Leonard’s 63rd minute goal cut Sligo’s lead to three points, 0-19 to 1-13, but there was no horror ending for the hosts, who simply turned up the dial.
Three points without reply erased Leonard’s green flag score – Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch, this team’s new Andrew Kilcullen, notched two further frees and Thomas Cawley pointed skilfully from play.
BEST FOR SLIGO: Finnian Cawley. The midfielder was industrious at Markievicz Park and also accomplished as shown by his three points from play. TURNING POINT: Productive phase. Between the 53rd minute and the 58th minute of the second-half Sligo landed five points without reply to build up a seven-point lead, 0-19 to 0-12, and get that much closer to victory.
Sligo, without suspended full-back Gavin Connolly, endured another unneccessary heart-in-mouth moment when Nicholas Kenny unleashed a goalbound shot within 60 seconds of landing his 11th point.
But Sligo goalkeeper Luke Comerford was equal to Kenny’s effort and the Coolera-Strandhill man dived to his left to stretch and parry with his hurl.
It was fitting that Sligo’s top scorer Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch would have the final say – his classy point from play (his only point that wasn’t a free) coming from a pass by Joe McHugh, who also played well.
And so Sligo head into a rematch against Mayo with as many questions as answers but they certainly set down a marker early on when leading 0-4 to 0-0 by the seventh minute – Tony O’KellyLynch, Joe McHugh and Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch (2) with these scores.
Cavan found their feet and a purple patch from the team in blue resulted in four points without reply as they went from 0-5 to 0-2 down to being 0-6 to 0-5 in front.
From then on it was nip and tuck, with Nicholas Kenny able to convert as smoothly as Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch. One of Sligo’s better points from play was a Finnian Cawley effort – Sligo’s eighth point – after he exchanged passes with Michael Munnelly.
Cavan took a one-point advantage into the dressing-room, 0-9 to 0-8, and they should have been much further in front after shooting nine wides in that first-half.
It took Sligo just 17 seconds of the second-half to be level again when Finnian Cawley pointed from Fionn Moylan’s pass.
Sligo were finding a rhythm now and they moved four points clear, 0-14 to 0-10, by the 48th minute after outscoring Cavan 0-6 to 0-1.
There were tasty points from the Cawley brothers and Joe McHugh and Finnian Cawley also required a replacement hurl after breaking his stick on a day also beset by heavy showers.
Gritty Cavan tried to keep in touch – Jack Barry landed a monster point from distance – but Sligo were looking and playing like finalists and they were deservedly seven points ahead, 0-19 to 0-12, with 58 minutes gone.
Despite a couple of blips in the closing stages, including that Cavan goal, Sligo got over the line. Semi-finals are for winning, after all.
SLIGO SCORERS
ALLIANZ HURLING LEAGUE DIVISION 3A
Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch (3-41, 36f); Thomas Cawley (2-13); Conor Hanniffy (3-5); Tony O’Kelly-Lynch (1-10, 6f);
Michael Munnelly (0-9); Rory McHugh (1-3, 1-0 pen), Finnian Cawley (06); Joe McHugh (0-5), Liam O’Kelly-Lynch (1-2), Eddie O’Donoghue (1-2);
Conor Griffin (1-1); Fionn Connolly (0-3); Kevin O’Kennedy, Fionn Moylan, Donnchadh O’Brien. 1 POINT: Niall Feehily, Donall Hanley, Niall Kilcullen.
Beating Mayo at Castlebar’s Hastings Insurance MacHale Park (throw-in 2pm) will set things up nicely for a go at the Christy Ring Cup which begins next month.
Sligo lost to Mayo by four points on the Saturday before last in horrible weather conditions at Kent Park, a game in which Sligo had a player sent off.
Sligo overcame Cavan in last Saturday’s semi-final, 0-22 to 1-14, a win that was welcomed by manager Stephen Sheil.
He said: “Semi-finals are for winning. Cavan are a good side and we knew, after playing them in round one [a four-point win for Sligo], that they were going to come back at us.
“It was a game of two halves with the wind. In the first-half we went out with a defensive structure. In the second-half we wanted the forwards to go and do what they can do.
“It got a bit sloppy near the end and we lost a bit of shape – but a win is a win at the end of the day.”
Sligo’s next assignment is a silverware one at the fortress of their Connacht neighbours. The manager added: “Mayo are a good side. We’ve done our homework on them no more than they’ve done their homework on us.
“We’ll try to win playing the way we want to play.”