Connacht U-20 Football Championship Tuam loss upsets title ambitions
Connacht U-20 Football C’ship Round-Robin – Rd Three Galway 2-16 Sligo 2-12
TUAM Stadium, the setting for one of Sligo GAA’s greatest ever feats, last year’s retention of the Connacht GAA U-20 Football Championship title, was last Wednesday the venue where the dream of a third successive title unravelled.
A four-point loss to the
Derek Savage-managed Galway,
2-16 to 2-12, meant that Sligo had to beat Leitrim last night, Wednesday, at Markievicz Park and then win again next Wednesday away to Mayo in order to make the knockout stages.
Sligo were at times almost unrecognisable from their home draw against Roscommon in the previous round – direct, pacy attacks had Galway on the rack but missed goal chances would ultimately haunt Paul Henry’s charges.
There were multiple turning points as Sligo, with Rian O’Callaghan and Conor Flynn brought into the starting XV, suffered when goalkeeper Ethan Carden’s 17th minute error led to a Galway goal that cancelled out Conor Walsh’s fine goal finish two minutes earlier.
Carden would later redeem himself in first-half stoppage time when he – and wing-back Rian O’Callaghan – combined to block Jack Lonergan’s goal shot as Galway sought to enhance the five-point advantage, 1-11 to 1-6, that they took into half-time.
By the 40th minute it appeared as if Sligo were completely doomed. The hosts were nine points up, 2-12 to 1-6, after an unanswered 1-1 from Colm Costello, his goal coming after he was found by Ronan Colleran’s lofted pass that caught out Sligo defender Tommy Ross.
Sligo goaled within three minutes when Ronan Niland goaled from close-range after Luke Marren’s free from distance – a point attempt – dropped short but dangerously in Galway’s goalmouth.
Sligo dug in after Niland’s goal but never looked like regaining a lead that they last held 15 minutes in when Conor Walsh, much more effective compared to his display against the Rossies, netted from Conor Flynn’s knock down of a Ross Chambers delivery.
The visitors goaled twice from eight goal opportunities and that summed up their plight. Inconsistent possession around the middle didn’t help, nor did numerous cheap turnovers, while there could have been better ball for inside forwards Eli Rooney
The number of scores conceded by Sligo in their four-point loss at Tuam Stadium last Wednesday.
STANDINGS
CONNACHT U-20 FOOTBALL C’SHIP
P D F Diff 3 0 56 +9 3 1 48 -1 2 2 25 0 2 0 34 -4 2 1 27 -4 and Connor Flynn.
Much of Galway’s attacking play was smooth, despite Sligo getting bodies back and setting themselves up to be stubborn, and all six of the winners’ starting forwards scored. Matthew Thompson kicked half a dozen points for Galway, for whom Jack Lonergan and Shay McGlinchey were impressive.
But Galway were defensively brittle and had Sligo exploited this then there would have been a vastly different outcome.
Those goal chances not taken makes for painful reading. After eight minutes Luke Marren released Rossa
Sloyan and his cross was touched over by Conor Walsh for Sligo’s third point – with a goal for the taking.
In the 26th minute Rossa Sloyan was again involved – he nudged the ball to Conor Sheridan who side-footed wide.
Sheridan looked certain to find the net after 36 minutes – this chance was sandwiched by Galway’s second goal and Sligo’s second goal – but the midfielder was unlucky that his flick, from a Conor Johnston delivery, came off the crossbar and went over.
A precise Sligo move in the 50th minute – substitute Dillon Walsh and Tommy Ross each played a part – led to Conor Walsh blasting over for Sligo’s