Connacht U-20 Football Championship Marren shines as U-20s earn a draw in thriller
Bunninadden ace Luke Marren comes off the bench to score 1-4 for Sligo in clash with Leitrim at Markievicz Connacht U-20 C’ship Round-Robin – Rd Four Sligo 2-11 Leitrim 1-14
LUKE Marren delivered when it mattered. The Bunninadden man bagged 1-4, including a polished penalty conversion in second-half stoppage time, to keep Sligo alive in this year’s Connacht GAA U-20 Football Championship when the Paul Henry-managed Sligo salvaged a home draw with Leitrim, 2-11 to 1-14, at Markievicz Park on Wednesday.
Of course, Marren’s heroics and his teammates’ resilience will have counted for nothing if Sligo didn’t beat Mayo last night, Wednesday, at Hastings Insurance MacHale Park.
Sligo, winners of this competition for the last two years, had to win at the Castlebar venue in order to reach the semi-final.
Their season was almost ended by Leitrim as the visitors, who included two players who couldn’t feature against Sligo at senior level, Barry McNulty and Jack Foley, were on course for a famous win with 47 minutes played.
Darren Cox goaled from a rebound – after his initial effort was kept out by Sligo goalkeeper Ethan Carden – and Leitrim were six points up, 1-13 to 1-7. Sligo, just as unpredictable as they were in the home draw with Roscommon and away loss to Galway, managed to avoid defeat as they outscored the visitors 1-4 to 0-1 over the next 17 minutes or so. The hosts kept in touch via a brace of pointed frees from substitute Luke Marren, who was named in the starting XV but was then relegated to the bench as Mark McDaniel was preferred instead.
A minute into added time saw another point from Luke Marren – his fourth overall and second from play as he landed a fine score shortly after his introduction in the 42nd minute.
But Sligo, who were turning the screw and forcing Leitrim to defend, were still four points down, 1-14 to 1-10.
Conor Sheridan flicked over a point – this was actually a goal chance from a ball floated into Leitrim’s goalmouth by busy substitute Ronan O’Hehir – and everything was set up for a grandstand finish.
Sheridan won Leitrim’s kickout and then Dylan
McLoughlin passed to Dillon Walsh who ran through and was fouled. Referee Ian Monaghan awarded the penalty.
It looked like Connor Flynn, who had netted in the first-half, wanted to take the spot-kick and, indeed, Dillon Walsh, but Luke Marren took the ball, took the kick and whooshed a lovely shot beyond Brian Cull.
Sligo survived. But, having been five points up after 20 minutes, 1-5 to 0-3, Sligo should never have ended up hanging on and relying on Luke Marren’s calmness in this storm.
The home side were 0-3 to 0-0 inside the opening seven minutes. Eli Rooney and Rossa Sloyan landed good points and Connor Flynn’s effort for a point – from Ronan Niland’s pass – was a goal shot that was always rising.
Leitrim pegged Sligo back with three points of their own but another Sligo surge, one that yielded 1-2, appeared to have put Sligo in the box seat.
Rossa Sloyan regained possession and then Rian O’Callaghan’s superb pass found Connor Flynn, who arrowed a shot into the net.
Eli Rooney followed his lovely point by almost releasing Connor Flynn