Cummins ready to conquer
SLIGO’S MINOR TEAM ARE HOPING TO GO ONE BETTER THAN LAST YEAR - WHERE THEY REACHED THE CONNACHT FINAL
THE Sligo minor squad are ramping up their preparations for the start of the Connacht Minor League in early March.
David Cummins was installed as boss in late 2015, with Sean Davey, Pat Kilcoyne, Cormac Kearns and Declan Keaveney acting as selectors. Shamrock Gaels’ Joe Quinn and Drumcliffe/ Rosses Point’s Kevin Dufficy have also been part of the set- up in recent weeks.
The team have played a number of challenge games recently, and the 37- man panel will begin the defence of their league crown with a home tie against Longford on March 6th.
Preparations, however, have been curtailed to an extent for some 14 players due to their involvement with Summerhill College and St Attracta’s, both of whom are in the latter stages of the Connacht Post Primary Schools ‘ A’ Championship.
This is something to be welcomed according to Cummins, who says the schools and county set- up are working well together.
“What we’re doing is working very well with the two schools.
“We want to see both of them in the Connacht final again.”
The fact that some players may be absent for the start of the Connacht League due to the schools situation is not a major problem for the manager, who still has plenty of talent at his disposal despite their absence.
The class of 2016 will hope to go one better than their 2015 counterparts by claiming a coveted Connacht Championship title after narrowly missing out last year, but as of now all the focus is on the Connacht League campaign.
Sligo claimed the title in 2015 having won four of their five games including a gripping finale against Mayo in the final round, and many players from that team still remain underage.
Of the side that started against Mayo in that final round fixture, five are still underage for 2016.
Eamon Kilgannon, Brian Mahon, Sean Carrabine, Liam Gaughan and Mikey Gordon all make the grade again this year, while two of the substitutes brought on at Quigabar, Patrick O’Connor and Joe McHugh, are still eligible for the U18 competition.
In addition, a number of younger players have made the step up from U16 level having come through the development squad structure to minor level.
Sligo’s Connacht Minor League campaign begins with a home tie on Sunday, March 6th – incidentally, the two county’s senior sides also meet on that same day at Markievicz Park – which will then be followed by a two- week break until they travel to Leitrim.
The following three weeks will see Sligo play Galway, Roscommon and Mayo on consecutive weekends.
Sligo’s Connacht championship campaign will commence on June 25th when Roscommon are the visitors for a quarter- final showdown, with the winners progressing to a semi- final meeting with Galway, the current holders.