S
LIGO’S promotion prospects received a massive boost at Semple Stadium, Thurles on Sunday as they survived a late onslaught by the home county for a one point victory to say unbeaten in the competition following the previous week’s draw with Armagh.
And while Sligo had some anxious moments in the concluding stages before referee Niall Ward of Westmeath finally called a halt after nine minutes of added time, the win was fully deserved as for sixty minutes Sligo dominated the game against the fancied home side who were seeking to build on their initial win over Antrim.
Had Sligo lost or drawn, and either could easily have happened as Tipperary saw a Philip Austin goal effort scrape the crossbar five minutes from time, and Michael Quinlivan miss a very pointable free from twenty five meters in injury time, it would have been a hugely embarrassing outcome.
Sligo led by seven points at half- time, and were ten clear after fifty four minutes with Tipperary down to fourteen men following the dismissal of defender Jimmy Feehan for a second yellow car in the 44th minute.
How Sligo came to find themselves hanging on at the finish will give manager Niall Carew food for thought as he faces up to the next outing against Antrim.
For 58 minutes Sligo were the superior side. They were full of running and enthusiasm, defending in numbers when Tipperary had the ball, and using possession intelligently and efficiently when they had the ball.
Indicative of this was their opening goal in the eighth minute when John Kelly and Niall Murphy combined to open up the Tipperary defence for Kyle Cawley, who blasted home confidently.
The goal put the visitors 1- 2 to 0- 1 ahead, following on earlier points from Gerard O Kelly- Lynch( after a great run from his own defence) and Adrian Marren. Mark Breheny pointed a tenth minute free and wind- aided Sligo were firing on all cylinders.
With the twin- threat of Tipperary attacking stars Conor Sweeney and Michael Quinlivan snuffed out, Sligo continued to call the shots and got their deserved reward in the 26th minute when Keelan Cawley’s forward surge created the opportunity for Niall Murphy to shoot home goal number two for a 2- 7 to 0- 4 lead.
Tipperary kept nibbling at the lead but the movement and positional play of Sligo was excellent and they finished the first half with points from Marren and Breheny to go in at half- time seven points to the good, 2- 9 to 0- 8.
Would seven points lead be enough for Sligo having to face the bitterly fresh down- field breeze in the second half?
For twenty minutes of the second half Sligo looked winners all the way. Even goalie Aidan Devaney got in on the act, pointing a free in the 38th minute, and Breheny and Lynch added further points to extend Sligo’s advantage to eight points( 2- 12 to 0- 10) by the 51st minute.
By this time Tipperary were down to fourteen men,