Offaly take the points as Sligo struggle
PAT FLANAGAN’S MEN KNEW THEY NEEDED TO WIN IN ORDER TO KEEP CHANCES OF STAYING IN DIVISION 3 ALIVE AND THIS THEY DID ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON IN MARKIEVICZ PARK.
THE sunny atmosphere in Markievicz Park wasn’t long disappearing into disappointment for Sligo as they slumped to a four- point defeat to struggling Offaly in their Allianz Division 3 League encounter on Sunday.
What started out as a positive campaign for Niall Carew’s men, with inspiring wins over Tipperary, Laois and a hard- fought draw with Armagh, the League dissolved into a lacklustre finish for Sligo, with losses to Antrim, Longford and now Offaly last Sunday.
Division 3 was always going to be a tough battle between the teams and Sligo due to their bright start had promotion within their sights before losing away to both Antrim and Longford.
Sunday’s result leaves Sligo one point ahead of Longford, Laois, Antrim and bottom place Offaly, who are battling in this weekend’s final round to see who will stay and who will go in Division 3, while Sligo travel to take on the already- promoted Louth.
Pat Flanagan’s Offaly knew they had to win on Sunday to keep their Division 3 status and in fairness to them they fought bravely to ensure they left the Northwest with a victory.
It was a game that had plenty of drama with black cards, a sending off and a penalty, yet Sligo were unable to overturn the Offaly advantage once they went ahead in the 24th minute.
Sligo had to make do without their U21 players, who are in this weekend’s Connacht final and it was the hosts who started brightly in glorious conditions in Markievicz Park.
Carew’s side had an early goal opportunity with only two minutes on the clock, when Stephen Coen was trying to link up with Pat Hughes near the Offaly goalmouth, the pass was collected by the Leinster men.
Niall Murphy, despite having three Offaly defenders surrounding him, grasped a fine move from Johnny Kelly, Charlie Harrison and Coen before turning and firing over Sligo’s first point of the afternoon.
Sligo, making optimum use of the space, went on the attack a minute later with Adrian Marren seeking out Murphy who found Coen free and the St Mary’s man added a second for Sligo.
Two points from play from Offaly’s Bernard Allen and Graham Guilfoyle brought it level on nine minutes before a Hughes free was converted by Murphy with 12 minutes gone.
Good build up work from Offaly was awarded with another Allen point on 15 minutes as they were responding to Sligo’s earlier dominance.
Offaly had a goal chance through Joseph O’Connor in the 17th minute, his attempt went out to the left and wide.
Sligo intelligently counter- attacked immediately from Aidan Devaney’s kick- out. Adrian McIntyre found Marren, who passed to Hughes who expertly used his strength to shoulder off the Offaly challenge, finding Murphy who goaled.
Offaly responded though an Eoin Carroll point as Sligo led 1- 3 to four with 21 minutes played.
Then on 24 minutes, Offaly were ahead, they flew through the Sligo defence and there was no stopping Nigel Dunne who was fed by Peter Cunningham, Dunne slamming the ball into the back of the net edging them one in front.
The Leinster men never lost this lead for the rest of the match.
A fine point from play by Guilfoyle in the 29th minute had them two ahead with half- time approaching. Flanagan’s men could have been even further ahead only for a number of scoreable wides.
Sligo went without scoring for a 15 minutes spell before Devaney pointed a free two minutes to the break.
Corner back Brian Darby was having an impressive game for Offaly and put them two in front on 35 minutes, before an Allen free had them 1- 7 to 1- 4 in front at the break.
Sligo needed to start brightly and half- time substitute Mark Breheny sent over an early free a minute into the second half.
Allen got his fourth and the sharp- shooter Dunne converted another free on 40 minutes as Offaly edged