Good to finish with a win as focus turns to Big Apple
SLIGO manager Niall Carew said after the away victory in Drogheda that the Yeats men finished the Allianz League on a positive note.
He told the Sligo Champion: “It was good to finish with the win. We beat the two top teams ( Louth and Tipperary) away and we drew with Armagh but I think we were very unlucky losing by a point or two points when we didn’t take our frees which ultimately cost us,” the Kildare man admitted.
Overall, he said the League had been competitive from a Sligo perspective.
“We had a solid League, we were competitive in every game and we had chances to win and we didn’t take them in some games.”
He said losing to Antrim, Longford and Offaly was disappointing as free- taking wasn’t up to scratch on those days. “We were disappointing in our freetaking against Antrim and Longford which would have kept us in the game,” he added.
Positives from the League campaign include a number of new players coming through the ranks, he added.
“Paddy O’Connor was a big player for us throughout. He’s only 19, having been a Minor last year and he’s got a big future ahead of him.
“Johnny Kelly too has been a big plus for Sligo in the League,” Niall added.
2017 also saw the return of some familiar faces to boost the Yeats men.
“It’s good to have David Kelly back and also Ross Donovan and Stephen Gilmartin, who weren’t involved last year so that’s good to see those players back,” the manager maintained.
As the League is now finished for 2017, focus is very much on the upcoming Connacht Championship opener away to New York on May 7th.
Niall said it will be a busy few weeks for his players, who also have club games and college exams to undertake.
“New York is only four weeks from here and the players will also have maybe three or four club games too.
“So fingers crossed they will stay injury free.
“A few of the lads too have college exams coming up and a few won’t be able to go to New York because of that.
“Luke Nicholson can’t go, while we’re trying to negotiate with colleges to find out soon about Kevin McDonnell, Gerard O’Kelly- Lynch and Johnny Kelly.
“We’ll know more about that this week and are waiting to see.”
In terms of injuries after the League campaign, he said his squad has a full bill of health.
“Thankfully we have no other injuries ahead of New York. We’ll be training hard for that.
“I have been keeping an eye on New York and they too are training hard,” the manager said. Sligo finished the League in fourth place, behind Armagh.