Ladies through to Connacht final despite late Roscommon rally
WITH the Sligo men recording a six point win over Antrim in the Qualifiers earlier in the evening, the ladies were hoping for victory in their Championship clash with Roscommon on Saturday.
Attention switched from Markievicz Park to Kilcoyne Park in Tubbercurry in round three of the Intermediate Championship with Leitrim awaiting in the final.
Paddy Henry’s side, due to their earlier victory over Leitrim, knew if they lost by five points they were out of the final.
It looked as though the hosts were going to run out comfortable winners but it was Roscommon who came back and a late point from Jenny Downey in the 63rd minute secured a narrow one- point win for Michael Finneran’s outfit.
Despite losing, Sligo progress to the final with Leitrim and the result could have been a lot different bar the efforts of Sligo keeper and captain Noelle Gormley for stopping a number of Roscommon goal chances.
Aine Gormley, Ciara Gorman, Emma Keavney and Denise McGrath were influential upfront for Sligo and Henry’s side took advantage when Roscommon’s Jenny Higgins was sin binned in the first half.
It was the visitors who were first to score, Natalie McHugh converting a free on Higgins in the opening minute.
Down the other end, Keavney was also adjudged to have been fouled, with Gorman slotting over.
Good link up play involving Laura Ann Laffey and Gormley resulted n the St Nathy’s woman sending Sligo into an early lead on the fourth minute.
The Sligo advantage extended to two points after Gorman got her second free with five minutes on the clock.
The opening half saw good flowing football from both sides with some excellent scores from play.
Gorman was again on target to put Sligo into a three- point lead with Roscommon then almost immediately responding, with a free from Sheila Brady.
Sligo were in front again by three with Stephanie O’Reilly finding Keavney who sent over a fantastic point from play.
With eleven minutes played, it was all square after Roscommon clawed back through three unanswered points, two from Higgins and another from Brady to make it six points apiece.
Sligo went in front again a minute later with McGrath on target, which was cancelled out by Roscommon captain Natalie McHugh.
Then the game’s first goal arrived in the 14th minute, Gormley initially saved Brady’s shot but the rebound fell into her path and there was little the Sligo keeper could do to stop it.
A heavy challenge on Etna Flanagan saw Roscommon’s Higgins sent to the sin bin, with Sligo taking the advantage of being a player up. Roscommon didn’t score in this half after the 19th minute as Sligo hit 1- 6 without reply, with Keavney punishing a poor Roscommon kick- out which ended up with the St Pat’s player finding the net as Sligo led by six at the break, 1- 14 to 1- 8.
Gormley was called upon twice after the resumption as Roscommon advanced and she had to be strong at blocking an attempt from Jenny Downey three minutes into the half.
A point from Gorman on 38 minutes was to signal a scoring lull for Henry’s side as Roscommon hit three unanswered points, through Joanne Cregg, Rebecca Finan and Brady to bring it back to a three point game with 15 minutes to go.
Roscommon may have had their heads up but Sligo responded through fine scores by McGrath, Sarah Reynolds and Keavney as they led by six with ten minutes remaining.
Then, Roscommon were awarded a penalty on 53 minutes after Higgins was brought down and Downey’s shot blasted off the post and into the net to give them a lifeline.
They were right back in it, with only two points down and Sligo could sense a Roscommon revival.
Sligo’s Keavney saw her goal attempt bounce off the back of Helena Cummins in the Roscommon goals with four minutes to go.
The remaining minutes belonged to Roscommon, two points from Higgins and another from Downey from a late free in the 63rd minute, giving Roscommon a one- point win.
But after losing to Leitrim earlier in the Championship, they need to win by five so it’s Sligo who now play Leitrim in two weeks’ time.
SLIGO: N Gormley ( C), E Flanagan, G O’Loughlin, R Goodwin, L Boles, E Codd, J Mulligan, B Byrne, S Reynolds, A Gormley, D McGrath, L A Laffey, C Gorman, S O’Reilly, E Keavney.
Subs: A Marie Coleman for Goodwin, Elaine O’Reilly for O’Reilly, Sinead Naughton for Laffey.
ROSCOMMON: H Cummins, C Gunning, A McLoone, G Dufficy, A MacAulliffe, B McHugh, S Kenny, J Cregg, T Taylor, A Kelly, J Downey, L Fleming, N McHugh ( C), S Brady, S Brady, J Higgins.
Subs: L Brady, R Finan, S Dowd, N Feeney, M Freyne,
REFEREE: PJ Rabbitte ( Galway).