Late Wexford comeback leaves nervy finish as Sligo cling on

SLIGO WEXFORD 1-16 1-13

here they let Wexford get more into the game and they scored four unanswered points in the space of four minutes to leave only a goal between them at the break, half-time score 1-6 to six points.

With only 11 seconds on the clock after the resumption, Cummins raced up the field and pointed. The next score came from Pat Hughes with a fantastic effort from play as Sligo were working hard driving at the Wexford defence.

Fine scores from Carrabine, O’Conor and a Coen free saw Sligo comfortably ahead by seven with 13 minutes to go. James Stafford and Barry O’Connor responded with a point each for Wexford before Devereux’s shot came off a Sligo defender and sailed into the net on 56 minutes to leave it tense in the closing stages as the scoreline was 1-12 to 1-9. O’Connor and Doyle traded scores before Sligo pushed on further, adding two scores through Coen and a Marren free to leave five between them on 63 minutes but Wexford weren’t heading back to the Southeast just yet. With seven minutes of injury time the Sligo support were nervously checking their watches as Wexford hit three points on the bounce, Barry O’Gorman, Ben Brosnan and Stafford all on target. Sligo, who looked the strongest during the encounter, hung on with Wexford’s Michael Furlong getting his marching orders for a nasty challenge on Kyle Cawley right at the finish.

Scorers Sligo: Stephen Coen (0-5 2f); Niall Murphy (1-0), Adrian Marren (0-3, 3f), Patrick O’Connor (0-3); Sean Carrabine (0-2); Darragh Cummins, Pat Hughes, Liam Gaughan (1f) 0-1 each. Wexford: Ben Brosnan 0-4 (1f); James Stafford 0-3; Cathal Devereux 1-0; Paul Curtis, Nick Doyle (0-2 each); Barry O’Connor, Barry O’Gorman (0-1 each).

SLIGO: A Devaney, R Donovan, L Nicholson, E McGuinness, E McHugh, N Ewing, G O’Kelly-Lynch, P O’Connor, D Cummins, F Cawley, N Murphy, S Carrabine, S Coen, P Hughes, A Marren. Subs: L Gaughan for Hughes (54), K Cawley for Coen (63), P Kilcoyne for O’Kelly-Lynch (67), J Clarke for McHugh (BC, 69), J O’Reilly for Marren (70+7).

WEXFORD: P Doyle, M Furlong, M O’Neill, J Rossiter, G Malone, J Stafford, C Carty, D Waters, S Byrne, T Rossiter, B Brosnan, D Shanley, P Curtis, N Doyle, C McCabe. Subs: C Devereux for McCabe (25), D Holmes for O’Neill (h-t), B O’Connor for Byrne (42), D Pepper for Curtis (blood sub, 46), R Frayne for Shanley (53), S Doyle for Rossiter (58), B O’Gorman for Curtis (65).

REFEREE: S Laverty (Antrim).

Finnian Cawley in action for Sligo in their victory over Wexford in Markievicz Park on Sunday in round 2 of the Allianz National League. Pic: Tom Callanan.