Sligo suffer five point defeat against Fermanagh.
ALLIANZ LEAGUE DIVISION 3 ROUND 3
FERMANAGH ran out five point winners over hosts Sligo in a damp Markievicz Park on Sunday afternoon in the Allianz League Division 3 round fixture in what was the Ulstermen’s third win out of three in the League.
It was not the most spectacular of games and the wet conditions didn’t help matters for both sides.
Sligo were coming into this match after a victory at home to Wexford saw them claim their first two points of the campaign while Rory Gallagher’s men had two wins under their belts and were eager to maintain that winning form. An injury to Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch in the warm-up saw Adrian McIntyre come in to replace him.
It was the hosts that started the game impressively and bounced into a three point to no score lead with only four minutes gone as Cathal Corey’s side looked sharp and lively on the attack in front of a large crowd in Markievicz Park.
Neil Ewing got the Yeats men off the mark with 58 seconds played after good work by Adrian Marren, a minute later Niall Murphy was fouled and Stephen Coen duly pointed before Pat Hughes with a fantastic point from distance put Sligo into a three point lead with Fermanagh yet to register their first score.
Sligo’s scoring was halted from here until the 27th minute as Fermanagh clawed their way back into the game. The quick-thinking of Eddie McGuinness saw a Fermanagh goal chance from Declan McCusker sail over the bar on seven minutes after the corner back got a touch to it. Seamus Quigley converted a free on 12 minutes and a minute later a pacey move saw Conall Jones point from play and bring the sides level.
Sligo hit their first wide on 18 minutes while it was a different story for Fermanagh, they had 13 wides in total during the afternoon compared to Sligo’s three.
The UIstermen went into the lead for the first time on 21 minutes which they never let go of as Quigley slotted over his second free.
Down the other end a high ball loomed dangerously in the Fermanagh goalmouth with Murphy lurking as the ball went out for a 45 which Marren took but the ball dropped short into the Fermanagh goalkeeper’s hands. Fermanagh went on the attack again winning the Sligo kickout and Jones was on hand to add his second as they went into a 0-5 to 0-3 lead on 24 minutes. Then Murphy hit the score of the game after being fed by Ewing, his shot curling from the left hand corner to reduce the lead to a point on 27 minutes. From here though Fermanagh pushed on once more scoring three points on the bounce, Barry Mulrone who was excellent throughout pointing on 29 minutes, Paul McCusker adding another before Declan McCusker got the last score of this period. There was some protestations from Sligo that the score had gone wide but after referee John Hickey consulted with his umpires the score still stood as Fermanagh led 0-8 to 0-4 at the break.
Sligo needed a bright start to the second half and indeed they did look sharper after the resumption. Three minutes in an Adrian McIntyre point reduced it to a three point game but it was quickly responded to down the other end by the impressive Mulrone adding his second. A good move involving Marren and Coen saw the latter point on 40 minutes as Fermanagh led 0-9 to 0-6. Two missed chances to score from Sligo dropped into the Fermanagh goalkeeper’s hands. Both sides were looking to their benches, Kevin McDonnell and Charlie Harrison among the notable returnees from injury for Sligo with the Yeats men hoping for the goal that would bring them right back into it. Two quick points from Declan McCusker and Quigley from play brought five between them with 48 minutes played. Sligo were not done yet and substitute Liam Gaughan sent over a free on 55 minutes to bring it back to four.
With seven minutes injury time a Sligo goal would have made it interesting and when Marren sent over a fabulous point two minutes into injury time it looked like a tense final few minutes for Fermanagh. The goal didn’t look like it was coming for the hosts as Sean Quigley pointed to put four between them. With the dismissal of Cian Breheny (second yellow) and Ewing (yellow and black) it was Fermanagh who finished the strongest. Sligo goalkeeper pulled off a brilliant save at the end to deny Sean Quigley as it was the Ulstermen who went home with the points.
SLIGO: A Devaney, R Donovan, L Nicholson, E McGuinness, E McHugh, N Ewing, D Cummins, P O’Connor, A McIntyre, F Cawley, N Murphy, S Carrabine, S Coen, P Hughes, A Marren. Scorers: S Coen (0-2, 1f), N Ewing (0-1), P Hughes (0-1), N Murphy (0-1), A McIntyre (0-1), L Gaughan (0-1 1f), A Marren (0-1 1f). Subs used: C Harrison for Ewing (blood sub 8), C Breheny for Cawley (h/t), K McDonnell for Carrabine (47), C Harrison for McHugh (50), L Gaughan for Hughes (52), K Cawley for Coen (53), J Clarke for McIntyre (68).
FERMANAGH: P Cadden, M Jones, C Cullen, C McManus,B Mulrone, L Cullen, D McCusker, E Donnelly, R Jones, P McCusker, C Corrigan, A Breen, D Teague, C Jones, S Quigley. Scorers: Seamus Quigley (0-3, 2f), D McCusker (0-3), C Jones (0-2), B Mulrone (0-2), P McCusker (0-1), A Breen (0-1). Subs used: R Corrigan for P McCusker (44), E Maguire for Teague (49), R Lyons for C Corrigan (58), K Connor for McManus (65), Sean Quigley (0-1) for Seamus Quigley (68).
REFEREE: J Hickey (Carlow).