Second win on the
Murray added his second score with a fine effort from a difficult angle before Murphy set up O’Connor for a fantastic point from play, Sligo overturned possession and Cummins pointed to give them a 0-9 to 0-8 lead at the break.
The second half was just as riveting with very little between the sides. Sligo goalkeeper Aidan Devaney split the posts with a well-struck ‘45 before Cunningham converted a brilliant free on 39 minutes. His side overturned possession and Murray won a free, Cunningham slotting over to bring it back level once more with ten points each on 44 minutes.
Then after Antrim’s half-time substitute Kevin Quinn received a black card, Sligo took the momentum with 3 points on the bounce.
O’Connor scored two, Pat Hughes setting him up for the second, with Keelan Cawley adding another fine point from play to give his side a three point lead on 51 minutes.
Antrim responded through Cunningham and Colum Duffin fisting over to bring it back to a one point game entering the final ten minutes.
A Murphy free was converted by Gaughan which was replied to from substitute Odhran Eastwood as a mere point separated them with 5 minutes to go.
A foul on Hughes saw O’Connor adding his sixth of the afternoon as stoppage time approached.
Murphy was sent off on 72 minutes with his second yellow as Antrim needed a goal.
A free out for Sligo after Antrim substitute Eoin Nagle touched the ball on the ground was celebrated rapturously by the home support but the game wasn’t over just yet.
Deep into injury time Cunningham stepped up to take another free and went for the point before the referee signalled the end, Sligo ecstatic with their second win on the trot.
SLIGO: A Devaney, J F Carr, E McGuinness, M Gordon, N Mullen, P McNamara, S Carrabine, P O’ Connor (C), P Kilcoyne, K Cawley, N Ewing, D Cummins, L Gaughan, C Lally, R Óg Murphy.
Subs used: G O’Kelly-Lynch for Ewing (h/t), P Hughes for Lally (43), J O’Reilly for Cawley (55), A Marren for Gaughan (71).
Scorers: P O’Connor (0-6, 3f), L Gaughan (0-3, 2f), R Óg Murphy (0-2), S Carrabine (0-1), D Cummins (0-1), A Devaney (0-1, ‘45), K Cawley (0-1).
ANTRIM: O Kerr, P Gallagher, R Johnston, M Gardiner, D Lynch, J McAuley, P Healy, R McCann, M Jordan, E Walsh, P McBride, N Delargy, P Cunningham, C Duffin, C Murray.
Subs used: K Quinn for Gardiner (h/t), C Small for McBride (42), O Eastwood for Walsh (55), D McAleese for Duffin (60), E Nagle for McCann (67).
Scorers: P Cunningham (0-9, 6f), C Murray (0-2), E Walsh (0-1), C Duffin (0-1), O Eastwood (0-1).
REFEREE: N McKenna (Monaghan).