Taylor impressed with performance
SLIGO boss Paul Taylor was relieved his side came away with another fine victory in the Allianz league Division 4 on Sunday, following a narrow one point at home to Antrim.
The Eastern Harps man said after the game: “I would be lying if I said I wasn’t thrilled to get the second successive win. We are delighted, as it was our first home game too. It’s good to win it and we knew how tough it was going to be, we know how tough every game is going to be in this Division.
“Teams are going to drop points and games are going to come down maybe a mistake or a little bit of magic from somebody but today was our day, Antrim are a good side, we knew they were a very good side.
“Every team will target their home games and try and win their home games, so we are just delighted to have a home game won,” the manager added.
He said adding a tight match to this degree does give Sligo confidence going forward. “It’s good to know that when a game is tight like that that you can dig it out. It’s no more than I expect from the lads there. Credit goes to the boys that were playing, to the boys that are training, the boys in the dug out that came on there, the whole panel. That’s where the credit lies, to be able to put in that type of a performance, is everything right, no but we are getting to the levels where we want to be and we still have a lot of work to do but the fitness levels are good and mentally they are in a good place.
“It’s great to know that when a game goes down to the wire they can come out on top. They worked very, very hard today.”
Taylor said the most pleasing aspect of the performance for him was that Sligo don’t give up as a team. “We keeping together, keep playing for one another and we support each other and we drive each other on. That was the most pleasing thing for me.
“I think we had a lot of wides, I don’t like to see that happening but at the same time we were getting into the positions and that’s the most pleasing thing and the workrate too.
“I have to say the workrate is great at the moment and the work the lads are doing off the field as well.
“Look, we’ve 4 points, we’ve 2 games won and that’s just a good start, that’s all it is.
“As I say, teams are going to drop points in this league as this year goes on so it’s just very, very important to win your home games and I think that was one of the most pleasing things. “
In terms of promotion on the mind, he firmly said: “Absolutely not.
“The only thing now that’s on my mind is Wicklow. Four points, that’s only probably a third of what you want to go and get promoted so it’s going to be a long, long year and all we’re focusing on now is Wicklow.
“Aughrim is a fortress for them down there and it’s going to be tough on Sunday, the lads are going to have to get recovery, look at Wicklow and of course we look forward to going down there as we always do but as I say teams will want to win their home games.
“If you look at the league in general, we’ve to go to London, Wicklow, Carlow, Wexford, so there’s definitely no talk about promotion.”
Taylor said the celebrations from the home support at the end of the game was special too. “It’s back in 2015 or 2016 since Sligo won 2 on the bounce they might have won one and drawn one after but it’s back then since we’ve won two on the bounce.
“It’s good to know this team have a group of players who are progressing, I’ve always said that.
“They have an awful lot of work to do but they are progressing, they are prepared to do it and knowing they can answer a few questions out there today. There will be more questions as the league goes on, but they answered a few today,” he added.