First defeat for minors
Sligo 0-8 Roscommon 0-11
Sligo’s unbeaten start to the Connacht Minor League ended last Saturday afternoon when Roscommon emerged as three point winners at Connolly Park, Collooney in this round three tie.
Having beaten Leitrim and Galway in the opening two rounds of the competition, Sligo came into this tie in good form but Roscommon’s efficiency in front of goal proved to be the difference on a dreadful afternoon for football.
Driving rain and a brisk breeze didn’t help either side to play with a free-flowing style, but Sligo started with a real swagger.
0-4 to 0-1 ahead after 12 minutes thanks to scores from Alan McLoughlin, Rian Kennedy, Liam Gaughan and Seán Carrabine, Sligo looked as though they would make the most of a wind advantage in the opening period, but Roscommon soon settled.
Hubert Darcy and Keith Murphy kicked two points apiece for the visitors in the opening half, and they held a 0-6 to 0-5 interval lead.
They continued in the same vein of form in the second period, with Darcy and Cian McKeon on target early in the half, but Sligo battled back. Substitute Nathan Rooney opened Sligo’s second half account, and the gap between the sides was back to one after Nathan Mullen and Rian Kennedy pointed for Aidan Rooney’s side.
Sligo continued to search for an elusive goal that would have put them into the ascendency, and Joe McHugh’s high ball into the Roscommon square almost ended in a Sligo major late into injury-time, but Roscommon wrapped up the two points on offer to with scores from Hubert Darcy and Conor Payne to secure a three point win.
Nonetheless, Sligo remain in a good position and will hope to return to winning ways when they take on Longford next Saturday evening in Markievicz Park (5.30pm).
Sligo: E Kilgannon; B Mahon, E McGuinness, M O’Dowd; N Mullen (0-1), F Cawley, A Kearns; P Kilcoyne, O Gilmartin; L Gaughan (0-2, 1f), R Kennedy(0-2, 2fs), S Carrabine (0-1); J McHugh, A McLoughlin (0-1), M Gordon. Subs used: D Cummins for Gilmartin (HT), N Rooney (0-1) for McLoughlin (HT), K Cawley for Carrabine (HT), C Lally for Mahon (48) K Banks for Kilcoyne (52), D Leonard for Kennedy (56).
Roscommon: L Cregg; D Duff, A Dowd, S McManus; L Kelly, M Richardson, M Burke; C Lennon, C Murray; O Veluckis, H Darcy (0-5, 2fs), D Glynn; K Murphy (0-3), C McKeon (0-2), J Donohue. Subs: C Payne (0-1) for Veluckis (20)
Referee: J Glavey (Mayo)