Sligo  hurlers continued their winning streak in the Hurling league with a hard earned victory in Bawnacre Irvinestown on Sunday despite the emphatic scoreline. The team will now meet Leitrim in the league final in a winner takes all game to move out of the division.

The game was moved to the 3G pitch in Irvinestown on Saturday night which meant line balls were more like hockey strokes and the sight of 2 players having the sliotar bounce over them from a puckout showed it was not the best for good hurling. However it was the same for both sets of players. Fermanagh played with the strong breeze on their backs in the first half and should have lead by more at the break as they hit a good number of frees wide as well as attempts from play. 

Andrew Kilcullen got the first score of the game followed by a Keith Raymond free. Caolan Duffy then had a brace from play. Points from our half backs Finnian Cawley and Kevin Banks from play were cancelled out by John Duffy frees. Kevin Gilmartin pounced on the rebound from a good save by the home keeper, scooping the sliotar over him in the 14th minute. Points from the Duffys, Barry McPhilips, and centre back JP McGarry kept the homeside in front at the break to lead 1-7 v 0-12. Sligo were fortunate as Mark Burke made three excellent stops in that time. Just before the halftime whistle Gilmartin was shown the red card when on the attack and sliotar in hand.

It took Sligo 5 minutes to adjust to the elements on their backs but three points from Banks, Kieran Prior and Kilcullen put them in front eight minutes into the half, a lead they would not relinquish despite Caolan Duffy equalising in the 14th minute. Tony O'Kelly Lynch from play and Raymond and Banks frees increased the lead. Fermanaghs challenge disappeared in the last 11 minutes when Caolan Duffy was sent off for two yellow and directly after a free from Joe McHugh was smartly sent to his brother Rory who was on the 20 meter line unmarked and he drove to the roof of the net. This was quickly followed by a Joe McHugh free and a Prior goal. 

Sligo were driving forward on every puck out with Mikey Gordon and two Arthur Wall points from play followed by Ruairí Brennan all from play extending the lead out against the disheartened Fermanagh team. 

At this time it appears the final will be next Sunday with the details to be confirmed later today (Monday)

Sligo: Mark Burke, Kevin O'Kennedy, Niall Feehily, Eoghan Rua McGowan, Finnian Cawley (0-1), Liam Reidy, Kevin Banks (0-3, 1f), Tony O'Kelly Lynch (0-2), Mikey Gordon (0-1), Kieran Prior (1-3), Rory McHugh (1-1),Andrew Kilcullen(0-2), Kevin Gilmartin (1-0), Keith Raymond (0-3,3f), Larry Cadden: Subs, James Weir for McGowan, Joe McHugh(0-2, 2f) for Cadden, Arthur Wall(0-2), for Kilcullen, Pa O'Connor for Burke, Ruairí Brennan(0-1) for Prior