Sligo secured their fifth win of this year’s Allianz Football League Division 4 and brought their promotion challenge to the final round of the league season with a five point victory over Carlow at Netwatch Cullen Park in Carlow on Saturday evening.

The shape of the game was set by two mid first half Sligo goals and although the result never looked in doubt from there on, the winners likewise never looked convincing.

The home side started with the benefit of a strong breeze and the lowering sun in their backs and were quick to take advantage with two early points from captain Darragh Foley as they dominated the early possession.

Sligo’s first score hovere showed their potentila with a swift movement up the left hand side that released Sean Carreabone on goal from which he made  no mistake to put Sligo ahead 1-0 to 0-2.

Carlow hit back  with points from Colm Hulton and Jamie Clarke but Sligo were growing stronger as the half progressed. Carrabine converted a free while Pat Spillane was also on the mark.

As the half wore on, Sligo were asserting a dominance around the middle of the field and they finished the half on a high as a move that started in their own half back life put Niall Murphy though and the Sligo captain made no mistake finding the net.

While Carlow got the first score of the second half, Spillane, Finnian Cawley and Carrabine kept the scoreboard ticking over for Sligo in a slow second half with Spillane just edging a delicate chip over the bar for what would have been the score of the game.

Sligo: Daniel Lyons; Luke Nicholson, Eddie McGuinness, Evan Lyons; Luke Towey, Jack Lavin, Paul McNamara; Paul Kilcoyne, Pat Spillane (0-03); Cian Lally, Sean Carrabine (1-04, 2fs), David Quinn; Finnian Cawley (0-02), Patrick O’Connor, Niall Murphy (1-01, 0-01f).

Subs: Mark Walsh for Nicholson (h/t), Gerard O’Kelly Lynch for Quinn (49), Brian Cox for Lavin (61), Keelan Cawley for McNamara (64), D Conlan for Spillane (68),

Carlow: Ciaran Cunningham; Jonah Dunne, Mikey Bambrick, Shane Buggy; Seanie Bambrick, Jordan Morrissey, Shane Clarke; Niall Hickey, Finbarr Kavanagh; Josh Moore, Jamie Clarke (0-01), Darragh O’Brien; Colm Hulton (0-01), Darragh Foley (0-06, 5fs), Ross Dunphy (0-01).

Subs: Conor Doyle (0-01) for Brennan (h/t), Niall Hickey for Kavanagh (h/t), Mark Furey for Hickey (39), Eric Molloy (0-01) for Hulton (51), Cormac Lomax for Dunphy (64).

Referee: Barry Tiernan (Dublin).