Friends of Sligo Football
Pride of place this week to our gallant under 16 ladies football team, who defeated Galway to
to win the Connaught final last Friday. This was a magnificent victory bearing in mind the small
number of ladies teams in Sligo and is payback for the great work being done at under age level in
recent years. Well done to all the girls involved and to manager Conor Gormely, Jacqui Mulligan
and Noelle Gormley. Special mention to John Gillespie who sponsors jerseys for the ladies teams at
a time when it is difficult to get sponsorship. It has been a great year for girls like Laura Gillespie
and Caoimhe Gallagher, who have now added a Connaught medal to their Colleges football and
Basketball wins earlier this year in.
Commiserations to our Senior footballers, who lost out by a point to Galway in the Connaught final
last Sunday. Much was expected from Sligo in this game and they were overwhelming favourites
probably for the first time ever in such final but Roscommon took control from the first minute and
won most battles on the pitch . They appeared to be much more up for it and were faster to the
ball and dominated around the middle of the field either winning clean possession or picking up the
breaks and we conceded too many frees for the inform Donie Shine. Still we pulled back 2 points
just before halftime as we did in 2007 and we were hopeful this momentum would continue in the
second half but it was nearly 20 minutes before we got going again and then some superb points by
Sean Davey and Alan Costello and an inspirational point by Charlie Harrison gave us renewed faith.
A superb save by the Roscommon keeper from a David Kelly shot, which would surely be the winner,
saved the day for Roscommon, who held out. As in the finals of 1997 and 2002 the additional time,
which should be played was not applied as there were lots of stoppages by Roscommon players in
the second half in particular after the 35 minutes expired but it is difficult to say if Sligo would have
got the requisite score(s) to change the result and Roscommon were the better team on the day.
It is difficult to accept two Connaught final defeats (under 21 and senior) to Roscommon this year
each of which could be won and we do not get that many opportunities like that. Now the players
have to regroup for next weekend against Down and that will not be easy but we wish them well
and thank them for the enjoyment they brought us this year