Sligo’s hurlers suffered an agonising last gasp defeat in the opening round of this year’s Connacht Hurling Leage when an eight point added time Roscommon salvo (2-2) saw an advantage they had held for almost all of the game dramatically overturned.

The men in black racked up a fine total of 2-23 and led by four poiunts going into added time of a fast moving encounter played in Connacht GAA’s University of Galway Air Dome at Bekan.

It was a harsh outcome for the Yeats County side whose performance leaves much to look forward to in the season ahead. New Manager Stephen Shiels saw a spirited and skilful performance from his side who have yet to welcome back most of their Easkey contingent whose club championship campaign only finished two weeks ago.

The game was also notable for the appearance together on the field for the first time of five brothers in a Sligo intercounty side when Naomh Eoin’s Robert O’Kelly Lynch entered as a second half substitute joining his older siblings Gerard, Tony, Fergal and Liam.

Robert was one of five debutants on the evening who had featured in Sligo’s 2022 Celtic Challenge (U17) winning campaign – the others being with Drumcliffe Rosses Point’s Donnchadh O’Brien, Coolera Strandhill pair Oisín Hennessy and Jack Feeney and Easkey’s Adam Rolston.  

Sligo started off the evening on the front foot with Gerard O’Kelly Lynch, returning to the hurling side after a year playing with Sligo’s footballers, opening the scoring with a fine point from play. Roscommon equalised almost immediately with a Paddy Fallon free, the first of a 1-10 haul for the Oran man.

Debutant Donnchadh O’Brien restored the Sligo advantage and it was the men in black that set the pace over the first half hour with three further points from O’Kelly Lynch (two from frees), two from his brother Tony and a point each from Michael Munnelly and Rory McHugh bringing the score to 0-9 to 0-8 with five minutes to the break.

Roscommon midfielder Mickey Joe Egan then hit an equalising point before a long range Paddy Fallon shot fortuitously found the net to give his side the lead for the first time. The same player quickly extended rgwie advantage to 1-10 to 0-9 with a pointed free.

Sligo hit back in style however and finished out the half strongly. Firstly, Gerard O’Kelly Lynch pointed from play and then# Tomás Cawley pointed superbly from a tight angle after  he gathered a long range delivery from McHugh. O’Kelly Lynch then found the net to raise Sligo’s first green flag and put his side back in front.

Egan hit a superb long-range point to equalise but points from a Gerard O’Kelly Lynch free, Munnelly and Tony O’Kelly Lynch, all in added time, opened up a three point gap for Sligo. Fallon had the last word at the other end with a point to leave just two between the sides at the break – 1-14 to 1-12 in favour of the Yeats men.

On the resumption Egan restored parity for Roscommon with two quick points but the Sligo men hit back quickly when  Donnchadh O’Brien hit their second goal to put them three ahead again 2-14 to 1-14 after 37 minutes.

They held the advantage throughout a lower scoring second half with Tony O’Kelly Lynch adding three points from play, his brother Gerard adding one from play and three frees and one point each from Tomas Cawley and Brian Shannon to stand four points ahead – 2-23 to 1-22 as four minutes added time was called.

Disaster then struck for Sligo as first Egan and then sub Sean Canning hit goals in successive moves for Roscommon to give then the advantage as the clock ran down.

Despite their best efforts the Sligo men couldn’t work into scoring range, and it was left to Roscommon full forward Robbie Fallon to apply the finishing touch with a sublime point from a sideline cut with the last puck of the game to give his side a 3-23 to 2-23 victory.

Sligo: Michael O’Callaghan; Cian Flynn, Conor Griffin, Oisín Hennessy; Donal Keaveney, Rory McHugh (0-1), Liam O’Kelly Lynch; Michael Munnelly (0-2), Brian Shannon (0-1); Donnchadh O’Brien (1-1), Tony O’Kelly Lynch (0-6), Darragh Flynn (0-1); Tomas Cawley (0-2), Gerard O’Kelly Lynch (1-9, 0-7f), Fergal O’Kelly Lynch

Subs: Robert O’Kelly Lynch for Hennessy (HT), Eddie O’Donoghue for F O’Kelly Lynch (46 min), Adam Rolston for Darragh Flynn (56 min), Jack Feeney for L O’Kelly Lynch (70 min)

Roscommon Enda Lawless; Mark Ward, James Dillion, Thomas Fleming; Micheál Hussey, Jimmy Hoey, Jack Dowling (0-1); Mickey Joe Egan (1-8), Darragh Finn (0-1, Liam Og Murray, Adam Donnelly, Paddy Fallon (1-10  0-8 f); Cathal Geraghty (0-1), Robbie Fallon (0-1 s/l), Cormac Mulry

Subs: Darragh Mullen for Hussey inj (5min), Sean Canning (1-1) for Mulry (HT), Chulain Dowd for Donnelly (HT), Cathal Crehan for Geraghty (58 min), Finn Killion for Hoey (63 min), Jack Naughton for P Fallon (70 min)

Referee Conor Quinlan (Galway)

The County Committee of Sligo GAA has ratified the appointment of Stephen Sheil as manager of the Sligo senior hurling team.

The appointment is for a two year term with an option agreed for a possible third year subject to review.

Stephen will be assisted by lead coach Seamus Qualter and by Donal O’Brien. His team will also include further specialist input – on Strength and Conditioning, nutrition and psychology - to be finalised in conjunction with the existing core resources of Sligo GAA in those areas.  Stephen and his team will also have the support of high performance consultant Bernard Jackman on an advisory basis.

The appointment follows a competitive process undertaken by a selection committee established for the task by Sligo GAA’s management committee and led by Chairman, Sean Carroll.

Mr. Carroll said “We are really pleased with the quality of candidates that put themselves forward for the role and in the end it was a difficult choice to make. Our ambition is to build on the rise of our county senior team to Christy Ring Cup level over the past four years. While we slipped back in the League in the season just gone, we believe that the talent is there to rise again and maintain that level while also developing our younger players through to senior level”.

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Background Information:

MANAGER: STEPHEN SHEIL

Stephen Sheil started his GAA journey playing football and hurling with Kildavin / Clonegal GAA club in Carlow winning numerous county titles in both codes as well as Intermediate Hurler of the year in 1997. He represented his native county at all levels in hurling up to and including the Leinster senior hurling championship. He also represented Bunclody Vocational School and Carlow IT before relocating to Westmeath where he played with St Joseph’s GAA club. played for his native Carlow at all grades winning underage titles and playing in the knockout stages of the Leinster Senior Hurling championship. 

He started out coaching underage teams in St Joseph’s and has in recent years managed several adult teams in Meath and Westmeath reaching championship finals in both counties. His most recent management roles have been with Westmeath hurling minor team, TUS Athlone (Senior and Freshers) as well as Na Fianna, Enfield senior hurling team in Meath.

LEAD COACH: SEAMUS QUALTER

Seamus Qualter is a native of Turloughmore in Galway with whom he won county minor and senior hurling championship medals in the mid 1980’s. He also represented his county winning an Oireachtas medal in 1992.

As a coach/manager Seamus has wide ranging experience at club and county levels with spells managing Westmeath and Roscommon and minor, U21 and senior. With Westmeath he won 2 Christy Ring Cups in the mid 2000’s and led them to a memorable Leinster senior championship victory against Dublin during that time. He also delivered Division 2B and All Ireland B championship victories for Roscommon in the early 2010’s.

ASSISTANT COACH: DONAL O’BRIEN

A former Tipperary Intermediate and Mayo senior player, Donal has developed his coaching experience through the underage ranks in Mayo.

PREPARATION MANAGER: BERNARD JACKMAN

Bernard Jackman was born in Tullow, Co Carlow and is a former rugby player with Connacht, Leinster and Sale Sharks. He also represented Ireland at international level. He has coached at club level in Ireland, France and Wales. Alongside his coaching Bernard has worked as a rugby pundit and columnist whilst building his profile as a motivational speaker and high-performance consultant. He will work with the Sligo senior hurling team on physical and mental preparation on a part time basis.

Sligo GAA is seeking to appoint a suitably qualified individual to to manage the county's senior hurling team for 2024.

The objective for the role is to build on the rise of our county senior team to Christy Ring level from Lory Meagher level in 2018. Sligo GAA is proud of this improvement and believes that greater success can be achieved through harnessing the existing talent and developing younger players through to senior level.

This position is a great opportunity to work with ambitious, talented hurlers in top class facilities. The successful candidate will be supported by Sligo GAA Management Committee/County Board to ensure that the Sligo senior hurling team is as well prepared as possible.  

The appointment will be based on qualifications and experience and the successful candidate will be subject to interim reviews at appropriate intervals.  

Applications can be made by submitting an expression of interest and outline of experience by post to:

Secretary,

Sligo GAA,

Sligo GAA Centre of Excellence

Scardenmore,

Strandhill

Co. Sligo

F91 RR20,

or by Email: Secretary.sligo@gaa.ie.Please also include proof of coaching qualifications.

Further information can be downloaded here.

If you have any queries in relation to this position, please email Chairperson.sligo@gaa.ie  

Closing Date: Friday September1st, 2023.   

Following a review of the 2023 hurling season Sligo GAA has this evening confirmed its intention to seek a new management team for the 2024 season.  The board has met with Padraig Mannion, team manager since 2020 to confirm that decision.

Sligo GAA Chair Sean Carroll said “over the past three years when we were promoted to Division 2B and then stayed there initially, and on occasions in the Christy Ring Cup, we have seen the potential of Sligo hurling.

This past year however has been a disappointing one with required progress not being made in some key areas. Having consulted with the players and the hurling clubs of Sligo we have decided that a change is needed so we will not be offering another year to the current management group.

We want to thank his Padraig and his colleagues for their commitment and the work done. Padraig took the role during the difficulties of the pandemic and helped harness a young team to success in the Division 3B final and Division 3A. We are grateful for that input and wish him and his colleagues the very best in the future”.

Sligo GAA will now establish a selection process to identify and appoint a new manager whom it hopes to have in place before the concluding stages of the county club championships.