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).

The following decisions were agreed by the County Committee of Sligo GAA which met on Tuesday evening last, 14 March, 2022 at the Sligo GAA Centre of Excellence at Scarden.

·         The fixture Calendar for Adult and underage competitions in the county was approved. The detailed calendar will be published on the Sligo GAA website in the coming days but the following are the headlines

o   The Dermot Molloy hurling League will begin on the weekend of March 25 - 26

o   Spring football Leagues – as previously announced – will commence on weekend of April  1-2

o   The Senior Football Leagues will commence on the weekend of 27/28 May.

o   The first round of the senior hurling championship will take place on the June Bank Holiday weekend

o   There will be a Junior hurling championship that throws in on the same weekend

o   The football championships will throw in on the weekend of August 19-20. It will follow the same format as 2022

o   In Underage competitions there will be an U18 Development League, but championship will remain at U17.

·         Barry Keenan of the Western Gaels club was appointed County U20 hurling team manager for 2023 and 2024. He will be assisted by Darragh Cox (Calry St Joseph’s) and Niall Feehily (Naomh Eoin)

·         Eight transfers within the county were approved.

Further details of competition formats and the full club fixtures calendar will shared with clubs this week and published on the Sligo GAA website in the coming days.  

The Sligo senior footballers stayed on course for promotion continues with a solid win over Wexford in Markievicz Park on Sunday.

Thirteen Sligo students in further education (FE) have been awarded bursaries by Connacht GAA in its annual student bursary awards at a ceremony which took place in the Connacht GAA Centre on Friday evening last, 3rd March 2023.

The bursary scheme has been in place for thirteen years and awards members of the association who are active members in their higher education club. A record number of 62 promising young Connacht GAA players and administrators have been included in the province’s annual bursary scheme. All five Connacht counties are represented in the initiative which provides financial assistance to students who have displayed potential and commitment on the Gaelic games front.

The successful Sligo students are 

“The purpose of this bursary scheme is to honour young people who have excelled in the GAA,” said Connacht GAA Council Games manager Cathal Cregg. “This year we have selected 45 outstanding people, all of whom will contribute to the GAA club and life in their colleges, while also young administrators who are involved in their college as team trainers, club officers, and in other crucial roles.”

Padraig McGourty, Chairman of the provincial Third Level Committee and delegate to the National Third Level Committee, thanked the council for the provision of the Bursary Scheme as it acknowledged the enormous work carried out by students in promoting Gaelic games in the third level sector.

President of the Comhairle Connacht, John Murphy, paid tribute to the parents and guardians of these recipients in supporting these young people with both their academic and sporting lives. He complimented the recipients on their achievements to date however he maintained that it was important that young people should strive for a balance with both their studies and sport. He acknowledged the role of the third level Games officers and the various volunteers, both student and staff, in their promotion of Gaelic games in the third level sector.