Sligo’s senior hurlers will play in Division 3A of the National Hurling League next year after an agonising two point defeat to London in Carrickmore, Co Tyrone on Sunday last.

It was a game of nip and tuck from the throw in but after an initial exchange of three points each, London got what turned out to be the decisive score of the game after just nine minutes with a goal that opened a gap that Sligo were chasing but unable to overcome throughout the rest of the game.

Sligo outscored their opponents over the remainder of the first half to go in just two points down at the break – at 1-13 to 0-14 with last years’ Christy Ring Cup All Star attacker Andrew Kilcullen leading the way with 9 points. Eddie O’Donoghue and Tomás Cawley (two each) and Joe McHugh added scores for Sligo and it was all to play for at the break,

London quickly opened the scoring on the resumption but with Kilcullen leading the way and points also from the Hanniffy brothers – Conor and Diarmuid - Sligo continued to work the scoreboard and the sides were level at the half way point of the half at 22 points to London’s 1-19.

It looked like things might really go Sligo’s way when London’s Padraig Muldoon was shown a second yellow card, reducing his side to 14 men. His colleagues rallied however and got five of the next six scores to lead 1-24 to 0-23 with just three minutes on the clock.

Sligo refused to give up and Joe McHugh broke through to find the back of the net and make it a one point game as the end of normal point beckoned.

London dug in and moved the margin out to three again with two quick-fire points. Sligo played out to the last with Tomás Cawley pointing the final score of the game but it will be London playing in Div 2B again next year with Sligo contesting Division 3

Sligo; Luke Comerford; Darragh Cawley, Niall Feehily, Niall Kilcullen; Ronan Molloy, Rory McHugh, Kevin O’Kennedy; Fionn Connolly, Diarmuid Hanniffy (0-1); Conor Hanniffy (0-1), Eddie O’Donoghue (0-2), Fionn Moylan; Joe McHugh(1-1), Tomás Cawley (0-6), Andrew Kilcullen (0-14).