Friends of Sligo Football
Pride of place this week, without question, goes to our latest All Star, the great Sligo corner back and
captain, Charlie Harrison. This was an award well merited for a player, who depicts all that is great
about the GAA. Charlie leads by example. His regular forays up the field have become his hallmark
and cost him some punishment in recent years as opposition teams tried to reduce his impact but
usually with little effect. Charlie is also a resolute defender and after making those forward bursts he is
quick to return to defend the line.
Charlie started his inter county competitive carer against Down in the National league on 6th February
2005 and ironically his last competitive game was against Down but no doubt there will be many
more. So far he has played 39 league games and 18 Senior Championship games for Sligo. He
has captained Sligo to 2 National League titles and was very unlucky to miss out on a Connaught
Championship success last year. We will recall his inspirational point in that game when we thought
that might just be the catalyst to push us on to victory. Charlie has been a heroic player for Sligo never
afraid to take on the opponent and last year I recall him playing against Kerry in Tralee with a serious
injury. I know because I was beside his parents and his mom was really worried about him. But it is
not just his footballing prowess that makes Charlie so special, he is an absolute gentleman and the
words corner back and gentleman don’t always go together. He presented him himself very well on
National radio in an interview after his selection, which many people, I met in Dublin commented upon.
Charlie is a great ambassador for Sligo, his presence at Summer Cool camps etc is an inspiration to
young GAA players and it will be even greater going forward. It is a great and well merited award for
Charlie, his parents, club and county and we know how much it would have meant to his grand father,
who died earlier this year. Enjoy the plaudits Charlie – you deserve them and come back next year
and lead us to further success.
One must also think of David Kelly, who was very unlucky to miss out this year and it is hard to believe
that the 2 people, who won the awards in the corner forward positions merited ahead of David and I
am a great admirer of both these players but this year I do not believe they matched David’s class.
Hopefully his day will come.
Commiserations to Eastern Harps, who were defeated in the Connaught club championship last
Sunday.
Congratulations to Barry McDonagh , Curry on leading his team to victory in the London
Championship. He follows in the footsteps of Adrian Brett, who accomplished a similar feat a few
years ago. Sligo has always had players, who have played important roles in London football including
2 FOSF members , Robbie Henneberry and Tony McDonagh.
Kilmacud Crokes won the Dublin Co final on Sunday. Unfortunately both Mark Davoren and Paul
Griffin, whose mothers come from Sligo were out on long term injuries.