U16s bid for Final spot

Back 15/07/2015 @ 09:53 | mainnews | U16s bid for Final spot

U-16s bid for final spot

Cathal Mullaney

Having won the competition in 2014, Sligo’s under-16 team face a crucial meeting with Laois this Wednesday evening at Markievicz Park (7.30pm) in the Fr. Manning Cup to ensure their prolonged existence in the 2015 version of the competition.

A win against the Leinster side – along with Westmeath losing to Longford in the group’s other final round game - could ensure Sligo’s progression to the final of the cup competition. Any other combination would be likely to signal the Yeats County’s entry into the secondary shield competition.

The popular inter-county competition, run by the Longford GAA county board, provided a useful springboard for many of last year’s side to advance to the minor set-up this year, and some of this year’s side are likely to be involved at under-18 level in 2016.

Having overseen his side’s campaign to date, which includes a 1-9 to 0-10 loss against Westmeath and a 2-10 to 2-7 win over Longford, Conor Gormley was impressed with the way his charges played in their most recent outing.

“We played some absolutely fantastic football at times, and we scored 2-10 from play which was brilliant,” he commented, having seen his side defeat Longford away from home last Wednesday evening.

This contrasted his disappointment with the Westmeath encounter, where a sloppy goal concession cost Sligo what would have been a valuable win.

He said: “We haven’t played as well as we can, we could have beaten Westmeath but let in a poor goal and it cost us.”

A strong panel sees every club bar three represented, and this panel depth will be tested this week as the other competition for Sligo at this age group, the Ted Webb Cup, begins only 48 hours after Sligo host Longford in the Fr Manning Cup.

Two Sligo teams participate in the Ted Webb Cup, meaning that all players will see action in the blitz-based format which sees two games for each side on Friday evening at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence at Bekan.

In preparation for a busy week, the u-16s played an u-17 selection at Scarden last Saturday morning, and Gormley concluded by saying his side were well prepared for Wednesday’s encounter and were progressing well.