Allianz League Division 3
Round 7
Sligo 0-18
Tipperary 3-9
@ Markievicz
Park
By Gavin Cawley
Sligo retained their
league status for 2017 following a nail-biting finish against Tipperary that
will ensure both sides will remain in division 3 but Westmeath will join
Limerick in division 4 next season. Sligo got off to a great start and were three
points to one up after 14 minutes of play. Adrian Marren in his first start of
the year got his name on the score sheet but a disastrous five minute spell saw
Tipperary raise the green flag twice, firstly when Michael Quinlivan flicked
the ball to the back of the Sligo net and five minutes later when Peter Acheson
expertly converted a penalty to put his side 2-02 to 0-04 in front after 20
minute of play. Sligo responded well and
scored six unanswered points three coming from Niall Murphy and two from Adrian
Marren to put themselves two points up approaching half- time but a Jason
Longergan point left Tipperary back within a single point at the break.
The sides were soon level
at the start of the second half when the Tipperary goalkeeper converted a 45.
In a half which saw both sides cancel each other out for long periods; it was
Sligo who went back in front on 42 minutes when Adrian Marren pointed but then the
visitors registered three points without reply to go two points ahead. Sligo
who, for long periods of the match, were by far the better side came back with
three scores of their own putting them back in front by a point as substitute
and captain Mark Breheny seemed to inspire his side with a converted free. The
teams were level for the third time in the half but it seemed Sligo would take
the spoils when they then scored four points on the bounce with two classy efforts
from Kyle Cawley approaching the final minutes of the match. Tipperary, who
always looked capable of scoring goals throughout the match again found the
back of the net to give them a chance of getting something out of this game.
Alan Moloney who was Tipperary’s best player throughout the match breached
Sligo’s defence. When Conor Sweeney fired over a point the sides were level and
that’s how the match would end with both teams sharing the spoils.
Sligo Aidan Devaney, Daniel Maye, Kevin McDonnell,
Charlie Harrison, Keelan Cawley, Adrian McIntyre, Gerard O'Kelly Lynch, Cian
Breheny , Niall Murphy(0-7,4fs), Neil Ewing(0-1), Kyle Cawley(0-3) , Criostoir
Davey, Adrian Marren(0-4), Eoin McHugh, Brian Egan(0-1)
Subs Used : Noel Gaughan(0-1) for Criostoir
Davey(40), Mark Breheny(0-1,1f) for Cian Breheny (46), Liam Henry for Daniel
Maye (55)
Tipperary Evan Comerford (0-1,45), Kevin Fahey(0-01), Alan Campbell, Ciarán Mc
Donald,Jimmy Feehan, Billy Hewitt, Shane Leahy, Alan Moloney(1-03), Martin
Dunne, Peter Acheson(1-01), Jason Lonergan(0-01), Conor Sweeney(0-02), Michael
Quinlivan(1-0),Philip Austin
Subs Used :George
Hannigan for Michael Quinlivan (40), Brian Fox for
Jason Lonergan(44), Kevin O’Hanlon for Martin Dunne (65).
Referee
: Niall McKenna (Monaghan)