Allianz Football League
Division 3
Sligo 1-14
Armagh 2-11
At Markievicz Park
A late dramatic penalty from Adrian Marren ensured
Sligo got a point in the opening round of the Allianz Football League as substitute
Stephen Coen was fouled when his jersey was pulled by Mark Shields.
It looked like Kieran McGeeney’s side had done enough
to win the match as they led 2-10 – 0-10 but Sligo came back with three points
from Marren and point from Stephen Coen. Armagh thought they had done enough
when Rafferty landed a free but Sligo would get a penalty which Marren scored.
The sides were level on three occasions during the
opening half. After 18 minutes the best score of the period came when Keelan
Cawley pointed after he combined well with his club mate Niall Murphy who
returned the ball to Cawley and he pointed off his left foot. The key score of
the opening half was when Ethan Rafferty scored a wonder goal as he scored off
his foot as he finished to the back of the net. Stefan Campbell followed up with a point to go
four points in front but Sligo finished the half strong with points from
Murphy, Marren and Mark Breheny to leave the score at the break 1-5 – 0-7.
Oisin O’Neill opened Armagh’s account at the start of
the second half but Murphy responded well with a fine point. It looked like the
game was over when Armagh got their second goal of the match on the 49 minute
as Mark Shields joined the attack and Jamie Clarke out jumped Kevin McDonnell
and he played the ball into Shields who finished past Devaney in the Sligo
goals.
Sligo finished strong in the final quarter as Adrian
McIntyre and Stephen Gilmartin started to dominate in the midfield sector while
the introduction of Stephen Coen had an effect on Sligo getting back into the
match. Armagh will feel they left the match behind them and maybe Sligo were
lucky to get the penalty but Marren showed great composure to send Mathew
McNeice the wrong way and get Sligo off the mark with an opening round point.
Sligo Aidan Devaney, Noel Gaughan, Kevin McDonnell,
Eoin McHugh, Keelan Cawley(0-1), Neil Ewing, Gerard O’Kelly Lynch, Adrian
McIntyre(0-1), Ross Donavan, Criostoir Davey, Mark Breheny(0-2,2fs), John
Kelly, Paddy O’Connor, Adrian Marren(1-6,4fs), Niall Murphy(0-3)
Subs used : Stephen Gilmartin for Eoin McHugh, Stephen
Coen for Mark Breheny, Brian Egan for Criostoir Davey, Luke Nichloson for Noel
Gaughan(BC), Cathal Henry for Niall Murphy(BC)
Armagh Mathew McNeice, Mark Shields(1-0), Charlie
Vernon, Aaron McKay, Shea Heffron, Niall Rowland, Ciaran Higgins(0-1),Stephen
Sheridan, Ben Crealey, Anthony Duffy, Conor White, Shefan Campbell(0-4), Oisin
O’Neill(0-1), Ethan Rafferty(1-5,4fs), Oisín Mac Íomhair Subs Used Paul Hughes
for Ciaran Higgins, Ciaran O’Hanlon for Conor White, Jamie Clarke for Oisín Mac
Íomhair, Niall Grimley for Ben Crealey, Gavin McPartland for Oisin O’Neill
Referee : Paddy Neilan Roscommon