Sligo record win over Tipperary in Thurles

Back 13/02/2017 @ 09:26 | mainnews | Sligo record win over Tipperary in Thurles
Allianz Football League Division 3 
Round 2 
Sligo         2-14
Tipperary  1-16
At Semple Stadium 

Sligo produced an excellent display away from home as they got their first win of the campaign against last year's beaten Championship Semi Finalists. 

Sligo won the toss and decided to play with the wind in the opening half and this seemed to work for Niall Carew's side. As Sligo opened a two points to no score lead when dual player Gerard O'Kelly-Lynch opened Sligo's account going on a 40 metre run before pointing, this was followed up by a Marren point but the deficit was down to a single point when Tipperary midfielder Alan Maloney got his side's opening score of the match. 

Sligo got the opening goal of the match as John Kelly played the ball into Niall Murphy who in turn flicked the ball across to Kyle Cawley for a 9th minute goal for the visitors. 

Both Mark Breheny and Michael Quinlivancancelled each other out as both teams added frees for their side's respectively but Cawley who earlier netted the opening goal got a point from out on the sideline to put the Yeats men five points in front. A brace from Conor Sweeney brought the home side back within three points but Sligo replied with 1-3 without reply the second goal of the match coming from Niall Murphy on 27 minutes to put them nine points in front . 

Tipperary did rally  before the break as they scored four points on the bounce to bring Liam Kearns' side back into the contest but the visitors did add two frees before the half time break to leave the score 2-9 to 0-8. 

Sligo did get the opening score of the second half as Aidan Devaney the Sligo goalkeeper hit a lovely 45 to extend the lead to eight points but the home side soon got going as they scored two frees on the spin of which one came from substitute Kevin O'Halloran. 

The match had its turning point on the 45th minute as Jimmy Feehan picked up a second yellow card and seemed to give Sligo a boost as they scored four points on the spin to go ten points in front with 15 minutes to play but Sligo wouldn't score for the remainder of the match as Tipperary made a real game of it. They scored 1-6 in this spell. Sweeney and O'Halloran had them back within seven points but Michael Quinlivan goal on 65 minutes ensured their would be a lively finish to the game whenTipperary grew with confidence and they feeling they should at least got a point out of the game. 
Philip Austin and substitute Liam Boland had the home side back within two points but a bad Miss from a free from Quinlivan proved costly in the end. Robert Kiely did have a chance to get the glory for Tipperary but his shot was blocked by Neil Ewing and went out for a 45 which O'Halloran pointed but it wasn't enough as Sligo held on for priceless one point victory . 

Sligo Aidan Devaney(0-1,45), Ross Donavan, Kevin McDonnell, Noel Gaughan, Keelan Cawley, Neil Ewing, Gerard O'Kelly Lynch(0-2), Paddy O'Connor, Adrian McIntyre, Criostoir  Davey(0-1), Mark Breheny(0-3,2fs), John Kelly, Kyle Cawley(1-2), Adrian Marren(0-4,2fs), Niall Murphy (1-1)
Subs Used : Eoin McHugh for Keelan Cawley(33), Stephen Gilmartin for Paddy O'Connor (59), Stephen Coen for Niall Murphy (61), James Hynes for Criostoir  Davey (74) Enda Connolly for Ross Donavan  (77) 

Tipperary Evan Comerford, Alan Campbell, Paddy Codd, Willie Connors, Kevin Fahey, Robbie Kiely, Jimmy Feehan, Alan Maloney(0-2), Martin Dunne, Josh Keane, Liam McGrath, Brian Fox(0-1), Conor Sweeney(0-5,3fs), Michael Quinlivan(1-2,2fs), Philip Austin (0-1)

Subs used : Kevin O'Halloran (0-4,2fs,45) for Liam McGrath (HT), Emmet Moloney for Kevin Fahey (50), Liam Casey for Martin Dunne (57), Jack Kennedy for Josh Keane (57), Liam Boland (0-1) for Philip Austin (69)

Referee Niall Ward ( Westmeath)