The hurlers got their league campaign off to a winning start with a comprehensive win over Lancashire who had won their opening game the week previously.
Daithí Hand and his management team gave a number of players their intercounty senior debut and all can look back happily on their first starts. Rory McHugh took over the captain duties for the day and lead by example throughout scoring an excellent goal in the second half when moving from centre back to midfield.
With 4 hurling debutants in defence, O'Grady, McGowan, Cawley and Connolly it was a big chance to take but all were competent in their duties and looked the part.
Sligo had a strong breeze into the dressingroom end in the first half. Both teams traded frees in the first ten minutes and Kieran Prior was the first Sligo score from play after 11 mins when equalising at 3 a piece. In the next 7 minutes we hit a purple patch with Andrew Kilcullen, Gerard and Tony O'Kelly Lynch, Raymond and Joe McHugh all scoring from play to lead 8 v 3. In the 22nd minute Raymond drove to the roof of the net which was quickly followed by Kilcullen and Prior points. Lancashire were the beneficiaries of a fortunate goal from the impressive Caimín Quigley who also added points from frees. Just on the halftime break Gerard O KL to leave the half time score at 2-12 v 1-7.
Kevin Banks came on for GOKL at the break. Two points was all that Sligo had to show for their efforts after 15 minutes of the half from Tony O, at which time the lead was down to 6 points but then Rory McHugh scored the goal that eased Sligo to a comfortable victory. Two Raymond frees along with a Finnian Cawley and Rory McHugh points from play saw Sligo get their campaign off to the best possible start.
Sligo : Mark Burke, Paul O'Grady, James Weir, Eoghan Rua McGowan, Gavin Connolly, Rory McHugh (1-1), Finnian Cawley (0-2), Keith Raymond (1-6, 0-4f), Gerard O'Kelly Lynch (1-1), Kevin O'Kennedy, Kieran Prior (0-2), Andrew Kilcullen (0-2), Joe McHugh(0-1), Tony O'Kelly Lynch (0-3), Ruairí Brennan. Subs Kevin Banks for GOKL, Niall Feehily for O'Kennedy, Shane Brenan for Brennan, Niall McDermott for McGowan, Darragh Cawley for Kilcullen