NFL D4 Rd7 - Sligo 1-14 v Limerick 1-16

Back 24/10/2020 @ 20:57 | mainnews | NFL D4 Rd7 - Sligo 1-14 v Limerick 1-16

Sligo went into the final game of this years league with little chance of gaining promotion (Waterford win and a Sligo >8 win) and also needing the Wicklow Wexford game not ending in a draw. Limerick needed to win for promotion. Both teams were defeated last weekend but Limerick showed no hangover from that defeat early on. 

Limerick were 1-6 v 0-1 up after 22 minutes and were good value for that lead as they had failed to take advantage of 3 good goal chances with two of these ending up over the bar and Eamonn Kilgannon making an excellent save for the other. Paul Kilcoyne had a similar story at the far end of the field when Donal O'Sullivan made a good save when faced one on one. Seán Carrabine had Sligos first score after a good solo run in the 6th minute but already Limerick who were never behind in the encounter had two from play from centre back Iain Corbett and Sean McSweeney. In the next 15 minutes they would add 1-4 from Peter Nash, Corbett again and 1-2 from Hugh Bourke who after previously been foiled by Kilgannon went around him to roll the ball into the open net. 

Red Óg Murphy got two in 2 minutes, the second from play after turning the defence inside out. At this point Sligo had lost both Darragh Cummins and Liam Gaughan to injury. McSweeney, Killian Ryan and Cillian Fahy scored from play before the break with a solitary Paddy O'Connor free leaving the half time score at 1-9 v 0-4. 

Two early Sligo frees by Murphy narrowed the gap but big midfielder Darren Treacy go the first of his points from play along with another Fahy point. Brian Cox made his senior debut for Sligo when replacing Seán Murphy. The movement of Carrabine to the middle of the park along with a greater hunger for the break saw Sligo turn the screw on Limerick and when Cox dispossessed Limerick's Nash, a quick counter saw O'Connor score a good point from distance. This was cancelled out by Bourke before the water break. Treacy soloed through the defence in the 22nd minutes for a tap over to extend the lead but Sligo hit a purple patch with Barry Gorman with two and a Carrabine 45 making the Treaty men edgy. This was further increased when Pat Hughes turned and drove at goal driving into the bottom left of the town goal across the keeper. Three points in it with 7 plus additional time. 

In fairness to Limerick they steadied the ship and got the next three points with a Cian Sheehan point from play and two from keeper O'Sullivan (1 x 45, 1 x long range free). Barry Gorman scored going into 5 minutes additional time and Hughes again drove from distance with a powerful shot that was just over the bar. Carrabine narrowed the gap to 3 going into the last minute and when Sligo won a free Barry Gorman was instructed to get into the box however the long range kick in landed on the roof of the net from Carrabine. Sligo won the kickout but when the ball was lost on the attack the referred James Devenney blew the final whistle to the estatic roars of the travelling Limerick squad. 

Congrats to Limerick on their promotion but for Sligo it is another season in division 4. 

Scorers

Sligo - Pat Hughes 1-1, Seán Carrabine 0-4(1f 1x45), Red Óg Murphy 0-4(3f), Barry Gorman 0-3, Paddy O'Connor 0-2 (1f)

Limerick - Hugh Bourke 1-3 (2f), Iain Corbett 0-2, Seán McSweeney 0-2, Killian Ryan 0-2, Darragh Treacy 0-2, Donal O'Sullivan 0-2 (1f, 1x45), Peter Nash, Cillian Fahy, Cian Sheehan 0-1 each

Sligo - Eamonn Kilgannon, Nathan Mullen, Eddie McGuinness, Seán Murphy,  Darragh Cummins, Paul McNamara, Ryan Feehily, Paddy O'Connor(capt), Paul Kilcoyne, Mikey Gordon, Liam Gaughan, Seán Carrabine, Red Óg Murphy, Pat Hughes, Brian McGowan   
Subs: Barry Gorman for Gaughan, John F Carr for Cummins, Brian Cox for Sean Murphy, Gerard O'Kelly Lynch for Kilcoyne,  David Quinn for O'Connor