Sligo hurlers continued their winning start to the league at
sun drenched Markievicz Park on Saturday. This game did not reach the high
standard of the previous game or the excitement levels but that will not matter
a jot to Padraig Mannion and his squad.
Longford took the lead with a free in the first minute, the
only time they lead in the fixture with a Creaven free from halfway. However the youngsters Michael Munnelly and
Tomás Cawley were quick to respond with a point from play by Munnelly and Caley
redirecting a long ball in by the keeper. This was followed by Tony O’Kelly Lynch
getting his first of the day. Longford did pull back with Joe O’Brien and David
Buckley who both battled hard throughout scoring. Munnelly and Cawley scored a
point each from play followed by Joe McHugh who was out on the wing this week
with Finnian Cawley in at centre forward.
After the water break Matt Davey who had a very good game
made a great stop but it was pulled back and a penalty awarded for an earlier
infringement. Made no difference to Davey who somehow managed to save the penalty
and deflected it over for a point. Gerard O’Kelly Lynch then hit his stride and
scored 1-4 coming up to the break with Kevin Banks, Finnian Cawley and his
brother Tomás and Tony O. Gerard’s goal came after an interception and he drove
at the goal and drove low to the net from 20m out. The halftime score was 2-14
v 0-7
Fionn Moylan came on for Munnelly at the break but the first
thing that happened was Longfords Martin Coyle finishing past Davey in the
Sligo goal. Within 2 minutes Sligo had a penalty as Gerard O was taken down which
was considered a goal chance. Gerard finished to the left of the dressing room
goal. The teams exchanged points with young Moylan getting one from out under
the stand. This was followed by another goal for Longford from John Mulhern who
pounced on a good save by Davey from O’Brien. Darragh Cawley who had an excellent
game in the corner made a good save on the line soon after and drove out the
field with the intensity that had gone missing from some of the lads. This
lifted all and Gerard O pointed a number of frees including a 65 with O’Brien
continuing to score from play and placed balls for the midlanders.
In the 27th minute Gerard completed his hattrick when
he found himself one on one with the keeper, but this was his last action as he
was injured when scoring and hopefully will be fit for the next game. Joe
McHugh, Eoin Comerford and Tony O scored from play and McHugh drove the sliotar
to the roof of the net after a weaving run going into injury time. The game ended
with the scoreline of 5-23 v 2-19. The
team will be concerned at the dropping of the levels in the second half however
it was also probably the hottest day of the year and it was also great to get
lads plenty of intercounty game time.
The team are away to Tyrone on June 12.
Scorers
Sligo – Gerard O’Kelly Lynch 3-9 (1p, 7f, 1 65), Joe McHugh
1-2 (1f), Thomas Cawley 1-2, Tony O’Kelly Lynch 0-3, Michael Munnelly, Kevin
Banks 0-2 each, Fionn Moylan, Finnian Cawley, Eoin Comerford 0-1 each
Longford – Joe O’Brien 0-11 (8f), Martin Coyle 1-1, David
Buckley 0-3, John Mulhern 1-0, Steven Creaven 0-2(2f), Enda Naughton 0-1
Sligo – Matt Davey, James Weir, Niall Feehily, Darragh
Cawley, Mark Hanniffy, Rory McHugh, Gavin Connolly, Kevin Banks, Tony O’Kelly
Lynch, Michael Munnelly, Finnian Cawley, Joe McHugh, Tomás Cawley, Gerard O’Kelly
Lynch, Andy Kilcullen
Subs: Fionn Moylan for Munnelly, Danial Rolston for Hanniffy,
Eoghan Rua McGowan for Weir, Kieran Prior for Kilcullen, Arthur Wall for Finnian
Cawley, Eoin Comerford for G O’Kelly Lynch, Ethan Scully for Tomás Cawley