The Sligo U20 hurlers have
reached the All Ireland B semi-final after overcoming Roscommon in Dr.Hyde Park
on Tuesday evening in a tight and enthralling encounter. They will play Derry
next week in that semi final but have having come out winners with two narrow
wins (3 and 2 pts) they are in good fettle.
Sligo got off to great start with
1-2 scored in the first two minutes of the game. Thomas Cawley with a point
from play straight after the throw in. Next play Sligo played it down the left
wing towards the town goal and after some good hooking and blocking the full
forward line worked it across to Cahán Hallinan who was by himself in front of
goals and he drove it to the net. Next play it came to Ethan Scully who drove
at the defence and clipped it over on the run. Sligo were first to the ball in
all situations at this point and looked like they would steamroll to a win. Roscommon
who were physically stronger throughout the pitch pulled them back into it with
two good frees from Adam Donnelly. Fergal O’Kelly Lynch scored from play soon
after with Sligo still controlling the game. Mikey Lohan hit Roscommons first
point from play in the 11th minute but this was cancelled out by a long
range free by Thomas Cawley.
Roscommon got a lifeline when a long
range point effort fell short at an awkward height for Pa O’Connor and Padraig
Galvin was in like a flash to finish the ball to the net. In fairness to O’Connor
he showed no nerves after when emerging a minute later from a ruck of players
with a fine catch amidst hands and hurls. Mikey Brennan got Roscommon back on
level terms in the 16th minute. Sligo responded in great fashion
with two points from play with the hard working Michael Munnelly on the end of
a good team move all the way from Eoighan Rua McGowan in at full back and
Scully getting his second from out on the wing. Kevin Brennan narrowed the gap
to 1 but Sligo extended to 3 with another Munnelly score and an excellent
individual score from Darragh Cawley who left a good number of men in his wake
with his speed.
The O’Kelly Lynch brothers, Liam
and Fergal both scored from play but Roscommon finished with the final two
points in the half leaving the gap at halftime two points 1-10 v 1-8.
As in the first half Sligo scored
from the throw in when Fergal O’Kelly Lynch was fouled and scored his own free
but then Mikey Brennan hit a purple patch hitting 3 points on the trot all from
different positions to equalise the game again. The teams swapped frees as the
tension mounted and in the 45th minute Roscommon hit the front for
the first time in the gme with a Donnelly free. Just before the water break Thomas
Cawley score a long range free to level it all up again. In the 51st
minute Munnelly got his third from play and a minute later Ros were down to 14
with third midfielder Paddy Galvin being red carded for a helmet offence, but
in the next 5 minutes they would go in front with a Kevin Brennan point from
play and a Donnelly free. Going into five minutes additional time Thomas Cawley
brought Sligo back level and then put in front with two long range frees. Again
the teams were level but in the 75th and 76th minute two
Fergal O’Kelly Lynch frees when he was fouled and when Munnelly was pulled at
after a huge run out of defence saw Sligo get the win which over the game the
team deserved with contributions coming from all members of the team.
Scorers
Sligo :- Fergal O'Kelly Lynch 0-6
(4f), Thomas Cawley 0-5 (4f), Michael Munnelly 0-3, Cahán Hallinan 1-0, Ethan
Scully 0-2, Darragh Cawley, Liam O'Kelly Lynch 0-1each
Roscommon :- Adam Donnelly 0-7 (7f),
Mikey Brennan 0-4, Padraig Galvin 1-0, Kevin Brennan 0-2, Mikey Lohan, Paddy
Gannon 0-1 each
Sligo : Pa O'Connor, Donal
Keaveny, , Eoighan Rua McGowan, Darragh Feehily, Darragh Cawley Niall
Kilcullen, Shane Moloy, Michael Munnelly, Brian Byrne, Ethan Scully, Thomas
Cawley, Cahán Hallinan, Liam O'Kelly Lynch, Fionn Connolly, Fergal O'Kelly
Lynch
Subs: Paul Gallagher for Liam O’Kelly
Lynch (blood 1st half) , Evin Ballantine for Byrne, Anthony Fidgeon for
Scully, Paul Gallagher for Liam O’Kelly Lynch (2nd half)