Minor footballers qualify for Connacht semifinal

Back 21/05/2022 @ 21:08 | mainnews | Minor footballers qualify for Connacht semifinal

Sligo’s minor footballers sealed a place in the semi-final of this year’s Connacht championship with a deserved four point win over Roscommon in Dr. Hyde Park, Roscommon on Friday evening last.

After a nervous start that saw neither side register a score in the first six minutes the winners took the game to their opponents and led from mid-way through the first half through to the end.


Sligo played with a stiff breeze into the town end of the field in the first half and were first to get on the scoreboard with Ronan Niland opening the scoring from a free and then adding a second point from play in the tenth minute.

Roscommon got their first score three minutes later when Robert Heneghan pointed from play. That was quickly followed by a Rory Carthy free and a good point from wide on the right-hand side by wing forward Eoghan Murray which gave the home side the lead for the first time on 16 minutes.


The sides then exchanged points with Sligo’s score coming from James Foley before the Yeats County changed the direction of the game with a superbly executed goal from centre half back Robert O’Kelly which put them two points ahead.

From here on, Roscommon were chasing the game. Although Murray, with an excellent second point from play, and Jamie Betts, did briefly bring them back level, O’Kelly-Lynch, midfielder Ryan Gillespie and goalkeeper Diarmuid Henry from a ‘45 gave Sligo a 1-6 to 0-6 half time lead.


Roscommon’s Murray ran in a point straight from the second half throw-in and TJ Hannon added a second two minutes later, but Sligo retained their composure and defended the initial Roscommon surge well while still creating chances at the other end as first Rooney and then Dillon Walsh added points to maintain the three point gap.

It was to be the pattern of the half as Roscommon clawed back a point or two at a time only to see Sligo go down the other end and restore their advantage. That Sligo effort was spearheaded up front by Niland and Rooney and also by sub Connor Flynn who came on after 16 minutes to replace Shea O’Neill who had worked himself to a standstill as a linkman for his team all over the field.


Flynn got the first of three points immediately after his arrival and when he added his second ten minutes later, it extended Sligo’s lead to four points with five minutes remaining.

The home side pushed hard and after a Carthy free reduced the margin to three, they almost got themselves back in the game when Conor Kelly got through one on one with Sligo keeper Henry but the Tubbercurry man stood strong, parried the shot  and then saw his defender to start a move that went the length of the field and finished with a Walsh point at the other end.

In the three minutes added time there was still time for an exchange of points between Heneghan and Flynn which finished out a well earned 1-16 to 0-14 win for Sligo whio now go on to face Galway in the Connacht semi final next week.

ROSCOMMON: Sean Kelly, Michael Moran, Jack Donnelly, Evan Quinn, Mark Halligan, Ronan McDermott, Ryan Hanley (0-1), Conor Kelly, Brendan Murphy, Eoghan Murray (0-4), Robert Heneghan (0-4 1f), John McGuinness, Jamie Betts (0-1), Rory Carthy (0-2 2f), TJ Hannon (0-2).

Substitutes used; Ryan Dowling for McGuinness (46) (0-1), Brian Greene for Hannon (53), Lee Taylor for Betts (27). 

SLIGO; Diarmuid Henry (0-1 ‘45), Ronan O’Hehir, Oisín Conlon, Daniel King, Rian O’Callaghan, Robert O’Kelly-Lynch (1-1), Tommy Ross, Ryan Gillespie (0-1), Dillon Walsh (0-4), Tom Bailey, Ronan Niland (0-3 1f), Cian Carty, Eli Rooney (0-2), Shea O’Neill, James Foley (0-1).

Substitutes used; Conor Flynn for O’Neill (45) (0-3), Kevin Carnahan for Foley (63).

REFEREE; Paul Lydon (Mayo).