Sligo’s U20 footballers put the disappointment of their
opening day loss to behind them with a good win over Donegal in Ballybofey on Saturday
last.
The Yeats county were on their game from the opening minutes
and led all almost all the way through with Bunninadden’s Luke Marren again leading
the way on the scoreboard.
Manager Paul Henry made one change in his first 15 from the previous
week’s loss to Mayo with Curry’s Brian Byrne rested after his participation in
DCU’s Higher Education Freshers football final in Waterford on Thursday evening
– Shamrock Gael’s Ciaran Kenny was introduced.
That change had an early dividend with Kenny kicking the first
score of the game after three minutes. Marren got his first score of the game
two minutes later and Daire O’Boyle added a third in the 8th minute to give Sligo a
firm advantage.
Donegal then had a purple patch and finished two frees and
two from play to lead by one 0-4 to 0-3 on 18 minutes.
Sligo surged back however and finished the half on the front
foot with excellent points from play by Canice Mulligan - who was the dominant figure
in the middle of the park, O’Boyle and Marren and then a free from Marren to go
in 0-8 to 0-4 at the break.
Sligo started the second half with Kyle Davey in goals and Eastern
Harps James Kiernan coming in for the injured Rossa Sloyan at wing back. Luke
Marren picked up exactly where he left off with two-points from play as Sligo dominated
midfield possession and pressed Donegal back into their own half to open up a
six point gap 0-10 to 0-4, seven minutes into the second half.
Again, as in the first half, the momentum swung to Donegal who
pegged three points consecutive back before Marren steadied Sligo nerves with his
seventh of that day as the game went into its last quarter.
The Donegal surge continued with the next three points to
bring the margin back to one with nine minutes to go.
Ross Doherty then punctured Donegal expectations when he found
the back of the home net after sustained pressure from the Sligo forward line
forced a turnover.
The Yeats county had little trouble holding out from there
and with Marren adding another point they finished up with a comfortable five
point margin.
Sligo: Ethan Cadden; Zaak Mahon, Luke Casserly, Ross
Chambers; Rossa Sloyan, Ciaran O’Reilly, Dylan Walsh; Conor Sheridan Canice
Mulligan (0-1); Ciaran Kenny, Daire O’Boyle (0-1), Ross Doherty; Luke Marren
(0-7, 5f), Adam Gallagher, Matt Henry
Subs: Kyle Davey for Cadden (HT), James Kiernan for
Foy (55m inj), Thomas Langan for Kenny (48) Brian Byrne for Gallagher (49m), Eoin
O’Donnell for Chambers (56m) Ciaran Smith for Mulligan (60+2m)