Rossies rescue a point against 3-in-a-row chasers Sligo

Eirgrid Connacht U20 Football Championship – Round 2 

Sligo 0-9 

Roscommon 0-9 

Gavin Cawley in Markievicz Park 

Bobby Nugent came up trumps to ensure that Roscommon came away with a share of the spoils, as his free late into stoppage time denied current Connacht U20 champions Sligo the ideal start to this year’s campaign.

It was a cruel blow for the Yeats County, who this year are attempting to make it three Connacht U20 titles in-a-row following an excellent campaign last year where they reached the All-Ireland final.

With the aid of the breeze in the opening half, the Black and White opened the scoring through Eli Rooney after just two minutes of play as Rossa Sloyan played ball into the St Mary’s corner-forward. Rooney would double the lead for the home side on five minutes as he kicked over a ’45.

Sligo then had a great goal chance on seven minutes. With Dylan McLoughlin winning the Roscommon kick-out, he passed the ball onto Sloyan whose delivery into Conor Walsh was dropped by the Sligo full-forward and the chance went abegging for the home side.

Roscommon, who had the benefit of playing Mayo the week before, drew level after 14 minutes of play with two frees going over for Noel Dunning’s side through Shane McGinley and Rory Carthy, but Sligo restored the lead a minute later when captain Ross Doherty pointed off the back of Ronan Niland’s assist.

Two points on the spin, in the space of a minute, from Easkey’s Rossa Sloyan put daylight between the sides as Sligo took a three point lead, before a Luke Marren free then made it 0-6 to 0-2 at the interval in favour of Paul Henry’s side.

Roscommon had the wind advantage for the second-half and they made full use of it, reducing the gap to single point with Carthy brothers, Eoghan and Rory, among the scorers.

The sides were level two minutes later when Conor Ryan pointed a mark after a superb ball in by Eden Kerins, and Sligo looked under pressure when they trailed by two with twelve minutes to play as McGinley and Rory Hestor put the visitors in front for the first time.

Sligo needed a score badly, having not yet found one in the second-half, and that’s what they got on 49 minutes as Rooney pointed after a one-two with Marren. And they were back level again on 55 minutes when Conor Sheridan was through on goal but was pulled back and the resulting free was pointed by Marren.

Indeed it looked like the home side would come away with the victory when, with stoppage time approaching, Ronan Niland pointed to send them back in front, after he was put through by James Donlon.

Roscommon’s Bobby Nugent had a chance to level the scoring once again on 63 minutes but his effort went wide. However, the resulting kick-out came to substitute Ronan O’Hehir who was adjudged to have touched the ball on the ground and the resulting free was pointed by Nugent.

Sligo will look to pick up their first win when they travel down the N17 to face Galway tomorrow (Wednesday) evening while the Rossies have a free week.

Scorers - Sligo: Eli Rooney 0-3 (1f), Luke Marren (2f) and Rossa Sloyan 0-2 each, Ross Doherty and Ronan Niland 0-1 each.

Roscommon: Shane McGinley 0-3 (1f, 1m), Rory Carthy 0-2f, Rory Hester, Bobby Nugent (f), Eoghan Carthy and Conor Ryan (m) 0-1 each.

Sligo: Ethan Carden; Ross Chambers, Conor Johnston, Tommy Ross; Eoin Barrett, Dylan McLoughlin, Rossa Sloyan; Conor Sheridan, Ross Doherty; Dillon Walsh, Ronan Niland, James Donlon; Luke Marren, Conor Walsh, Eli Rooney. Subs: Robert O’Kelly-Lynch (for Barrett 39); Rian O’Callaghan (for D Walsh 48); Ciaran Kenny (for C Walsh 48), Ronan O’Hehir for Ross Chambers (60), Finstant Campbell (for Sloyan 60+2).

Roscommon Sean Allen; Eden Kerins, Dan Casey, Tommy Morris; James McGreal, Senan Lambe, Eoghan Carthy; Conor Ryan, Shane Walsh; Rory Hester, Bobby Nugent, Rob Heneghan; Shane McGinley, Rory Carthy, Conor Harley. Subs: Ryan Conlon (for Heneghan 51): Dan Hagney (for Hester 51); Oisin O’Flaherty (for Walsh 53); Niall O’Donnell (for McGinley 59).

REF: Christopher Ryan (Galway)