Sligo have too much power for under-par Leitrim men
Sligo’s Niall Murphy kicked five points in a convincing win over Leitrim in the Connacht SFC. Picture: INPHO/Evan Logan
Sligo eased to victory against neighbours Leitrim as they booked a placed in the Connacht SFC semi-finals against Galway in two weeks time.
Tony McEntee’s side had the aid of the breeze in the opening half which proved to big factor throughout the course of the match but the black and white looked very nervy in the opening ten minutes as they kicked three early wides.
It was Leitrim who opened the scoring on ten minutes as Pierce Dolan cut through the heart to the Sligo defence and his goal chance was flicked over the bar by Aidan Devaney in the Sligo goals.
Sligo kicked another wind on 13 minutes through Cian Lally before they finally registered a score on 16 minutes when Darragh Cummins pointed off his left foot. They hit the front a minute later as Eoghan Smith was fouled and Niall Murphy kicked over the free.
Despite dominating the play, Sligo continued to kick wides, with a total of 11 in the opening half. Three points without reply, however, saw Sligo take a four point lead on 25 minutes with the pick of the scores coming from Canice Mulligan who was making his championship debut.
Despite the four point lead, Andy Moran’s Leitrim side looked to be in a strong position with ten minutes to play before the end of the half but Sligo would add another four points before the break to put a completely different complication on the game with Murphy and Patrick O’Connor among the scores to lead at the break by eight, 0-9 to 0-1.
Leitrim needed a big start to the second half but an early wide from Riordan O’Rourke was followed by another Sligo point, this time on 39 minutes as Nathan Mullen played the ball into Mulligan who then fisted the ball over the bar.
It took Leitrim 14 minutes to register a score in the second half despite playing with the breeze, with Darragh Rooney pointing for his side. Sligo would put that lead back out to nine points, however, with Cummins adding his second point of the match on 52 minutes.
Leitrim pointed twice in the space of minute to reduce the margin to seven points with 17 minutes to play but that would be as close as the home side would get as Sligo continued to control the match at their pace.
Points from Alan McLoughlin and another free from Murphy restored the nine point lead for Sligo with 12 minutes to play.
Leitrim would register two consolation points during this period but they would finish with 14 men when Shane Quinn picked up a second yellow card before the end.
Sligo rounded off a comfortable win with a point from Mickey Gordon in injury time to book a spot in the semi-finals against Galway on Saturday, April 20.
