February 25th 2024
Antrim take on Sligo this Sunday in Corrigan Park in a game that looks like a ‘must win’ for both sides. Games between the two are usually close and Sunday’s is likely to be the same.
The Saffrons travelled to Markievicz Park in February 2024 with Sligo winning comfortably in the end and today the Saffron Gael looks back at the report from that game
Allianz NFL Division 3
Sligo 1-20 Antrim 1-13
Following a winning start to the season, an inexperienced Antrim suffered their second successive defeat when they travelled to Markievicz Park on Sunday and lost to a good Sligo side, led by their captain, Niall Murphy.
The Sligo number 15 scored eight points as the men in black put in their best performance of 2024 to run out seven point’s winners against a Saffron side who had performed well in the opening half.
Inspired by their own sharp shooter, Paddy McBride, the visitors led 1-9 to 1-8 at the short whistle and might well have been further ahead but were hit by a goal on the break from Cian Lally in the 26th minute.
Antrim came back from this setback to hit 0-6 on the bounce with McBride leading the way and Ruairi McCann, Dominic McEnhill and keeper Mick Byrne moving them two in front as half time approached.
An injury time point from Daragh Cummins for the Yates County left the home side trailing 1-9 to 1-8 to the break but Antrim must have felt fairly comfortable despite facing the breeze in the second half.
Antrim rattled the home side with a scrambled goal in the seventh minute when Ronan Boyle got the final touch after a Ruairi McCann delivery – a point attempt from a mark – dropped short.
A couple of minutes earlier Sligo keeper Aidan Devaney came smartly off his line to deny Marc Jordan with his legs as the big wing half back looked certain to find the net.
Sligo, though, gradually improved and they moved a point ahead, 0-5 to 1-1, with 23 minutes played following scores from Niall Murphy, Darragh Cummins and Sean Carrabine.
Good points from Dermot McAleese and Patrick McBride put Antrim back in front, 1-3 to 0-5 before Sligo replied with a goal from Lally in the 26th minute and followed with a point from Niall Murphy that looked to have put the Connacht County in control.
Antrim responded positively as they scored six points without reply, including four from the impressive Patrick McBride, who was landing some beautiful scores, to lead 1-09 to 1-08 in first-half stoppage time.
Sligo produced a much improved second half performance to secure their third win of the campaign with Murphy leading by example as they struck through Paul Kilcoyne and Sean Carabine to take the lead in the opening minute before Paddy McBride briefly levelled the contest with his sixth of the evening.
The visitors would only add two further points however through Colm McLarnon and Niall Burns as Sligo took control and slowly began to turn the screw.
The home side grew in confidence and stature with Niall Murphy leading the way and the Sligo captain would finish the contest with 0-8 to his credit as they out-scored their opponents 0-12 to 0-3 in a dominant second half display
The hosts and the visitors had identical records coming into this fixture – two wins and one loss apiece, with Sligo victorious over Limerick in the previous round and Antrim losing to promotion favourites Down.
These sides contested successive Allianz Football League finals back in 2009 and 2010, with Sligo winning those Division Four and Division Three deciders.
Recent meetings have been close encounters – a one-point win for Sligo in 2020 and a minimum margin victory for Antrim three years ago.
Murphy, substitute Luke Towey, Eddie McGuinness and Brian Cox impressed in a strong Sligo side and this win looks to have secured their place in division 3 for another campaign.
Antrim, for whom Patrick McBride was outstanding, finished with 14 players because of a late black card for Marc Jordan and will hope to get something from next week’s visit of Westmeath as they look anxiously over their shoulders at the chasing pack.
Sligo: Aidan Devaney, Paul McNamara, Eddie McGuinness, Evan Lyons, Brian Cox, Darragh Cummins (0-3), Nathan Mullen, Patrick O’Connor (0-3), Paul Kilcoyne, Alan McLoughlin, Donal Conlon, Cian Lally (1-0), Pat Spillane (0-1), Sean Carrabine (0-2, 1f), Niall Murphy (c) (0-8, 4f, 2 ‘mark’)
Subs used: Lee Deignan (0-1) for Pat Spillane, h-t; Luke Towey (0-2) for Donal Conlon, 46; Eoghan Smith for Alan McLoughlin, 62; Mikey Gordon for Sean Carrabine, 68; David Quinn for Cian Lally, 68
Antrim: Michael Byrne (0-1, 1f), Ronan Boyle, Eunan Walsh, Kavan Keenan, Marc Jordan, Joseph Finnegan, Dermot McAleese (c) (0-1), Colm McLarnon (0-1), Patrick McAleer, Cormac McGettigan, Patrick McBride (0-6), Ruairi McCann (0-2, 1 ‘mark’, 1f), Declan Lynch (0-1), Niall Burns (0-1, 1f), Dominic McEnhill
Subs used: Eoghan McCabe for Kavan Keenan, 39; Eoin Hynes for Cormac McGettigan, 45; Conor Hand for Dominic McEnhill, 53; Ryan McQuillan for Patrick McAleer, 63; Jack Dowling for Colm McLarnon, 63
Referee: Margaret Farrelly (Cavan)
