Sligo Club Football & Hurling

[Mano]

Eastern Harps 0-13 Tourlestrane 0-10 FT,

Congrats to Harps, Tommy Breheny gave Michael Doddy moftm....interesting listening to the Harps  lads talking about 30 players at training, 15v15 training matches, intermediate lads pushing them hard makes a huge difference.

Hopefully Harps will represent Sligo well, we play the Roscommon champs away.

Very disappointing performance from Tourlestrane today. They didn't match Eastern Harps passion and desire for victory.
Despite that we were ahead by 3 points and cruising midway through the first half when David Durkin and Eamon Haran got injured at the same time. Haran in particular was having a great game and had an excellent 5 minute spell before he got injured. Up to that point we dominated proceeding and all 3 in the full forward line were beating of their opponents. Even Donovan was struggling on Marren. All changed after this as Harps sensed they had a great opportunity and Tourlestrane became disjointed and lost their shape.
The first 20 minutes of the second half was all one way traffic as Harps won break after break and Tourlestrane middle third disapperaed from the game. However Harps relied on Paul Taylor frees (3 of which were gifted by the keeper) and didn't score much from play despite their dominance. Last 5/7 minutes Tourlestrane finally seemed to wake up and show a bit of urgency and went for goals when should have taken points. A penalty should have been given when Marren was dragged to the ground and for a foot block in the square in the last minute but Duffy gave a free out on both occasions. But Tourlestrane didn't deserve the victory for an awful second half display.
Best of luck to Harps in Connaught championship. their full back line will have to improve next day and forwards apart from Taylor frees will have to contribute more to the scoreboard if they are to have a chance.

[SLIGONIAN]

Donegal v Sligo 7.30 5th Feb
Meath v Sligo 2.30 20th Feb
Sligo V Tyrone 2.30 27th Feb
Sligo v Derry 2.30 March 13th
Antrim v Sligo 2.30 March 20th
Sligo v Laois 2.30 April 3rd
Kildare v Sligo 2.30 April 10th

Some exciting fixtures, 4 away 3 at home makes it very tough, but hopefully we'll stay up. We will learn alot about ourselves very quickly in this division and I expect a lot of lessons to be given to us over the course of it especially against the physicality of Meath, Kildare, Derry and Tyrone. A crazy giving us 2 aways to start off. I think we will struggle tbh. We have to beat Antrim away and Laois at home to have any chance, i dont rate donegal either, but McGuinness is there manager and he is the most negative around and playing a team in early feb where conditions wont be good will tough.

[magpie seanie]

We have to go to Antrim AGAIN! FFS that must be 3 or 4 years on the trot now. Have the two teams relegated from Div 1 at home and as usual (it seems to me anyway) only 3 home games. I'm a suspicious hoor but I'd love to know how these things are decided.

The opening game (which if common sense prevails should be in Ballyshannon) is a crucial one, could be telling in the end.

[SLIGONIAN]

We have to go to Antrim AGAIN! FFS that must be 3 or 4 years on the trot now. Have the two teams relegated from Div 1 at home and as usual (it seems to me anyway) only 3 home games. I'm a suspicious hoor but I'd love to know how these things are decided.

The opening game (which if common sense prevails should be in Ballyshannon) is a crucial one, could be telling in the end.

7.30 would suggest Ballybofey under lights to me, i think its a joke we have 2 away straight away, your correct its the 3 time in a row at least and in concective yrs we have to go to casement, hopefully 3rd time lucky as we are yet to win there.

Arent the County Board given a provisional fixture list and it goes from there, Im sure they asked questions about the 2 openers being away, going to Antrim 3 yrs in a row.

I dont mind going to ballybofey tbh as its not far anyway from us, ballyshannon is a heavy pitch so it wont suit us imo... either way we have to hit the ground running.

[stephenite]

Big congrats to the Castleconnor ladies-that's some persistence

[Westie]

That was some persistence is right Stephenite. They won it thefirst time they got there, played senior, came down and lost  8 finals in 9 years (though it could be 9 in 10).
Fair dues to them and management. They put in a good effort the last 2 years in particular and the team that beat them last year made the All Ireland final(not supposing anything here either) and lost the intermediate final this year surprisingly.

Congrats to Easkey. Rolston my motm, with Curley and O'Brien close behind. Way better on the day but there shooting almost cost them.

Good luck to Western Gaels on Sunday. Hopefully they can win at the third attempt though it will be very tight but there should be good support from West Sligo, if last Sunday is anything to go by, not many north Sligo there whilst there was a big representation from all clubs in the West.

[SLIGONIAN]

That was some persistence is right Stephenite. They won it thefirst time they got there, played senior, came down and lost  8 finals in 9 years (though it could be 9 in 10).
Fair dues to them and management. They put in a good effort the last 2 years in particular and the team that beat them last year made the All Ireland final(not supposing anything here either) and lost the intermediate final this year surprisingly.

Congrats to Easkey. Rolston my motm, with Curley and O'Brien close behind. Way better on the day but there shooting almost cost them.

Good luck to Western Gaels on Sunday. Hopefully they can win at the third attempt though it will be very tight but there should be good support from West Sligo, if last Sunday is anything to go by, not many north Sligo there whilst there was a big representation from all clubs in the West.

Its great to see that the GAA is alive and well in the West under difficult circumstances. Was glad for Easkey and that a west Sligo has a club in Senior championship. Fair play to Western Gaels aswell hurling and Coolera aswell must be some work going on in both clubs. That takes some mental strength what Castleconnor ladies did, to keep coming back year on year. Its great to see that get rewarded but it gives new weight to the term digging deep and not giving up.

[ross4life]

Difficult set of fixtures for ye! Laois at home looks to be the easiest on paper? Donegal usually carry there Mckenna Cup form into the early start of the league while Meath are generally slow starters

Tyrone & Derry won't mind playing in Sligo while i don't understand why ye are away to Antrim again

The final game Kildare v Sligo could be a huge game that decides it all?

P.S I'm sure you'll do better in division 2 than us in 2008

[SLIGONIAN]

Big day today, very important draw for Sligo football. Draw at 20.00 on rte tonight.

Roscommon v New York
Mayo v London (i think pls correct me if im wrong)

I think thats the 2 qtrs, the other qtr will be from 2 of Sligo, Leitrim and Galway.. 1 of these 3 will get a bye into the semis..

Ideally a semi final draw awaiting the winner of Roscommon/NY as we would have home semi final then and revenge on our minds. Other than that Leitrim home qtr final wouldnt be the worst.

In 2012 we have to go to New York, in 2013 we have to go to London in the qtrs meaning we really have a bye into the semis those yrs

[SLIGONIAN]

Sligo v Leitrim
Mayo v London
New York v Roscommon

Sligo/Leitrim v NY/Ros
Mayo/London v Galway

Sligo are at home to Leitrim and IF we beat them we are home to Roscommon.

Look its the best possible draw but that doesnt mean squat as it bring pyschological baggage, like Roscommon last yr Leitrim wont fear Sligo. Can we trust the Sligo lads to keep the heads and not lose the run of themselves. Leitrim draw means we will be favourites, how will our lads handle that, im sure we'll hear all the great soundbites in the media from Charlie and co but look how cheap talk that turned out to be. Its time put up or shut up.

The Big boys take care of business, if the Sligo players want to be a "serious team" as brehony said last yr, its time to walk your talk. Hopefully theyll steer clear of the media as much as possible, some of quotes looking back were embarrasing considering what the did in connacht final.

If the Sligo lads think anything less than 100% will suffice against Leitrim remember 2005...

[Mano]

Its the best possible draw with Leitrim and then Roscommon at home. However Roscommon will be delighted with the draw also. They avoid Mayo and Galway until the Connaught final and they never fear a Sligo/Leitrim team as we heard all about last year. The Connaught champions will obviously be favorites to come through this side of the draw.

Hopefully all last years panel will be involved again next year with the addition of a few others to strenghten certain areas.

[SLIGONIAN]

Roscommon are indeed delighted, and i dont blame them, also Leitrim if they have all there players fit will b quite content, with Sligos issues with the favourites tag wont have gone unnoticed.

pp odds
Galway 11/8
Mayo 13/8
Sligo 10/3
Ros 12/1
Leitrim 50/1
NY 150/1
London 200/1

[paddypastit]

Westie - congrats to yer ladies. Rem being in Downhill for yer dinner dance in '98 and think they were just taking off then... must have been a frustrating time since then?

[paddypastit]

Sligonian - neither Meath nor Kildare would be regarded as physical teams.  Kildare play at a decent tempo but Meath are eminently beatable on any pitch. Sligo have started the last two league campoaigns slowly - something that they need to correct this time out.

I agree with Ross4life thet that last game against Kildare could be critical but I wouldn't be a bit surprised if it ended up as a shoot out for a promotion and League final place

[SLIGONIAN]

Sligonian - neither Meath nor Kildare would be regarded as physical teams.  Kildare play at a decent tempo but Meath are eminently beatable on any pitch. Sligo have started the last two league campoaigns slowly - something that they need to correct this time out.

I agree with Ross4life thet that last game against Kildare could be critical but I wouldn't be a bit surprised if it ended up as a shoot out for a promotion and League final place

I disagree with your point on meath and kildare not being physical, there alot bigger physically than us, is it even worth debating its that obvious. I disagree that we need to rectify starting slowly, honestly fck the league, get the team sorted, going for the fitness advantage at the start just gives a false impression of where the team is at. I disagree that we will going for league final place at the end, if we dont beat Donegal we will be relegated and im not to bothered as long as i see improvements towards the end with a fb, chb sorted and other areas strengthened.