Sligo Club Football & Hurling

[magpie seanie]

Our seniors were beaten by 4 by Harps out in Gurteen on Friday. Didn't make it myself but heard that Harps are going well and it took us a fair while to adjust to the pace they were operating at. Our second half was apparently encouraging but a lot of work to do. Elsewhere in Div 1 Curry have at last showed signs of life with a comprehensive beating of Ballymote. Tourlestrane are top after a narrow win over Tubber and Easkey's woes continued when they were beaten by Bunninadden. Easkey look doomed but everything else is still to play for. Harps should beat Easkey tomorrow night in the only back game and go top.

In Div 4 we scored a good win over our nearest and dearest neighbours. Struggled to get a team out but the lads that eventually arrived played some nice football in the end and despite a late rally from the visitors we held on to win by 2. Coolaney/Mull continued their winning run but have been getting it tight of late. Ballisodare got their first win of the season too - how many get relegated out of Div 4? I think its one so they may survive again.

Division 2 saw a good week for Calry ended with a draw against Mary's. Geevagh continue to blaze a trail and Castleconnor stayed in the promotion race with a win over a struggling Harps second team while Farnans gave themselves a much needed boost with a narrow win over Shamrock Gaels.

John's 100% record in Div 3 continued with a big win over Owenmore Gaels. St. Molaise scored a narrow win over an improving St Pats to keep their promotion charge going and another improving west division side, Enniscrone, had a 4 point win over St Michaels.

So things are beginning to hot up with less that 3 weeks to championship. Looking forward to it.

[Owenmoresider]

Ironic that I was happy to see the c'ship start brought forward to this time, and now it couldn't be worse for us the way we are going. Another hiding at the weekend, even with John's missing a lot including Harrison and Greene, we've now shipped 10-64 in our last 4 games, and to cap it off the splitters go and win in their division. Will take a lot to turn things around, but we can still avoid the drop.

Div 1 beginning to take its natural shape again, Tour and Harps in front, but Ballymote are stll there, but a bad loss to Curry on Sunday. Easkey are doomed and the Bunnies are battling to survive. Geevagh going up, the other spot still open, Mary's slipped up. Harps returning to D3 again. John's up to D2, SMG and Enniscrone for the other spot, Curry look gone to D4 and the other spot is _{probably ours} debatable. Mullinabreena bouncing back from D4, but making tough work of it all the same.

[baoithe]

Lads, is it Saturday or Sunday the challenge game in St. Margaret's is?

[magpie seanie]

Saturday and I think its 4pm. Hoping to be there.

[baoithe]

Thanks Seanie for that. Saturday suits me perfect. It'll be good to watch irrespective of whether its a challenge or not. Plus it will give us some modicum of an idea as to how we are shaping up for the championship.

[SLIGONIAN]

It'll be interesting to see the team selections with only a week to go til london....havnt heard any word on coen or mcnamara for a while. Are they injured? Hope Dublin play a full strength team.

Anyway lads fair play for going to game, look forward to yer reports. I'll be at the minors game later that evening.

[magpie seanie]

Would prefer to be back home in Sligo and heading to minor game Saturday (and playing my own club game earlier) but just have to be in Dublin this weekend. Should be interesting alright.

[magpie seanie]

Good result for our seniors stopping the Harps juggernaut in its tracks. Karol O'Neill apparently got a peach of a goal to haul us back into contention after a poorish start and the lads dug out a win in a tight encounter. Both teams were missing a good few. Elsewhere Ballymote stole a draw from an improving Curry. Bottom two Easkey and Bunninadden also drew and Tourlestrane went top of Div 1 with a 2 point win over Tubber.

Div 2 will be the most talked about following the abandonment of the Calry v. Mary's game. Can't remember this happening before in adult football in Sligo (OMS - set us straight). Crazy carry on 2 weeks before championship. Apparently Mary's were a point up and less than a minute remained. Castleconnor had an 8 point victory over Harps second team and thier tie against the town side in round 13 looks like a winner takes all game. Geevagh continued their push to Div 1 with a win over Drumcliffe and are nearly promoted - a serious achievement for such a small club. Farnan's rally continued with a point away to Shamrock Gaels - another escape on the cards?

John's made it 10 out of 10 in Div 3 but look like they were made to work a good bit harder than last week by Owenmore Gaels. Enniscrone's defeat by Michaels and Molaise Gaels win over Pats means the possibility of two North Sligo outfits gaining promotion from this Division becomes more a likelyhood. Curry got off the mark with a draw against Cloonacool but they look doomed. The battle to avoid relegation between four other clubs looks like it will go to the wire.

Coolaney's winning run in Div 4 continued, Tourlestrane the latest victims. Michaels beat Molaise Gaels and Ballisodares winning streak   continued as they completed the double over Calry.

So with the leagues poised for the final few rounds, championship takes centre stage the weekend after next. Added spice to SFC group B following the Calry/Marys row at the weekend and the same sides meet this Friday in the Kiernan Cup final! Summer is here!

[Westie]

Anyone now going to the game on Friday?

[baoithe]

Farnan's rally continued with a point away to Shamrock Gaels - another escape on the cards?

The start of the league for Farnans was a disaster between injuries, defections and losing Eamonn to the county team together with young McGowan to the U-21s. Farnans cannot take those sort of hits so it was always going to be an uphill struggle. To compound this there has also been a change in management. So they're still up against it for the remaining games.

Unfortunately I dont have a life at the moment what with career responsibilities so I have only managed to see Farnans once this year which was against Calry a few weeks ago in Templeboy. The lads destroyed Calry in the first half (1-9 to 4 at half time I think) and then inexplicably capitulated in the second. I thought we played with much more verve and generally looked far better footballers - took some fantastic scores - but for some reason things went south in the second half. Apart from having about 17 players who are up to this standard we are probably a bit light in the midfield sector. But Michael McGowan can be the one who steps up to the plate in this area come the championship - if he can be motivated to do so. He's a class act and is county standard - we just need to get it out of him on a regular basis.

[magpie seanie]

Anyone now going to the game on Friday?

They'll be parking cars at Gilroy Tiling and walking in the rest of the way!

[Westie]

Might make it over from the west for that one alright.  Lot of history there. It was always crazy having 2 rounds of the league with the same fixtures. It was going to lead to trouble. 
Between that and the parish rule issue, the next county board meeting could be interesting.  I am for parish rule in case you are asking

[Sligoper]

Whats the parish rule about??

[Westie]

Parish rule -simply - you play for the club whose parish boundary you reside in till the age of 18.

[Owenmoresider]

Sligoper - don't mention the war....

Speaking of wars, surprised at the shenanigans between Calry and Mary's, but that means a curious wander up to Grange on Friday evening is in order. Can't say when it happened before Seanie. Mind you if Cloonacool and Curry had rowed on Friday there would have been some craic, what with them meeting again the next day!

An encouraging result on Sunday, played well enough but the outcome still was as expected. Still gives more hope for the Championship and following survival battle. Enniscrone have blown it, Farnan's rallyin while Harps fall away. Geevagh good as up too. D1 went as expected, though Ballymote got a good result off Curry.