Early second half scores eases Sligo into semis

Sligo qualified for the Division 2 Semi Finals of the Suzuki
NFL for the third year in a row following this four point
victory over Longford in Pearse Park on Sunday. Playing
with whatever wind advantage there was, the Yeats County
led by 0 – 6 to 0 – 2 at half time and 8 minutes into the
second half the magpies held a 10 point advantage. However
in the final 22 minutes the winners failed to score a period
in which the home side added six points to their total.

While Sligo may have held a 4 point advantage at half time,
it could have been so different had it not been for some
finger tip saves from the All Star goalkeeper making 3 in
total. Two points from Marion O’Donnell and another from
Therese Marren had Sligo three to the good by the 13th minute.
The losers opened their account in the 22nd minute as Denise
Murtagh converted a free and from the resulting kick out
the ball made its way back to Murtagh who sent over from
play to leave a single score between the sides. In a three
minute period from the 24th minute the winners picked off
three points through Therese Marren, Louise Brett and Noelle
Gormley to send Sligo to the dressing rooms 4 to the good
at 0 – 6 to 0 – 2. Into the second half and 6 unanswered
points in opening 8 minutes helped the winners helped into
a 10 point lead and a place in the semi finals looked assured.

The opening 3 scores arrived inside the first 2 minutes
as Noelle Gormley twice from frees and another from play.
Therese Marren then added a score in the 5th minute after
seconds earlier hitting the post with Louise Brett adding
two in the 7th and 8th minutes. It was after this that the
scoring power dried up for the winners as the home side
came into the game, slowly they chipped away at the lead.
Denise Murtagh converted 2 frees in the 13th and 14th minutes
with Alison Smith sending over from play in the 15th minute.
By this stage the gap could have even been narrower had
Alison Smith not blazed two efforts wide in the 9th and
10th minutes. In the closing minutes Denise Murtagh added
two more points to her and Longford’s account with Edel
Quinn adding their final score. Sligo will have cause for
concern with a semi final date coming up shortly as they
went over 22 minutes of play plus injury time without scoring.

Scorers Sligo: Noelle Gormley 0 – 4, Louise Brett 0 – 3,
Therese Marren 0 – 3 and Marion O’Donnell 0 – 2.

Scorers Longford: Denise Murtagh 0 – 6, Edel Quinn 0 – 1
and Alison Smith 0 – 1.

Referee: Sean McIntyre (Tyrone)