Taypot (Sligo) - Posts: 115 - 20/04/2025 11:56:04    2603011

The adult club scene is starting in earnest this weekend. Enniscrone are up and running in Div 1 by making the final of the spring league. Coolera have given 2 walkovers in this spring league which has to be concerning. I know they have players involved with the county at football and hurling but still they should surely have fielded. They have very little preparation done with the new rules for the league. Kudos to the CCCC, championship draw done and fixtures are up. Hopefully this trend will continue and players won't be asked to play games late on Sunday evening in venues 40 miles away. In other words don't be bringing teams to the Western seaboard when they are located on the other side of the county. The championship would appear to be kind to the seeded teams in Pot A whereas in Pot B there's 3 north sligo teams fighting for 2 playoff spots. I don't give either Tubber or Tourlestrane any hope of making the playoffs. That's all a long way off yet . It's very hard to know who will win the league as some teams will be decimated in personal due to the county set up.

eoinog (Sligo) - Posts: 2082 - 21/04/2025 16:21:33    2603418

A quick recap, the minors were not a good look unfortunately this year, at one stage against a Leitrim team who hadn't won a game, we were 4-9 to 1-3 down in that game at home. It was a tough watch and I don't think we should be accepting this level of performance. For me the biggest issues were the basics were at way below county standard level and so many bad habits. Very few players comfortable on the ball and the first touch, shooting accuracy and distance again way below what's required. Not much management can do with what was available. My Advice would be every single player on that panel needs to spend the summer on their club pitch with a few county mates and working through the basics under pressure in in-game situations. They need to get the reps in every day simple as that. This group seem way behind in that regard. Hopefully a wake up call for all involved but unfortunately usually as you get older your touch starts to wain with less time to do the reps required.

Looking forward to the u20 match on Wednesday against Roscommon. I definitely feel optimistic about our chances. I am hoping to see a similar performance to the Galway game. I think our forward running power from deep will trouble Roscommon. Their midfield concern me as they won a lot of clean ball the last day but Sheridan who has impressed me and Harte are a new pairing since then so we should be much more competitive in the middle third. Positionally a completely different team than first day. All the best to all involved.

Interesting weekend of GAA action, watched most of the football, really impressed with Leitrim's defensive set up, whilst Mayo were way below par and the game in Carrick, Mayo never really looked like scoring a goal and we looked much more open against them. Leitrim undoing was lacking any real class up front beyond McNulty. I thought Cox and Prior were poor enough and missed some easy chances to have Mayo in more trouble. It will be interesting to see how Mayo up it against a Galway side who beat Roscommon far too comfortably. The Sunday Game analysis of showing how Galway create screen lanes for their midfield catchers was good and something teams should emulate. With our lack of physicality in Midfield we should be all over blocking runs and creating lanes for clean possession.

Sligonian (Sligo) - Posts: 1834 - 21/04/2025 17:16:13    2603442

Drax_the_destroyer (UK) - Posts: 386 - 21/04/2025 19:25:08    2603476

eoinog (Sligo) - Posts: 2082 - 22/04/2025 22:48:38    2603777

I will be traveling more in hope than in confidence this evening. Rooney, Niland not fully fit and missing Lyons and Walsh. It won't be the kamikaze match that we had against Leitrim where we out scored our opponents but conceded heavily. I expect it will be more like the Galway game where we defend with our maximum numbers and probably concede their kick out in doing so. It's a risky strategy . Roscommon are capable of Kicking 2 pointers from outside the arc. With a few minutes to go I hope we are still in it and hopefully we get to the final

eoinog (Sligo) - Posts: 2082 - 23/04/2025 15:46:59    2603886

When the post on Sligo Facebook said it was the Connacht final , and the Sligo keeper wore his club colours of Drumcliffe rather than the Co colours of Sligo you would wonder why die hard supporters turn up to games. Best team won but we will have regrets . If you concede 4 goals you don't deserve to win . Our kickouts were poor, and we failed to get any foothold in midfield or centre back after the first 20 mins when we were leading 6 points to nil. Roscommon ran through us in the second half and only for poor shooting it would have been worse. The pitch was in great shape.

eoinog (Sligo) - Posts: 2082 - 23/04/2025 21:39:19    2603933

Decent effort but AGAIN I say we need to find a way to implement some sort of defensive strategies in our teams. It's great to see us throwing everything at these games but if we are being honest the scoreline flattered us. Everytime they attacked I felt we were going to concede, like a hot knife. Fair play for the effort but felt if we had the right structure we would be in a Connacht final.

republican (Sligo) - Posts: 348 - 23/04/2025 22:39:27    2603950

I think we were watching a different game Eoinog. I am very disappointed.

Roscommon 4-12 Sligo 1-18- For me Sligo were the better team and played most of the football. We handed them about 2-2 with big mistakes one leading to open goal and then 2 kickouts one after another gave them 1-1.

This was a good Sligo performance in many ways and you cant fault the commitment and work rate of the team. We were massively on top for the first 20 mins 6 pts to 0-0 up only for it be wiped in seconds with poor one on one defending and big mistake from keeper to handpass straight to Roscommon. We regained some control but go into HT a 1pt down was energy sapping. Roscommon dominated the opening 10 mins of second half and built up 4 pt lead and Sligo cameback and then Roscommon got a foothold in midfield at times. This was more down to poor kickouts than us being uncompetitive at midfield. You can't do much if your keepers kicks it straight to the Roscommon wing back in 10 yards of space and no one near him goal side, does it once and straight again. Very frustrating because he has some excellent kickouts . Roscommon didn't play all that well, I felt we handed it to them. I also thought a lot of Roscommon's wayward shooting was down to good pressure from Sligo and a lack of patience from them.

The attack play of this team was at very high level but we do need to work on defending although today at times it was good.

Overall it was a successful season for the u-20s with T Ross, Niland and D Walsh the most promising prospects. Daire O Callaghan was outstanding today along with Flynn and Lynch. Sheridan looks good too. FB line did fine. Rooney was OK but needs to be in the game more. I don't think he is an inside player with back to goal.

Looking forward to watching these lads play senior for Sligo hopefully soon.

I thought Management did a great job in dealing with injuries and form and revamping the team and getting us to peak at right time. We were very well prepared today and the maximum was got out of us. Fair play to all involved and hopefully the lads who made mistakes today can learn from them and not be too down. O Brien was a big reason we beat Galway.

Sligeach Abu

Sligonian (Sligo) - Posts: 1834 - 23/04/2025 22:41:37    2603953

Very disappointing result considering a very good performance overall. They're young lads so mistakes are a part of the game at this age and they cost us badly. Mistakes for goals, then getting a free in dying seconds needing a goal and kicking the ball 20 yards backwards.

Anyway, overall a good performance and the better team for most of the game in my opinion. A real example of "goals win games".

letsgosligo (Sligo) - Posts: 105 - 24/04/2025 00:16:59    2603969

Underage for the u-20s next year that would have been starters are Oran Harte, David Lyons, Dara Moyston, Eli Rooney, Conor Walsh and Eamonn O Mahony. From the squad Matthew Walsh, Michael Carroll, Paul Flynn, Aaron Lang, Dante Currid, Eoin Finnerty, Cathal Gilligan, Alex lille, Eamonn Keane, Darragh Mastin, Josh McHugh all underage.

6/7 starters from this years is not bad. This team at minor didn't have Eli. They lost narrowly to Galway the first day, drew with Mayo and Leitrim and Roscommon beat them fairly comfortably.

Does anyone know if Paul Henry and Enda Mitchell continue next year with u-20s? They have really done a great job the last few years. We are lucky to have them. I really enjoyed watching the u-20s this year.

Sligonian (Sligo) - Posts: 1834 - 24/04/2025 20:07:20    2604113

Once Roscommon went short with the kick out because we didn't press up it gave them a foothold. Their kick passing into the inside forwards was very good, something that we weren't able to do at the other end of the pitch. They had pace while we were slow with the exception of a few runs from Callaghan, Walsh and Lynch who should really have scored a goal at the end of the first half. I imagine Henry's done with this age group. He needs to take a senior club team for a few years if he intends to ultimately manage Sligo seniors. He has done well .

Taypot (Sligo) - Posts: 115 - 24/04/2025 22:31:58    2604137

So club league starts this weekend, are the county players being released or is it until the Tailteann cup is over?

Expecting wins for Coolera, Marys, Harps and Molaise Gaels in Division 1. Curry and Tour could be a close affair but will tip Curry. I think you'll see Enniscrone, Mullinabreena relegated with Molaise, Marys and Shamrock Gaels pushing for league final.

In Division 2 wins for Pats, Bunninadden, Tubbercurry, Easkey and I'll pick Molaise Gaels to beat Geevagh. Think Tubber and Easkey will be in the driving seat for promotion. Bunnies seem to be scoring well but we'll see does that carry into the league. Cloonacool, Geevagh or Molaise second team for relegation.

Division 3 I expect Farnan's and maybe Castleconnor to get promoted, but no point in talking about relegation as can anyone get relegated from Division 3 anymore?

Sligoman1234 (Sligo) - Posts: 491 - 25/04/2025 21:03:05    2604308