Captain says Sligo must be given more credit

REBORN Sligo have religiously abided by that familiar mantra of ‘one game at a time’ but there is another underlying agenda for this year’s Division Three champions – to win respect – according to team captain Charlie Harrison.

“In 2007 when we won the Connacht title – we beat Galway in the final – we felt we didn’t get the credit for it. We always said that if we were to do it again and if we were to get the credit for it we would have to beat Mayo and Galway along the way.

“Hopefully this year we can do that,’’ vowed the corner-back following Saturday’s wonderful one-point dismissal of Galway in a rollercoaster Connacht semi-final replay at Markievicz Park.

Harrison, whose late surge helped set up substitute Colm McGee’s winning score in stoppage time, rated this result as probably his favourite ever.

“On the home ground, it was sweet – even more so than (against Galway in) 2007. No-one can say after this result that we surprised Galway, they knew what we had and during the week everyone was going on about (Galway manager) Joe Kernan, his record in replays and what happened Sligo in 2002 (against Armagh, then managed by Kernan), how he is a great tactician.’’

Harrison added: “There can be no excuses, we were the better team on the day.

“We are not finished yet – as Kevin [Walsh] said there is no silverware yet and that is what we are aiming for.

“We won’t take Roscommon for granted – in a Connacht final anything can happen. At the start of the year we said we wanted to be considered a serious team – we’ve got to show that now.’’

Meanwhile, forward Mark Breheny, voted ‘Man of the Match’ by the TV3 panel, echoed Harrison’s view.

“There have been Sligo teams who’ve played in Connacht finals over the years and maybe they got too carried away after winning the semi-final,’’ he said.

“There is something different now about this team, we are very, very serious about taking each game as it comes.”