Relegation-threatened Sligo secure vital win

Antrim 1-11 Sligo 2-18

Sligo boosted their Division 2 survival hopes with a deserved win over Antrim at Casement Park this afternoon.

Kevin Walsh's men garnered their first victory at the fifth attempt in the Allianz Football League, with Eamonn O'Hara and Brian Curran scoring early goals in each half.

Fellow strugglers Antrim played in fits and starts and a disappointing day was capped off by Kevin McGourty's sending-off in injury time.

The Saffrons were made to pay for a poor start, during which they conceded 1-2, and Sligo also finished this encounter on song with six unanswered points.

This was a must-win game for both sides and Sligo, who had beaten Antrim twice in Division 3 and 4 finals in recent years, quickly got into their stride.

Captain Charlie Harrison won the toss and elected to play with the wind advantage. Adrian Marren landed the opening point from a free and then pointed on the turn from 14 metres out, making it 0-2 to 0-0.

Sligo’s seventh-minute goal had a touch of good fortune about it. What looked like a point attempt from Harrison fell short and O’Hara drifted in to win the ball on the edge of the square and left-foot it to the net.

The 2002 All-Star was given another sight of goal just minutes later but after opting to settle for a point, his fisted effort came back off the post and was cleared.

Both defences were cut open during a lively opening quarter. Kevin McGourty missed a goal-scoring chance before Paddy Cunningham pointed a free for Antrim’s opener.

He added a second after a foul on Conor Murray and then turned provider to set up Kevin Brady as Sligo’s lead was pared back to 1-2 to 0-3.

It was Sligo’s turn to enjoy a purple patch, reeling off four points in-a-row. Kenneth Sweeney passed for Mark Breheny to fire over off his left, before an injury forced him to be replaced by Alan Costello.

Marren benefited from a Costello delivery to make it 1-4 to 0-3 and Breheny and Costello added two more with Keelan Cawley, a late addition at centre-back, and O’Hara supplying the assists.

Antrim hit back with three points from Cunningham before half-time, including two frees.

But Sligo were looking strong as efforts from Sean Davey, Breheny (free) and Marren (free) made it 1-9 to 0-6 at the turnaround.

Antrim’s direct style paid off when substitute Kevin Niblock got the better of Ross Donovan to open the scoring on the restart.

As the tempo increased, the sides exchanged quick-fire goal. In the 39th minute, Sligo struck when a ball was crossed in by David Rooney and it broke for Curran to prod home.

Sean Davey’s subsequent point, created by a Breheny pass which took out two defenders, pushed the visitors into a 2-10 to 0-7 lead.

Liam Bradley’s side replied with a much-needed goal. Tomas McCann brushed off a couple of defenders on a powerful burst forward before rifling past goalkeeper Philip Greene.

Cunningham added a point off the upright and Antrim were further boosted by scores from Brady, Cunningham (free) and Brendan Herron.

That whittled Sligo’s advantage down to 2-11 to 1-11, with Antrim net minder Sean O’Neill saving a goal-bound shot from Sean Davey before tipping a Curran effort over his crossbar.

However, Antrim endured a frustrating finish as Sligo gathered crucial momentum courtesy of points from goal scorers Curran and O’Hara.

O’Hara tried for another goal to kill off the hosts, but he blasted over the bar instead.

Breheny, Tony Taylor, Marren and David Maye (free) all threaded shots through the Antrim posts in the closing stages, leaving the Saffrons under huge pressure at the foot of the table.