Kelly to miss Leitrim tie

Sligo sharpshooter David Kelly will be sidelined for his county's Connacht SFC quarter-final clash with Leitrim on Sunday week.

Kelly, who was nominated for an All-Star award last year, injured his ankle playing for DCU in the Sigerson Cup and had to undergo surgery, missing the Yeats county's Allianz Football League campaign.

He will not be risked for the provincial opener at Markievicz Park, while defender Johnny Davey, who is recovering from a cruciate knee ligament injury, will be another notable absentee.

There are also doubts surrounding the fitness of Eugene Mullen and former captain Noel McGuire who only returned to full training last month.

Having been relegated to Division 3, Sligo boss Kevin Walsh will want his side to start the Championship with a strong display against Leitrim.

"Leitrim is going to be a really tough game for us. Looking at their league form they pushed Roscommon and Longford very close, so they will be a right challenge for us at Markievicz Park," he said

"They always have great heart and great desire and they are going to push us all the way. We are well aware of that."

Walsh has been pleased with the development of young guns David Maye and David Rooney so far this season, and Neil Ewing and Stephen Coen were among Sligo's top performers towards the end of the league campaign.

Adrian Marren struck 1-06 for an experimental Sligo outfit in their 3-13 to 1-17 defeat to Monaghan in a recent challenge game in Bunninadden.