Sligo's goals against the wind enough to withstand Wexford fightback
Sligo withstood a late Wexford fightback to take two valuable points from a game played at windswept Wexford Park on Saturday afternoon.
Despite playing into the gale-force wind in the first half, Paul Taylor’s charges struck for what were to prove two crucial goals, the first coming as early as the third minute when wing-forward Darragh Cummins got on the end of a Barry Gorman cross across the face of the goal to punch downwards into the corner of the net.
Wexford were slow to settle playing with the elements and had to wait until the 10th minute for their opening score, a huge Ben Brosnan point off the sideline. Further points from Brosnan (free), Jonathan Bealin, and Glen Malone had the sides level, 1-1 to 0-4, John P Carr having added a Sligo point in between.
The crucial second goal arrived seven minutes before the break when wing-back Sean Carrabine was allowed solo some 30 meters through the defence before shooting low to the corner of the net, which set them up for a 2-2 to 0-6 interval lead.
Conditions made good football almost impossible but it was Sligo, through points from Liam Gaughan, Red Og Murphy and Barry Gorman, who managed to retain their lead, still leading 2-6 to 0-8 entering the closing minutes.
A Brosnan goal left the minimum separating the sides but with the sides exchanging points through Sean Carrabine and sub Sean Nolan, Sligo managed to hold out for two crucial points.
Sligo scorers: S Carrabine 1-1, D Cummins 1-0, A Devaney (f), J F Carr, L Gaughan, R Og Murphy, B Gorman, K Cawley 0-1 each.
Wexford: B Brosnan (4f) 1-5, I Meegan, C Devitt, J Bealin, S Nolan, 0-1 each.
Wexford: I Meegan; M O’Connor, G Sheehan, J Rossiter; E Porter, B Malone, R Barron; E Nolan, N Hughes; G Malone, C Devitt, T Byrne; M Rossiter, J Bealin, B Brosnan.
Subs: S Doyle for Rossiter (inj, 4), S Nolan for Rossiter (53), C Carty for Byrne (58), J Stafford for Bealin (66), R Crosbie for Devitt (70).
Sligo: A Devaney; J F Carr, E McGuiness, N Mullen; G O’Kelly-Lynch, p McNamara, S Carrabine;P O’Connor, P Kilcoyne; D Cummins, L Gaughan, Keelan Cawley; R Og Murphy, B Gorman, P Hughes.
Subs: Kyle Cawley for Hughes (49), C Breheny for Kilcoyne (51), M Gordon for Cummins (53), S Coen for Gorman (61), D Quinn for Carrabine (inj, 70).
Referee: S Lonergan (Tipperary).
