Poised Sligo defeat Kerry to reach maiden All-Ireland U20 final

SHOWPIECE-BOUND: Sligo defeat Kerry to reach their first ever All Ireland U20 Final Pic: Tom Beary/Sportsfile

Sligo 1-8 Kerry 0-9 

Sligo produced a stunning performance to score a first ever underage championship win over Kerry as the county’s football revolution moved to a new level at Pearse Stadium in Salthill when they qualified for the All-Ireland U-20 final for the first time in history.

And in the process Kerry’s troubles in this grade continued with just appearance in the All-Ireland U-20/21 grade since 1999, as Tomás Ó Sé’s men came up short against a Sligo side who only won their first Connacht title at this level a year ago.

But there is a swagger about this Sligo side which will now hope to push on and claim the county’s first ever championship All-Ireland title outside of junior level.

Sligo manager Paul Henry admitted afterwards that a first championship win over the Kingdom moves things on to a new level for the Yeats County, but the key thing now is that they go and finish the job next week and claim silverware.

And they did it the hard way. Their Connacht final hero Dillon Walsh, who fisted the winning point on his 18th birthday after coming on against Galway, has been in hospital with meningitis and is thankfully recovering.

And having lost Matt Henry to injury before this semi-final, there were just nine minutes gone when their inspirational captain Canice Mulligan went off with a serious shoulder injury which looks set to rule him out of next weekend’s final.

But Sligo dealt with these set-backs superbly and laid the foundation for a deserved success in the opening half when Kerry opted to play with the strong breeze but failed to build a lead.

Kerry, having opted to play with the strong breeze in the opening half, were in trouble when they went in level at 0-6 to 1-3 at the break with the big Sligo following on their feet as the sides left the pitch at the interval.

Ó Sé had warned of the threat he knew Sligo posed but they got the perfect start when Rob Monahan fired over two excellent points off either foot in the opening five minutes before corner-forward Ronan Niland opened Sligo’s account after ten minutes.

Luke Crowley responded for Kerry but then Niland, after exchanging a pass with full-forward Daire O’Boyle, drilled home an excellent goal low into the left corner of the net to lead by 1-1 to 0-3 after 13 minutes.

Kerry struggled to penetrate the Sligo defence and when William Shine levelled with a free, the Connacht champions responded when Luke Marren landed a free from 25 metres.

Keith Evans levelled for Kerry and when Marren added another free, Shine ensured they went in level at the interval when he pointed a 20 metre free in stoppage time.

James Donlon edged Sligo in front after the restart but efforts from Cian McMahon and Shine put Kerry 0-8 to 1-4 in front after 45 minutes.

Kerry enjoyed plenty of possession but struggled to create chances and Sligo hit the next three scores from Dylan Walsh, Marren and sub Brian Byrne to lead by 1-7 to 0-8 seven minutes from time.

Shine cut the gap to the minimum four minutes from the end but while they had ample possession, the Kingdom just could not find a way through a crowded Sligo half to get shooters in place.

And when they did get rushed efforts off, Kerry found their wides tally rising as they were forced to shoot under pressure from difficult positions.

Inevitably, Sligo broke from deep and extended their lead when Daire O’Boyle put two between them, leaving Kerry needing a goal to prevent defeat.

However, that never looked like happening as Sligo, with Ross Doherty superb throughout, deservedly held off for one of the most famous wins in their county’s history.

But in this new era for Sligo, that win could be surpassed this weekend if their senior side goes out and does a job on Galway in the Connacht final in Castlebar.

Their magnificent U-20’s have shown them the template.

Scorers for Sligo: R Niland 1-1, L Marren 0-3f, J Donlon 0-1m, D Walsh 0-1 ’45, D O’Boyle 0-1, B Byrne 0-1.

Scorers for Kerry: W Shine 0-4 (0-3f), R Monahan 0-2, L Crowley 0-1, K Evans 0-1, C McMahon 0-1.

Sligo: E Carden; R Chambers, C Johnston , L Casserly; D Walsh, D McLoughlin, R Sloyan; C Sheridan, C Mulligan; M McDaniel, J Donlon, R Doherty; L Marren, D O’Boyle, R Niland. 

Subs: Joshua Flynn for Mulligan (9), R O’Kelly Lynch for McDaniel (50), B Byrne for Donlon (50), C McMorrow for Flynn (60), J Kiernan for Niland (62).

Kerry: K Mackessy; C O’Donoghue, A Moynihan, J Nagle; K O’Sullivan, A Heinrich, P O’Leary; C Burke, C O’Connell; R Monahan, J Clifford, K Evans; C McMahon, W Shine, L Crowley. 

Subs: D O’Callaghan for Moynihan (half-time), C Lynch for O’Sullivan (half-time), A O’Shea for Clifford (44), Adam Segal for O’Connell (55).

Referee: Kieran Eannetta (Tyrone).