Sligo catch Rossies on the line to claim FBD Shield honours
Niall Higgins made a return to Roscommon's defence during Friday evening's FBD Shield final against Sligo at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence. Picture: INPHO/Laszlo Geczo
Roscommon were caught on the line by a couple of late two-pointers from Sligo in injury time to suffer their second defeat in succession in Bekan on Friday evening.
It was another patchy performance from Mark Dowd's charges as the new Roscommon manager ascertained the strength-in-depth of his panel with a host of changes from the reversal against Mayo five days earlier.
A strong final quarter performance by the Primrose and Blue, helped by substitute Darragh Heneghan’s 50th minute goal with his first touch, looked to have handed the Rossies victory, even though they made too many unforced errors over the 60 minutes.
But late two-pointers from Pat Spillane and Lee Deignan enabled Sligo to rescue victory from the jaws of defeat and claim FBD Shield honours.
It has to be said that Sligo were the better side over the 60 minutes and were ultimately rewarded with five points without reply in injury time, including those two-pointers from Spillane and Deignan, to eke out the win.
Eamonn O’Hara and Dessie Sloyane's side were lively in the opening half and Lee Deignan’s 15th minute goal helped them on their way to a 1-5 to 0-3 lead.
But Roscommon replied through a Robert Henegan goal after Dylan Ruane’s initial effort was snuffed out by Sligo goalkeeper Aidan Kilcoyne.
Deignan, who finished with 1-8, kept the scoreboard ticking over for the winners in the third quarter but Heneghan’s green flag handed the momentum back to Roscommon.
But Sligo’s late flurry of scores rescued the tie, although Roscommon saw a late two-point free from goalkeeper Aaron Brady sail just wide.
SCORERS – Sligo: L Deignan 1-8 (1 2pf, 4f), P Spillane 0-3 (2p), D Cummins 0-2, A McLoughlin (1f), S Deignan, L Towey, N Murphy (1f), K Cawley 0-1 each.
Roscommon: D Ruane 0-3 (2p), R Heneghan 1-0, D Heneghan 1-0 each, E Smith, E Colleran (2f), P Carey 0-2 each, S Lambe, D Kenny, R Hughes, D Murtagh, O Cregg 0-1 each.
SLIGO – A Devaney; M Lavin, T Ross, E Lyons; D Cummins, J Lavin, P Kilcoyne; L Towey, G Gorman; A McLoughlin, L Gilmartin, C Lally; S Deignan, L Deignan, J Flynn. Subs: P Spillane for Lally (30), R Niland for S Deignan (30), L Casserly for Ross (30), K Cawley for Gilmartin (33), N Murphy for Flynn (41), D Barrett for Kilcoyne (47), P O’Connor for McLoughlin (51), D Quinn for Gorman (55), C Kilcoyne for Devaney (55).
ROSCOMMON – A. Brady; T Lambe, N Higgins, E Ward; R Hughes, R Daly, D Kenny; D Ruane, J Duggan; O Cregg, E Smith, S Lambe; R Heneghan, P Carey, E Colleran. Subs: D Murtagh for Colleran (h-t), M Richardson for Ward (35), D Heneghan for Kenny (47), J Tumulty for Cregg (52).
REF – C Ryan (Galway).
