February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By Mike Fitzpatrick
Fermanagh 4-13, Sligo 0-6
An understrength Sligo side were blasted out of contention by this Fermanagh outfit eager to clinch a semifinal spot in this years junior playoff. Right from the first whistle of this junior football Div. A game, it became apparent where the championship points were going to end up.
Fermanagh attacked throughout the first half, hitting goals past stand-in keeper Mike Burke through Paul McGuirk, Gareth McLoughlin and a brace from Francis Loughran. Burke did his best and prevented another couple of Sligo front-line efforts from creeping over the line, but it was his backline that had a torrid time in containing the likes of Loughran, Rory Gallagher and McGuirk.
At halftime, points from Gallagher and Loughran added to the four goals left Sligo trailing by an insurmountable 14 points.
Sligo’s counter attacking yielded little scoring, though Barney Healy did manage to grab three efforts.
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After the break, Fermanagh relaxed a little. Sligo were too far behind to really mount a decent challenge, and it was obvious where the points were going.
Down face Sligo next week, and if all goes according to the Mournemen’s plans, then both they and Fermanagh will reach the playoffs.
Fermanagh: Alan Beatty, Diarmuid Dalton, Ciaran Lee, Colm Walsh, Pádraig Monaghan, Richard Rennicks, Marty McGlade, Paul McGuirk (1-0), Sean Melly (0-1), Darren Doherty (0-1), Raymond Gallagher (0-5), Gareth McLoughlin (1-0), Joe Egan (0-1), Francis Loughran (2-4), Karl Connolly (0-1). Sub: Brian Shannon.
Sligo: Mike Burke, Ray Reynolds, Mike Gilligan, Brian Varley, Kenneth Barry, Pat Spellman, Eamon Duffy, Sean Washington, Dean O’Connor, Seamus McClafferty, Damien Sheehan (0-1), Barney Healy (0-3), Peadar Reynolds (0-2), Tony Gallagher, John McVann. Subs: Declan Henry, John Cribben.