Breheny helps elevate Sligo

Sligo 0-15 Wicklow 1-10:Centre forward Mark Breheny epitomised a much sharper and more focused Sligo side as he guided them victory over Wicklow in their Division 2B league game at Aughrim yesterday.

This victory means Mick O'Dwyer's men have been consigned to Division Four football next year whereas Sligo have qualified for Division Three.

Wicklow only sprang to life in the final 13 minutes when they outscored their opponents by 1-4 to 0-2 and Paul Earls had a shot for another goal taken off the line by Sligo corner-back Charles Harrison.

As Wicklow lacked the speed to keep up with their opponents, Breheny led the way for Sligo with six points, five of them scored in the second half.

Essentially though, this game was won and lost in the first half when Sligo hit the ground running and led Wicklow by 0-6 to 0-4 at the break after playing against a stiff breeze.

Just before the end Wicklow midfielder James Stafford was sent off after picking up a second yellow card and overall this is a performance he and his team-mates will be anxious to put behind them.

SLIGO: P Greene; C Harrison, N McGuire, R Donavan; P McGovern, M McNamara, J Davey (0-2); T Taylor (0-1), K Quinn; B Curran (0-1), M Breheny (0-6), P Gallagher (0-2); G McGowan, S Davey (0-3), D Kelly. Subs: K Sweeney (0-2) for G McGowan, J McPartland for B Curran, P Taylor for D Kelly, B Phibbs for K Quinn.

WICKLOW: R Daniels; C Hyland, D Power, A Byrne; JP Dalton, D Ó hAnnaidh, L Glynn (0-1); J Stafford, T Walsh; T Hannon (0-1), D Jackman (0-1), P Dalton; T Gill (0-6), K Byrne, P Earls. Subs: S Cushe for JP Dalton, M Travers for R Daniels, P Cronin (1-1) for K Byrne, D Fitzgerald for S Cushe.

Referee: G McCormack (Dublin).