Sligo savour a notable scalp

For a short time in the first half of this National League encounter it appeared that the All-Ireland champions Meath were in trouble against an enthusiastic Sligo side.

Then the power of Meath took control and they slid into a comforting situation which put them into a six-point lead and for a time the floodgates seemed about to open as Sligo's approach to the match disintegrated into some confusion.

However, Meath drifted into complacency at this stage. Paul Durkin was introduced to the Sligo line-up and his class and considerable bulk made a real difference.

The result was that the Sligo players, strolling previously, were set back on a winning path and suddenly took control of the match. It did not come as any surprise to the Sligo manager Mickey Moran that he delayed his departure from the pitch for a considerable time after the final whistle had been blown.

Beaming in the Sunday afternoon under the spectacular backdrop of Ben Bulben, he accepted the fact that although Meath were under-strength in so far as their All-Ireland winning squad was concerned, it was a considerable achievement for Sligo not only to beat them - even narrowly - but to come back after they had appeared to be well trounced.

"This victory is a great encouragement to all in Sligo football, particularly since we came back from being six points down against the All-Ireland champions and then won a match in those circumstances," said Moran.

Meath manager Sean Boylan, short several prominent players such as Trevor Giles and John McDermott, had admitted that his own side had come to win and had been surprised by the intensity of the Sligo effort.

"It gives me great pleasure to come to a place like this and to find such determination and commitment, even though we lost," he said.

It is not my habit to single out players in my squad; but I am particularly happy to be able to say that some of the younger players who came in such as Michael Langan, Kevin Giblin and several others, that we have embarked upon a situation where we are building up a team of more than 15 players and that we are looking forward to the future with a good deal of hope."

The opening stages of the match were evenly contested; but slack marking by the Sligo defence allowed Graham Geraghty to ghost in behind the Sligo defence to score an early goal in the fourth minute.

Five minutes later, however, it was Sligo's turn and a brilliant move between Paul Taylor, Kieran McDermott and Gerry McGowan allowed Dessie Sloyane to score a goal to put Sligo into a 1-2 to 1-1 lead.

The match seemed well balanced for a long period after this and by the 30th minute the teams were level at 1-5 each, before Meath pulled slightly ahead, 1-7 to 1-5, at half-time.

Seven minutes into the second half Geraghty scored his second goal, and this seemed to take the sting out of Sligo's attempts to recover.

A 2-8 to 1-6 lead was extended further by Geraghty and Jody Devine, before a Tommy Brennan free for Sligo lifted the spirits of the Sligo supporters in a crowd estimated at 6,000.

Two points from Kieran McDermott and the excellent Paul Taylor at centre forward for Sligo, gave the Sligo supporters some hope; but it wasn't until the 27th minute that a sweeping move between David Durkin, Paul Durkin, Sean Davey and Taylor, produced a goal for Taylor, to level the scores with five minutes to go.

It proved a great boost and when Sloyane knocked the ball into the net after a long ball into the attacking area by Paul Durkin, Sligo suddenly seemed to take control of the match, leaving the score at 3-11 to 2-11.

Meath were not finished by any means and Geraghty from play and Ray Magee from a free brought them closer.

However, Sligo launched a number of attacks on the Meath goal, one of which resulted in a disallowed goal by Kieran McDermott and they held on tenaciously to win by the narrowest of margins.

The result will give their supporters and their players a lot of new confidence for their match in the next round of the league, away to Down in Newcastle.

SLIGO: P Kilcoyne; N McGuire, N Clancy, B Philips; D Durkin, G McDermott, M Langan; E O'Hara (0-1), S Davey (0-1); K Giblin, P Taylor (1-5, two frees), D Sloyane (2-0); T Brennan (0- 3, frees), K McDermott (0-1), G McGowan. Sub: P Durkin for Giblin (44 mins).

MEATH: D Gallagher, D Callaghan, M O'Reilly, P Shankey, P Reynolds (0-1), D Fay, I McManus, N Crawford, D Curtis (0-2), R Magee (0-4, three frees), J Devine (0-1), A Moyles, R Farrelly (0-1), G Geraghty (2-3, one free), C Sullivan (0-1). Sub: C Reynolds for M O'Reilly (30 mins).

Referee: B Gorman (Armagh).