Hamilton Park, Strandhill, Sligo, Ireland – Founded 1890
Sligo’s U-14′s travel to the Galway Sportsgrounds on Sunday next to play Buccaneers in the final of the Connacht league. Both sides have impressed all season, with Sligo defeating Galwegians by 60-12 in the semi-final, while Buccaneers defeated Westport by a wide margin in their semi-final.
Coached by last season’s club President, Michael O’Hehir, Sligo will be optimistic of bringing the trophy back to the North West.
Tickets for next Friday night’s alcohol-free teenage disco in the Clubhouse, Hamilton Park, went on sale last week-end, and at the time of going to press have almost sold out. The disco commences at 9 pm, and is strictly an all ticket event. Anybody who has not purchased a ticket is advised not to present on the evening, as they will not gain admission. The Event Organiser, Peter Gillespie, requires all stewards to be present not later than 8.30 pm on that evening.
On Sunday next in Hamilton Park [Kick-Off 2.30p.m.], Sligo play Castlebar in the Connacht Junior 1 League.Both sides will be striving for the points to ensure qualification into next season’s AIB all-Ireland Cup. Sligo will be without the injured Warner Wilders and Philip Henry, but welcome back Roger Burrows, who was unavailable for last week-end’s trip to Athlone.
The local derby between Sligo and Ballina [Connacht J1 League], which was called off on January 7th because of a water-logged pitch, has bee re-fixed by the Connacht Branch for Sunday February 25th in Heffernan Park.
Mooretown RFC, Leeds, Banbridge, Ballina and Carrick-on-Shannon are among the clubs participating in Sligo RFC’s U-12 tournament on Saturday next. Last season, Sligo’s underage players spent a very enjoyable few days in Leeds, as guests of Mooretown, the former home club of Sligo’s Juvenile Section chairman, Dean Weaver and his wife, Samantha.
Sligo U-18 and Sligo Grammar School player, Jason East played for Ireland’s International Youths side against their French counterparts in Greystones on Saturday last. Jason played at loose head prop forward. He was one of two Connacht players on the team.
72 times capped Ireland out-half, and current Ulster player, David Humphries, has accepted an invitation from Sligo RFC President, Tom Gilligan, to be the special guest speaker at the club’s annual dinner dance, which will be held in Sligo Park Hotel on Saturday April 21st.
The Tuam v Sligo Connacht Junior League game which was postponed last December has been refixed for Saturday next in Tuam [Kick-Off 2.30 pm]. With the exception of the injured Warner Wilders, Sligo will select from a full panel.
Tickets are now on sale from the usual sellers for the alcohol-free teenage disco which will be held in the Clubhouse, Hamilton Park on Friday February 16th at 9 pm. This is a strictly all-ticket event, and nobody should present on the evening without a ticket. The disco will cater for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Year students in post primary schools.
Sligo were defeated by Buccaneers in Dubarry Park, Athlone on Sunday last in the Connacht Junior 1 League. However, the result and the eight points winning margin does scant justice to Sligo, who were in control for long periods of the game.
The visitors were in control in the opening exchanges, but against the run of play conceded a very soft try after 16 minutes. In virtually the winners’ first attack, they scored a try, after a missed tackle in mid-field by a Sligo forward. Winger, Paul Hanniffy converted to give his side a flattering 7-0 lead. A penalty from out-half, Gavin Foley reduced arrears after 21 minutes. A poor call from referee, Robert Coughlin [Midleton RFC and Munster Branch], denied Sligo a legitimite try after 34 minutes. Following a penalty to the corner, Sligo’s pack mauled over the line, with Jamie Livingstone clearly touching down, but the referee, who was on the opposite side from the ball carrier, to the consternation of Sligo’s supporters, just awarded a 5 metre scrum, which proved to be fruitless.
To add to Sligo’s woes, they went further behind 5 minutes after the restart, when they were adjudged to have been off-side at a ruck in front of their posts, on the ’22′, and Hanniffy landed the ‘sitter’. Stung by this reverse, Sligo launched a series of attacks, and in the 11th minute scored a brilliant try. They opened up the defence with some fine continuity play, and in a move where at least six players handled, with youngsters, David Gerrity and Ronan Gillespie prominent, Gavin Foley stepped inside and wrong-footed the cover, to score near the posts. Unfortunately, his conversion attempt sailed wide.
When Buccaneers came upfield, Sligo conceded a needless penalty near the posts, which Hanniffy converted, to give them a 13-8 lead. A dubious penalty in the 28th minute saw the deadly accurate Hanniffy bring the score to 16-8. For the remainder of the game, Sligo camped in the Buccaneers ’22′, as they went in search of an elusive try. When they were awarded penalties, kicks at goal were eschewed in favour of kicks to the corners. In the 32nd minute, they did maul over the winners’ line, but on this occasion, referee Coughlin correctly decreed that the ball was not grounded, and the subsequent scrum did not produce a score. Towards the end, in separate attacks, both Julian Rippon and Andrew Feeney were held out, virtually on the line.
Buccaneers fielded three pack members, Benny Gilligan, Kieran O’Gorman and Adrian Hughes who have played AIL Division 1 rugby this season, but they could never subdue the visitors’ eight, where Ronan Gillespie had another big game, and Peter Mullan, Jamie Livingstone and Ross Mannion also excelled. Behind the scrum, Paul Hanniffy, another experienced AIL player, created havoc with his 4 from 4 kicking record. Half backs, Billy Leahy and Gavin Foley, more than matched their direct opponents, while 19 year old David Gerrity, making his debut at full-back, showed that he is certainly a player for the future.
Player of the Match:Paul Hanniffy [Buccaneers]
Sligo: D. Gerrity, J. Rippon, A. Feeney, C. Culhane, A. Williams, G. Foley, B. Leahy, R. Gillespie, R. Mannion, M. Feeney, J. Livingstone, A. McHale, T. Sweeney, P. Mullan, W. Wilder.
Subs: G. Conneally for Wilder [inj.], J. Kelly for M. Feeney, D. Green and S.Connolly [not used].
Buccaneers: E. Griffin, P. Hanniffy, P. Murphy, J. O’Connell, D. O’Saughnessy. P. Byrne, K. Turley, B. Gilligan, K. O’Gorman, R. Johnston, J. Tormey, Anthony Hughes, S. O’Rourke, Adrian Hughes, K. Coughlan.
Referee: Robert Coughlin [MidletonRFC/Munster Branch]
Sligo’s U-14 team defeated their Galwegian counterparts by 60-12 in the Connacht semi-final in Hamilton Park on Saturday last. They will meet Buccaneers [Athlone] in the final. In an outstanding team display, Killian Cox, Robert Keegan and Keith McGoldrick in the backs and John Healy, Gerard Keaney and David Heath in the forwards were particularly outstanding.
Sligo u-18′s all-Ireland league round robin league qualifying fixture against Ballinasloe, which was fixed for Hamilton Park on Sunday last did not take place. Ballinasloe informed Sligo on Saturday that they would not be travelling, as their Garbally College players were unavailable.
On Saturday next, Sligo travel to Clifden to play Connemara. Bus departs at 9 am.
The February monthly meeting of the Sligo RFC committee will be held in Bree’s bar on Tuesday next, February 13th at 8pm.
Tries from Joe Sweeney and Ted Mulvanney proved to be decisive as Sligo’s 2nd team defeated neighbours, Carrick-on-Shannon in a friendly fixture at Hamilton Park on Sunday last.
