Monthly Archive for November, 2011

Monivea 8
Sligo.       17

Sligo continued their excellent J1C form with a fine victory over a strong Monivea outfit at the Castle grounds on Sunday. The visitors scored 3 tries to the locals solitary effort on their way to a well worked win.
Sligo’s success  was layed down by a powerful display up front from the pack coupled with excellent use of their pacey back line.
The front row of Aaron Tansey, Nick Ryan and Brian Keane anchored a powerful scrum, and Darran Wilson slotted in seamlessly when called upon. Kieran Meehan and Dermot Kiely ensured a plentiful supply of line out ball and replacements Kieran Stafford and Michael Mc Morrow made telling impacts when they joined the fray. The back row of James Fox, Terrence O’Connor and Leigh Fenton won the battle at the breakdown.
The half backs of Stuart O’Brian and Stephen Butler controlled the game with O’Brian picking up Sligo’s opening try and Butler added to the tally with a well struck penalty. The centre partnership of Clive Morris and Brandon Harvey caused their opposite numbers problems in attack and defence and Morris added to his teams total with two well struck conversions. The pace of Sligo’s back three of Brian Mullan, Sean Bagnall and Dermott O’Connor proved to much for the home defence with Mullan racing in for his teams second try. Kevin Donegan and Andy Mulligan demonstrated the strength of the squad when joining the play.
Sligo’s next league outing is on the 11th of December in Strandhill against table topping Dunmore, who are ahead of Sligo by a single point. On current form coach Steve Alley will be confident his charges will be capable overcoming the Galway outfit.

The Sligo women’s rugby team continued their excellent start to the season when they made it two wins from two games with a well deserved victory over a strong Tuam outfit at Garraun park in Tuam under floodlights last Wednesday evening.
In ideal conditions for running rugby it was the visitors who started best. Sligo’s mobile pack kept the ball alive at every opportunity and their all action game soon began to make space for their lively back line. Scrum Half Lauren Mc Gee was dictating from the base and quick ball allowed powerhouse centre Jacqui Mulligan demonstrate her superb footballing ability to race in for the opening score. Jackie Carraway made no mistake with a well judged conversion.
Sligo were now in full flow and the hard work of forwards Niamh Connolly, Keara Kilfeather and Lisa Moore ensured go forward ball allowing the excellent Mulligan to double her and her teams tally with another superb try. Carraway again added the extras with a well struck kick
Sligo’s all action game continued to pose problems for their hosts and a mazy run from the speedy Leona Moran allowed the speedster the space to break the defence and touch down for Sligo’s third try. Caraway again converted.
Sligo continued to press and added a fourth try when team captain Laura Feehily took the ball from a tapped penalty and burst through the cover to touch down.
On the stroke of half time Sligo put the game out of sight. Centre Grainne Blount burst through the cover and despite being tackled short of the line, off loaded to the supporting Connolly whonmade no mistake in adding to her teams total.
The half time break suited the home team and Tuam made the most of the interval to rework their game plan. A more forward orientated game in the second half put pressure on the Sligo outfit but Sligo’s early foundations ensured they left the pitch on the right side of a 33-19 scoreline.
Sligo are now unbeaten on the top of the Connacht Women’s Development League and their all action off-loading game should ensure that they are in the hunt for league honours at the end of the season.

See more photos from this album on our facebook page – here

Sligo 13
Highfield 20

Sligo’s hunt for the elusive AIL win again fell short in dramatic circumstances when with only thirteen players on the park they conceded an injury time try, which allowed the visitors to return home to Cork with the 4 vital winning points secured.

On a day tailor made for open Rugby  it was Hiighfield who seized the early initiative. Following the kick off, the leesiders camped themselves in the Sligo half and their early pressure yielded a reward when an attempted Sligo clearance was blocked down and second row John Murphy reacted quickest to dive on the ball and open the scoring for his team. Colin Mahony added a well struck conversion.

Despite this early setback,  Sligo settled into the game and good driving from Jamie Bowes and Paddy Conlon was allowing out half Paddy Pearson the opportunity to bring his back line into the game.
Sligo finally opened their account right on the half hour mark. An excellent tackle by Aiden MacNulty on the Sligo ten metre line gave his pack the opportunity to turn the ball over (see video here).

Pearson threw an excellent pass to Hugo Laffite and the winger darted into the Highfield 22. Quick ball was moved wide and full back Daniel Hawkins linked up with winger David Gerrity who touched down 5 yards from the right corner.Hawkins added the extras with a superbly struck kick.

Video link for David Gerrity’s try – here

Moments later Sligo took the lead. A well judged Pearson kick placed Sligo inside the Highfield half. Sligo stole the resulting line out and moved the ball midfield to Matele Fifita. The powerful centre drove forward before the ruck was formed. Scrum half Billy Leahy sniped from the side of the ruck before being hauled down on the 22. The Highfield defence infringed at the breakdown and Sligo were awarded the penalty. Hawkins despatched the ball through the posts to give his team the lead at the interval.

Following the resumption Highfield equalised with a Mahony penalty. Sligo were then reduced to 14 men. Following a ruck on the halfway line, The touch judge called for the referee’s attention. After consultation, the referee called up Sligo’s Aidan MacNulty and to the astonishment of the spectators, the number 8 was shown the red card.

Sligo battled on bravely and again took the lead with another Hawkins penalty. The lead was short lived however and the home team were dealt a further blow when flanker Cathal Culhane was yellow carded for joining the side of a maul on his teams 22. Mahony equalised with the resulting kick.

Highfield pushed on and tried to use their two man advantage to full effect. Right on the stroke of full time, Highfield scored the winning try when the home teams lack of defensive numbers was finally exposed and centre Brian O’Hea touched down for the winning try. Mahony’s conversion was the last act of another frustrating day for Simon Galvan, Dominic Storey  and their squad.

Sligo Daniel Hawkins, David Gerrity, Gavin Foley, Matele Fifita, Hugo Lafitte, Paddy Pearson, Billy Leahy, Thomas Ferrari, Ross Mannion, Adrian Mc Hale, Jamie Bowes, James Wilson, Paddy Conlon, Rory Kerins, Aidan Mc Nulty. Reps David Roe, Gary Conneely, Peter Mullan, Cathal Culhane, Gary o Hehir

Photographs by Rory Raftery – see more here on the club facebook page – gallery