It is with great sadness that the Club has learned of the passing of our lifelong friend and member Sheila Mullan.

Sligo RFC President, Chairperson, Committee, players, members and friends extend deepest sympathies to Brian, Peter and Joeanne, to Sheila’s sisters Mary and Catherine, brothers Andy, Tommy and Eamon, daughter-in-law Caroline, son-in-law Eamonn, grandchildren Ronan, Elena, Brian and Emily, and to the wider Mullan and Fleming families. Sheila and Brian have been proud members of the Club for over 50 years and her passing comes with both shock and sadness to our members.

The Club has enjoyed a great association with the Mullan family over many years. Brian was one of the Club’s stalwart players in the 1960’s and 70’s. When he met Sheila, she immediately became a great supporter of the Club both on and off the field, assisting and directing many a Club social function or end of year dinner dance. Brian has been an integral part of Club Committees down through the years, Club Captain in 1966/67, serving in various football roles before moving onto to serving as Club President in 1985/86, 1999/00, 2000/01 and 2013/14 and as Chairperson as recently as 2015/16. Peter has been one of the Club’s longest serving players, having played for the Club senior team from 1990 through 2014, through two All-Ireland League campaigns and is currently a coach with the Club’s Youth section. Sheila’s grandson Ronan now stars in the Club’s juvenile section, with great support from his sister Elena and brother Brian on Saturday mornings and we hope that the most recent Mullan grandchild Emily will before long make it to the side-line to cheer along her cousins.

We will miss Sheila’s ever presence on the side-line as she roared on every Sligo team, not just those that her own family played on. She was a great supporter of the Club’s first women’s team in the 1990’s. Always a regular in her spot beside the fireplace for the post-match celebrations in the Clubhouse on cold winter days and forever up for a bit of fun, Sheila enjoyed the end of year dinner dance and awards night, was first to hit the dancefloor and not always first to leave at the end of the night! Sheila will be missed by the many families within the Club and wider Sligo community with whom she had so many strong connections.

May she rest in peace.

Sheila MULLAN (née Fleming) Lissalana, Strandhill Rd, Sligo. Reposing at her residence on Saturday from 4pm until 9pm and to repose again on Sunday from 2pm until 4pm with removal to Sligo Cathedral arriving at 6pm. Funeral mass on Monday morning at 11.30am with funeral proceeding afterwards to St. Patrick’s cemetery Scarden, Strandhill Rd.

HOUSE PRIVATE AT ALL OTHER TIMES PLEASE.

For anyone that has booked tickets for the club awards dinner, please call into the Record Room and collect your tickets. 40 euro for non-players, 20 for players , cash or cheque only.

We are down to the last few spaces for the Sligo RFC awards night on May18 . To book one of the last few tickets please contact one of Clare 0877823898, Mary 0872697083 or John 0876212414. Book immediately to avoid disappointment as only a limited number are available.

For anyone that has ordered Tickets for the Sligo RFC awards night in the Glasshouse, your tickets are now available for collection in the Record Room. Please have cash or cheque available for payment as we are not able to accept payment by card.Tickets are priced at 20 euro for players and 40 for non players

The very best of luck to our U13s on your quest to win the Connacht Cup tomorrow. Getting to a final is a special thing that requires hard work and dedication. Congrats on your journey so far, one more huge effort will see you home. Its 15 v 15 so if you all try harder than your opposite number and follow the plan your coaches have given you the day will belong to you! The whole club is behind you boys! Go Hard and bring it home!!

Sligo RFC 37

Thomond RFC 0

Sligo clinched the Ulster Bank 2c title with an emphatic victory over second placed Thomond RFC at a packed out Hamilton park on Saturday. Sligo scored six tries without reply as they comprehensively put their opponents to the sword in a dominant display from start to finish.

With the sun beaming down on Strandhill Sligo’s Mark Butler kicked off playing towards the Knocknarea end into the stiff breeze. From early on it was clear that Sligo were determined to play at a fast pace and looked to put width on the ball at every opportunity. 

With 10 minutes on the clock Sligo’s enterprise was rewarded with the opening score. Matthew Cosgrove secured an accurate Shane O’Hehir line out throw on the Thomond 22 and the ball was quickly moved wide. Philip Carter collect out on the left but had to cut back inside to find support.  A quick recycle was moved down the blindside with Mike Wells and Butler handling before Manu Parkin collected 10 meters from the line. The flanker showed great strength to drive to within 1 metre and when the ruck was secured Cosgrove fed powerhouse prop Kuba Wojtkowicz who drove over under the sticks. Wells added the extras and Sligo were up and running. 

Sligo’s second came with 25 minutes gone. A promising move from a 5 metre scrum broke down in the centre and Thomond hacked the ball clear. Mark Rooney raced back and claimed the ball for Sligo. The ball was secured and quickly moved left where Sligo had numbers waiting. O’Hehir carried into the 22 before releasing Mata Fifita and despite being hauled down shy of the line the powerful centre reached out to touch down in the corner. 

Sligo were now on top in all facets of play and the visitors were struggling to come to grips with the tempo being set. Conor Mitchell was putting huge pressure on the Thomond scrum and James Wilson had the measure of the lineout. Ciaran Cassidy was his showing his usual physicality at the breakdown.Try number three arrived on the half hour. A sustained period of pressure saw Wells and Butler combine to give O’Hehir the space to burst through the cover defence and touch down wide on the left to put Sligo into a 17-0 lead at the interval.

It was more of the same following the resumption with Sligo continuing to impose themselves on their visitors. 

The game went through a scrappy period with some ill discipline but Sligo retained their focus and soon the scoreboard was moving again. The referee awarded Sligo a penalty on the Thomond 10 metre line. Ryan Feehily reacted quickest and tapped the ball and raced away. The scrum half beat the cover defence and touched down in the corner for Sligo’s fourth of the day.

Mike Wells added to the scoreline with an excellently struck penalty with 10 minutes left on the clock before Calum Goddard picked the first of his two try’s. A clean ball from a Sligo scrum on the 10 meter line was moved quickly to the right through team captain Shane Boyle. Feehily and Butler both handled before the final pass was moved to Goddard who touched down in the corner. 

Goddard repeated the dose right at the death. Fifita made an excellent break through the middle following a scrum on the half way line. The centre carried right into the 22 and drew the defence allowing Goddard a free run in from 10 meters. Wells added the extras, the ref blew full time and Sligo are champions and promoted to 2b.

For the second time this season IRFU delegate Michael Cunningham brought a cup to Sligo,having brought the Connacht Senior Cup in January, and for the second time he presented a cup to victorious Sligo Captain Shane Boyle who proudly raised it aloft to the delight of the huge Sligo support. 

Mark Butler, Philip Carter, Mark Rooney, Mata Fifita, Calum Goddard, Mike Wells, Ryan Feehily, Kuba Wojtkowicz, Shane O’Hehir, Conor Mitchell, James Wilson, Ciaran Cassidy, Shane Boyle (Capt) Manu Parkin, Matthew Cosgrove. Reps Shane Mc Guinness, Ross O’Boyle, Ross Hickey, David Heath, Niall Gray, Enda Gavin, Christian Nielsen, Jack Keegan. 

The President, Committee and members of Sligo RFC extend condolences to the McNulty family on the recent passing of former Club player and friend Michael McNulty. Michael was part of the great Sligo RFC sides of the late 1960’s and he played an integral role in the Junior Cup winning side in 1969. Michael is pictured below with the Junior Cup side of 1969. He also attended the reunion of the 1969 and 1999 Junior Cup winning sides, held in 2009 in The Glasshouse.

Michael passed peacefully on April 10th 2018. Dearly loved husband of Marian and father of Aoife Reilly (Mayo), Muireann (Dublin), Neasa (London), Gavan and Emer (Sligo), brother of Margaret, Pat, Marian and Seán. Sadly missed by his loving wife and family, brother, sisters, in-laws, grandchildren, nephews, nieces, relatives, neighbours and many friends.

Rest in Peace.

Reposing at Feehily’s Funeral Home, Cartron Cross, Sligo from 5.00pm on Wednesday April 11th. Removal at 6.30pm on Wednesday to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Sligo. Mass of the Resurrection at 11.30am on Thursday April 12th.. Burial follows in St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Scarden, Strandhill Road, Sligo. House private please. Family flowers only please, donations in lieu, if desired, to Sligo Cancer Support Centre c/o Seán Feehily at Feehily’s Funeral Home, Cartron Cross, Sligo.