Sligo denied win, but draw sees Yeats men top group

Michael Byrne’s injury time free wasn’t enough for Antrim to deny a Sligo from topping the group in their Tailteann Cup clash at Kingspan Breffni.

Sligo went into the game with a better scoring difference which meant a draw would be enough to claim top spot.

The Saffrons opened the scoring with a point from Colm McLarnon after just two minutes of play. Sligo soon found their scoring boots as they reeled off three successive points with Sean Carrabine, Alan McLoughlin and Patrick O’Connor all on the mark for the Yeats men.

Patrick McBride reduced the score to single point after nine minutes before Niall Murphy scored a brace for his side.

Ryan McQuillian cut the deficit to single point after 13 minutes but Sligo would take control of proceedings after 22 minutes of play as they engineered a four-point lead with hard working Cian Lally and Murphy among the scorers.

Rairi McCann replied with a point for his side before Carrabine and Murphy edged Sligo into a five-point cushion after 25 minutes of play.

Andy McEntee’s side would dominate the remainder of the half to retire to the dressing rooms with a one-point lead, Marc Jordan, Niall Burns and Ryan McQuillan on target as they lead 0-13 to 0-12.

Sligo got the first score of the second half to draw the sides level for the fourth time, before McBride restored the Saffrons’ advantage with his seventh of the afternoon.

It was tit-for-tat with Nathan Mullen and McQuillan trading points.

It looked like Sligo had done enough to come away with victory when they added four points without reply to lead 0-20 to 0-16 after 63 minutes with substitute Mark Walsh among the scores for McEntee’s side.

Antrim however refused to throw in the towel and a brace from Conor Hand and another score from McQuillan reduced the margin to the bare minimum.

Byrne had the final say to leave the sides level for the seventh time in excellent game of football which left Sligo topping Group 2 while Antrim will face London in a preliminary quarter-final next weekend.