25 April 2010
Antrim’s bid to clinch the Division 3 NFL title at Croke Park on Saturday evening was ended by a slick moving Sligo side as the Connacht men snatched the silverware from the Saffrons for the second year in succession.
Last season Sligo came out winners in the Division 4 final in Longford and it was clear from an early stage that they was going to take a mighty effort from Antrim to deny them this time around. With their right-half forward Alan Costello causing the Antrim defence all sorts of problems the Saffrons were always playing catch-up and it took some excellent finishing from corner forward Paddy Cunningham to keep his side in touch.
Cunningham hit his fourth point to bring Antrim level on 0-5 apiece, but Slgo put in a strorming finish with four unanswered points to take a firm grip on the game.
Leading by 0-9 to 0-5 at half-time Sligo looked good at the start of the second-half and increased their lead to five before Antrim began to find a bit of form.
The Ulster men hit back with to close the gap to two, but Sligo were able to up the pace when required and they stretched the lead to five yet again.
Antrim spirits were greatly lifted when a powerful run out of defence by James Loughrey was took up by Thomas McCann who placed his brother Michael for a cracking goal, but no sooner had the cheers of the Antrim fans died down than Sligo hit back with the three excellent points from play to keep the gap at five.
Antrim battled bravely until the end but Sligo were always in control and the Connacht men deservedly clinched back to back league titles on a scoreline of 0-19 to 1-11.
Antrim: J Finucane, C Brady, A McClean, K O'Boyle, T Scullion, J Crozier, S Kelly, B Herron, M McCann, T O'Neill, CJ McGourty, J Loughrey, P Cunningham, M Magill, T McCann
Sligo: P Greene, C Harrison (capt), N McGuire, R Donovan, K Cawley, M Quinn, J Davey, T Taylor, S Gilmartin, A Costello, M Breheny, F Quinn, C McGee, K Sweeney, D Kelly
