It is often said that momentum is a major factor in success and the current progress of the Sligo RFC first fifteen does everything to confirm that belief. Having let earlier season games against Bruff and Middleton slip away in the final moments, Sligo appear to have learned from their defeats and are on a charge towards the top of the table.
On a calm Strandhill afternoon Sligo kicked off playing towards the airport end and immediately put pressure on the visitors. The early pressure was rewarded with a penalty on the Bangor 10 metre line and Jack Keegan opened his and Sligo’s account with a superbly struck effort with five minutes gone.
Bangor immediately responded, and a sweeping movement from their 22 broke through the Sligo defence resulting in a well taken score to the left of the Sligo posts.
Sligo again pushed back and Keegan converted his second penalty of the day following good industry from the Sligo pack to move his team back into the lead.
The visitors again responded with another sweeping move to touch down wide on the left putting 4 points between the teams but Sligo regained the lead with a Shane O’Hehir try from a brilliantly executed lineout maul. The imperious Keegan once again converted .
Bangor again responded and showed their class with another flowing move to touch down for their third try within 25 minutes to move the score to 17-13 in favour of the visitors.
Despite this setback Sligo refused to buckle and worked their way back up the pitch. A trademark Michael Wells break saw the classy out half wrong foot the visiting defence before an audacious side step opened the gap to the line. Keegan again added the extras.
The Sligo confidence was up and a great break from Simon Coulter and Aaron Spring almost came to fruition before Spring burst forward and scored a try that will forever be remembered by the watching Sligo faithful.
The Sligo spirit was now to the fore and another pitch length break resulted in the excellent Ryan Feehily racing round the back of of the posts to touch down for his teams third try of the day. Keegan continued his form with another well struck effort to move the half time score to 34-17 to Sligo.
Bangor again responded following the resumption but Sligo were now in total control. The youthful Mark Keegan and Shane O’Hehir were combining with the experience and power of Conor Mitchell to provide a formidable front row. As always Jamie Bowes was proving a force of nature and his second row partner Jake Sexton was never found wanting. Diarmuid O’Dowd-Hill was once again enhancing his reputation as an excellent tearaway back-row forward ably assisted by Coulter, and team captain Shane Boyle was covering every inch of grass with an inspiring performance.
Sligo pushed further ahead on 52 minutes with another superbly struck Keegan penalty before the full back added to his perfect day with a converted try of his own after 53 mins .
Sligo were now in total control and the strong running of Daire Byrne, the pace of Callum Goddard and the guile of Conor Kerins ensured that Sligo continued to thrive.
Aaron Spring rounded off the scoring with another well worked score in the closing moments and fittingly Keegan finished an excellent day to drop over the conversion.
Sligo now take a break from Ulster Bank League action until January but head into the Christmas break with the knowledge of being third in the table. The importance of keeping focus over the Christmas break cannot be over emphasised but this group have proven their resilience, and hard work should ensure that they can aim for the top end of the table when it comes to the business end of the season.
Sligo : Jack Keegan, Conor Kerins, Aaron Spring, Daire Byrne, Callum Goddard, Michael Wells, Ryan Feehily, Mark Keegan, Shane O’Hehir, Conor Mitchell, Jake Sexton, Jamie Bowes, Simon Coulter, Diarmuid O’Dowd-Hill, reps Thomas Gormaley, Michael Mc Morrow, Ross O’Boyle, Enda Gavin, Sean Mullin.
