Sligo footballers first competitive game of 2023 ended in a seven-point defeat to Roscommon in Friday night’s Connacht FBD semi-final at the Air Dome.
Roscommon, under new manager Davy Burke won by 3-17 to 2-13.
Two second-half goals from Roscommon’s Keith Doyle proved key to the win.
Up till then, Sligo were more than a match for their opponents.
Tony McEntee led by 2-9 to 1-9 at half-time with St Farnan’s Paddy O’Connor impressing up front.
He was Sligo’s top scorer on the night with 1-3.
Sligo were forced to play most of the second half with 14 players after Geevagh’s Donal Conlon picked up a second yellow card.
The match marked senior intercounty debuts for a number of Sligo players including St Molaise Gaels Joe Keaney and Eoghan Smith of Drumcliffe/Rosses Point.
Roscommon now await the winners of Saturday’s semi-final between Mayo and Galway (5;30pm).
Sligo team
Daniel Lyons, Luke Nicholson, Eddie McGuinness, Nathan Mullen, Brian Cox, Darragh Cummins, Jack Lavin, Paul Kilcoyne, Pat Spillane, Joe Keaney, Seán Carrabine, David Quinn, Cian Lally, Paddy O’Connor, Donal Conlon. Subs used: Nathan Rooney for O’Connor (HT), Mark Walsh for Cox (HT) Paul McNamara for Nicholson (HT), Kenny Gavigan for Quinn (HT), Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch for Keaney (HT), Luke Towey for Lavin (HT), Oisin Flynn for Spillane (HT), Eoghan Smith for Carrabine, 46; E Lyons for E McGuinness, 46; N Murphy for C Lally, 55.
