Saturday April 1

EirGrid Connacht Under 21 Football Final

Sligo v Galway, Markievicz Park, 6pm

The emergence of St. Attracta’s, Tubercurry and Summerhill College in Connacht Post Primary A Football ensures a healthy supply of players is now being produced in Sligo.

Amazingly the Yeats County has never won a provincial Under 21 success, could that run end in the last year of the competition?

Paul Taylor has constructed a talented team stocked with footballers, who have already seen action with Niall Carew’s senior panel.

“When we started working at the beginning of the year we didn't look at anything past the Roscommon game really,” Taylor says

“We have a nice bunch of players, a good bunch of players, we were happy with our preparation coming into this.”

Paddy O’Connor, Darragh Cummins, Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch, and the exciting Kyle Cawley lead the Sligo charge, but Galway were convincing winners against All Ireland champions Mayo.

That success for Gerry Fahy’s outfit included a dominant midfield display from the promising Peter Cooke, while Michael Daly has flared to prominence in Division Two of the Allianz Football League for Galway.

A son of Val, who is a selector with this Under 21 side, Michael Daly is a capable forward, who was instrumental at Tuam Stadium when Mayo were toppled.

Roscommon, who had contested the last seven Connacht Finals at this level, were soundly beaten by a Cummins inspired Sligo at the penultimate stage.

Cummins rifled over four excellent points from play, while Jodie O’Reilly also pounced for a vital 47th minute goal.

Sligo produced a storming second half display outscoring Roscommon by 1-9 to 0-7 in that period with captain Cummins influential.

Galway also finished strongly in their tussle with Mayo as Dessie Conneely, minor captain in 2016, and substitute Eoin Finnerty raised green flags.

Considering the fact several of the Sligo panel have already sampled action in the senior grade this promises to be an interesting encounter in the north west.

SLIGO: Daniel Cafferkey; Eddie McGuinness, Luke McNicholson, Michael Gordon; Gerard O'Kelly-Lynch, Paul McNamara, Sean Power; Darragh Cummins, Paul Kilcoyne; Alan McLoughlin, Liam Gaughan, Stephen Connolly; Kyle Cawley, Paddy O'Connor, Jodie O'Reilly.

GALWAY: Ronan O'Beolain; Liam Kelly, Sean Andy O'Ceallaigh, Ruairi Greene; Kieran Molloy, Dylan McHugh, Cillian McDaid; Peter Cooke, Colm O'Braonain; Antaine O'Laoi, Michael Daly, Colin Brady; Robert Finnerty, Paul Mannion, Dessie Conneely.