IT Sligo gaelic footballers began their Connacht FBD League campaign for 2016 with a 1-20 to 0-10 defeat away to Roscommon in Ballintubber on Sunday.
The students were short several of their intercounty players for this game. The sides were level at 0-2 each after 10 minutes but Roscommon, under the new management team of Kevin McStay and Fergal O’Donnell, took control after that hitting 1-9 without reply. They led 1-12 to 0-3 at the interval.
IT Sligo centre-back Eamon McGrath was black-carded just before the break but they never gave up after the restart, and were helped by Adam Traynor’s accuracy from frees.
The team’s remaining group games in Section A of the FBD league are against Mayo on January 10th in Ballina, and at home to NUI Galway on January 17th at the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence, Ballyhaunis.
IT Sligo team: B McGovern, D McConnon, R Gallagher, J Birmingham, C Surlis, E McGrath, K Donoghue, D McCormack, R Connolly, C Clinton, C McGettigan, C Kenny, K Smullen, N Walsh, A Traynor. Subs: D O’Reilly for E McGrath (30), L Carr for J Birminghm (HT), K Tighe for K Smullen (47), M Rock for C McGettigan (51).