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Sligo Sport - Daily Updates

Team news for tonight's Drogheda game

Sligo Rovers will visit Hunky Dorys Park on Friday night (tonight) in their final away game of the Airtricity Premier Division season.

The Bit o’ Red claimed the league title in thrilling fashion last weekend with a 3-2 win over St Patrick’s Athletic.

Rovers boss Ian Baraclough has spoken of his determination to finish the season in the manner his side have competed all season and his side face a tough game against third-place United.

Rovers were 3-1 winners on their first visit to Drogheda and then overcame Mick Cooke’s side 4-1 in The Showgrounds.

Baraclough will have to cope without the suspended Danny Ventre after a red card in the match with the Saints.

Iarfhlaith Davoren, Danny North and Alan Keane are long-term injury victims.
There are a number of injury doubts following last week’s game but it is expected that there are no other absentees with final assessments to take place on Friday prior to the game.
 
Ian Baraclough looks ahead to the game:

On facing Drogheda and injuries/suspensions: “The suspension is a blow to Danny because he would like to play in the final matches but there is the big consolation that he will lift the trophy next week. We have some injury concerns but there is a strong squad ready to be called upon at any time. Every player is still itching for action so we travel to Drogheda with options.

“We’ve trained during the week, re-focused the minds and there are plenty of reasons why we’re determined to get a result on Friday night.”

On keeping concentration in the final games of the season: “I want to remain unbeaten in the matches because one defeat in a season would be a great record.

“We’re proud of what we have achieved this season and of a significant advantage when winning the title.

“That is something we want to keep and win the league in style. The supporters will travel in big numbers and they will rightfully be expecting a performance.

“You hope that some of the tension that has come in the last few matches will be gone and the players can play with more freedom but not too lose much of it. We have to maintain the intensity that got us to where we are and Drogheda will be hoping they can catch us on the hop after the emotion of the last week.”

On celebrations in the last week:“I understood that the people here were craving a league title for so long. It was clear from very early on but I don’t think I got the jist how just how much it means.

“The last few days have been remarkable. People have been coming up to me in tears, of how they have waited their entire lives to see and speaking about how proud they are of what has been achieved. It has been fantastic and we can now try to finish it in the best possible fashion and show why we’ve come out on top.”

On Jason McGuinness with SWAI/Airtricity Player of the Month for September: “Awards can normally go to goalscorers and it shows you have solid we have been all season. When you set up a team you try to find the right balance and leaders on and off-the-pitch. It has been a top up between Gavin Peers and Jason and they both have been terrific for us. Jason has had a great season and the award rightfully acknowledges how well he has done.”
 
Drogheda United v Sligo Rovers 19 October – Matchday stats
Drogheda are the only team in the Premier Division that Rovers have a winning record away from home against, with 18 wins for the Bit o’ Red and 13 defeats. There has been seven draws.

Avoiding defeat would equal the club record of nine away league games unbeaten which was set in 1977.

Rovers have conceded eight away goals this year in the league. Not conceding would break the club record for least conceded of nine set in 1977.

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Will Walsh Stay Or Go?

SLIGO GAA bosses expect a decision from Kevin Walsh over his managerial future by this weekend.

The Yeats County are keen for the Galway legend to remain as football boss for a fifth season.

But they are being made to sweat by the two-time All-Ireland winner.

On Monday, Sligo secretary Pádraig Duffy said: “We should know by next weekend.

“At this moment there is no update, but negotiations are in progress and we’d like him to stay.”

Walsh lifted Sligo from NFL Division 4 to Division 2 in his first two years, though they are currently back in the third tier.

They were narrowly beaten by Roscommon and Mayo in the Connacht finals of 2010 and 2012.

There were fears Walsh would leave after Sligo crashed badly out of this year’s Championship to Kildare, but Yeats chiefs are confident that they can convince him to stay on.

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Handball News
By Michael McGee

 In yesterday’s main finals Paul Brady the reigning world champion had to come from behind to defeated Luis Moreno 21-19, 21-10 to secure his 4th consecutive men’s open titles in a row. Brady was behind by 13-2 in the first game but stormed back to 14-16. Moreno jumped into an 19-14 lead but it was Brady that finished the stronger reeling off the next 7 points to win the first game.

Into the second Moreno had an narrow lead of 6-3. Brady with some breathtaking kill shots went ahead and continued his relentless work rate to eventually win the second game by 21-10 and world title his fourth in 9 nine years. He won his first open title back in 2003 in Dublin. He announced it would be last world championships and if that is the case what a way to bow out.

In the Ladies, Aisling Reilly from Antrim defeated her clubmate Fiona Shannon in 3 absorbing games by 9-21, 21-6, 11-5 to claim her first open ladies title thus ending Shannon’s bid for a four in a row in the ladies.

TG4 will have coverage on the world championships at 9 p.m tonight.

Boys U-13 singles 1 wall (Sligo names first)
round 1:Odhran Quinn defeated James Smith 2-0
round 2:Odhran Quinn defeated Conor McTeague 2-0
Quarter-final: Odhran Quinn v Tiernan Agnew

Upcoming fixtures
Boys U-13 doubles: Odhran Quinn & Liam Egan v Lawless & Heery
Girls U-15 doubles: Aoife Quinn & Leslie Amminson U.S.A v Alena Doonan & Aibhinn Henderson (Armagh)

Silver Masters B singles one-wall
Oisin Quinn v Michael O' Cualain (Galway)
Silver Masters B doubles: Martin Cooney & Aidan Bell (Sligo/Mayo) v Pat O' Flaherty & John Mc Quaid (Tipperary)

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Latest Results (Tuesday 16 Oct) Sligo Rovers 11-A-Side Astro Turf League

Socrates Healthcare Informatics Cup Preliminary Round
 
Fiddler's Creek 1, O'Neill's 0
 
Damien Shannon with the games only goal
 
Sligo Rovers 11-A-Side Astro Turf League
 
Coolaney Celts 1, Lang's Bar 1
 
Trevor Sexton gave Coolaney with the lead with Damien Kelly equalising for Lang's
 
I.T. Sligo 1, Killanaskully Wanderers 1
 
Noel Carroll scored for the I.T. with Brian Murphy levelling for Killanaskully
 
G.S.S. 7, Lick My White Gorilla's 0
 
Conor Jordan scored five with Kevin Donnegan getting two for the G.S.S.

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Rovers' lotto prize goes to ....Australia

SAME WEEK they won the League of Ireland for only the third time ever, Sligo Rovers weekly lotto prize has gone slightly further afield, to Australia.

Brian Curran of Narraweena, New South Wales received a €200 Tesco voucher for three numbers in this weeks fund draw which was made last night.

Wining numbers were 1, 22, 26 and 28. There was no jackpot claim. Next weeks top prize is €7,100 euro.

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Sligo's top handball players seek world titles

The waiting is over for the most eagerly awaited world handball championships that begin today in Dublin’s Citywest Hotel Convention Arena.

The Convention centre will house 21 courts specially constructed for these championships. GAA Handball have pulled out all the stops in the last 10 months of planning  with preparations ready to fall into place into  the hosting of  the biggest and best  World  handball championships ever to take place.

 Thirty countries are taking part and 2,000 competitors all vying to become champions. The events range from Boys/Girls U-11 to Over 80’s. 

Sligo will be well represented with 8 players from the Yeats County aiming for World titles.
Read more...

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Sligo Rovers 11-A-Side Astro Turf League Result

Socrates Healthcare Informatics Cup First Round
 
Killanaskully Wanderers 4 - 0 Lick My White Gorilla's
 
Genco Discher, Cian Mannion and Jason McNulty with the goals for Killanaskully with McNulty getting 2.



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Sligo Rovers 0 - 0 Cork City

Full match report
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Left: Marc Creed of the Steet Cart cafe on Teeling St gives the thumbs up to the Bit O'Red in their quest for the Airtricity League title. Photo:SligoToday.ie



































Charlie Kelly of Anthony's Barber Shop with the Sligo Rovers window display created by his daughter Aoife ahead of the deciding matches. Photo: SligoToday.ie

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Bit O'Red Team News

Sligo Rovers take on St Patrick’s Athletic in the Airtricity Premier Division on Saturday in the Showgrounds, kick-off 3:45pm.

The match will be watched by at least 5,000 spectators in The Showgrounds with home supporters having already purchased double tickets for the games with the Saints and Shamrock Rovers.

A temporary terrace has been erected for the final matches of the season (old Shed End), adding to the Showgrounds capacity. Tickets remain on sale until Saturday.

Iarfhlaith Davoren, Danny North and Alan Keane are long-term injury victims for Rovers.

Seamus Conneely suffered a hamstring injury in Cork last week in the 0-0 draw in Turner’s Cross. He is rated as doubtful for this week’s game. Read More.....

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Sligo Leitrim & District round up

Calry Bohs Travelled to the Bowl in Boyle to take on Super League leaders Boyle Celtic on Saturday evening and it turned out to be a very entertaining tie. The spoils were equal at the break 1-1, Boyle Celtic took the lead early in the second half but it was a cracker of a strike from Owen Nicholson that guaranteed the visitors a share of the points. Lorcan Conboy & Desi Carlos on target for Celtic, Conor Griffin & Owen Nicholson netting for the Bohs. Read more...

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 Sligo All Stars players Philip Hamilton and Cillian Gallagher have been selected to represent Ireland's U16 Mens National Team in Basketball. 

This is a huge achievement for both players as they will have a busy year representing their country in Denmark in December and taking part in the European Championships next August 2013.

Both Philip and Cillian play for Sligo All Stars and attend Summerhill College in Sligo. Cillian has a strong sports background, as he is on the Connacht u16 panel in Rugby and has won 2 league titles with Summerhill College in Gaelic football.  Cillian is a late starter in basketball and with his height and athletic ability has excelled at the sport.

Philip has represented Connacht at U14 level in basketball. He was part of the Summerhill team that won a National title in Basketball in 2010.  He has won a national title in basketball with Sligo All Stars at U14 level.  Philip also has had great success in Athletics winning  Connacht High Jump titles with Summerhill College and winning a national title in Hurdles at U14 in the community games finals in 2011.

  (L-R) Cillian Gallagher & Philip Hamilton

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Sligo Rovers 500 Club

Results of the latest draw in the Sligo Rovers 500 Club which was held at half-time of the game against Derry City on Saturday:
 
€500 - Louis Carty, Ballinafad, Co. Sligo
 
€100 - Michael Currid, Marymount, Sligo
          John Feeney, Portnason, Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal
          Joe Gallagher, Cleveragh Road, Sligo
          Joe & Teresa Davey, Carrowgubbadah, Ballisodare, Co. Sligo
          Hugh Sheridan, Chapel Street, Sligo
 
€50 - Kieran O'Dowd, Gurteen, Co. Sligo
        Mary Kelly, 9 Cartron Village, Sligo
        Donal Daly, Corless, Castlegal, Cliffoney, Co. Sligo
        Ann Clinton, Mail Coach Road, Sligo
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Sligo Sailing News
By Declan Sheridan

Sligo Yacht Club was a hive of activity last weekend with boats from all over Ireland travelling to Rosses Point for the Irish GP14 Class Autumn Open and Youth Championship of Ireland. Sligo Yacht Club has become synonymous with this event.

Niall Henry and Tim Corcoran deserve great credit for the effort they put in organising the championship.

Paddy O'Connor of SYC returned to defend his Autumn Open title, against the likes Ger Owens, who represented Ireland in the Olympics.

For the Youths, Dan Gill of Sutton Dinghy Club returned to also try to defend his title. The event is very busy for the club both on and off the water, with veteran Race Officer, Gus Henry having to fit a total of eight races into the two days. Read more....
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Stand Up Paddling flying the flag for Sligo

A group of top adventure providers from across the country have been selected to represent “Team Ireland” at the annual Adventure Travel World Summit in Switzerland with Stand Up Paddling flying the flag for Sligo.  The four day conference, beginning on 8th October, will include networking with over 700 tour operators from more than 60 countries as well as attending learning seminars which will include presentations from some of the top experts in the global adventure sector. Read more....
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The Sligo County Board (GAA) are poised to offer Kevin Walsh another term as manager of the county's senior football team.

The parties are due to meet this weekend with the expectation that the Yeats County chiefs will ask Walsh to continue in charge after four largely fruitful years in the position.

They may have lost two Connacht finals in three years, but Walsh's side are on the right track judging by their elevation from Division 4 to Division 2 of the Allianz League.



The former Galway All-Ireland winner has also guided the Sligo junior team to Connacht and All-Ireland titles during his managerial spell.


After a delay that has angered some Sligo fans, it nows seems that the County Board are making headway in terms of putting their managers in place for next season.

Tommy Breheny, who led Sligo to a prized Connacht SFC title in 2007, has stepped down as the county's minor football boss, while U21 manager Anthony Brennan is in discussions with the County Board over his future.

As the weeks have gone by since Sligo's Championship exit to Kildare in July, there has been much debate about whether Walsh and his selectors Paul Durcan, Dessie Sloyan and Paul Taylor will opt to continue in their roles.

There is an eagerness for a final decision to be made given that the county football Championships are at an advanced stage.
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Sligo's Brazilian Jiu Jitsu

A 6 day Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) Training Camp with black-belt world champion Michael Langhi, took place at the CRIB, Rockwood Parade, Sligo, home of Alliance Jiu Jitsu Ireland, and ran from Mon. 20th -  Sat. 25th August.

The purpose of the camp was to create an opportunity for Irish Jiu Jitsu practitioners to train for a week with a top BJJ World Champion competitor, and experience what it feels like to train at the highest level. Opportunities such as this are usually reserved only for those who can afford to travel to Brazil or the USA where many of the high level BJJ champions live and train. 
Read more....

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Sligo Rovers 3 - 0 Dundalk

Read match report here

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Sligo Camogie Team Win U-14 All Ireland Blitz

The Sligo Under 14 Camogie team, pictured, (made up of players from Western Gaels, Easkey, and Queen Maeve, Sligo) concluded a superb year when they emerged victorious in Division 5 of the inaugural U14 All Ireland blitz in Annaghduff, Leitrim last weekend. Following on from their terrific performances at Féile na nGael in Dublin, and their victory in the Section 2 of the Connacht Camogie Under 14 Blitz, the Yeats County girls secured a national title with victories over Leitrim, Fermanagh and Longford. Read More....

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Latest From Sligo GAA Here

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Sligo Nippers Perform Strongly at National Surf Lifesaving Championships

By Matthew McGarrigle
 
The Irish Water Safety National Nipper Championships took place on Curracloe Beach in Wexford on Saturday with Sligo been represented by nine competitors ranging in age from 8 - 14yr old.
 
To qualify for the National Championships, all competitors had to have achieved a top 5 position in their events at the Regional competition. Sligo had a team of 16 competitors at the Connacht/Ulster Regional’s which took place on Salthill beach in Galway on the 11th August.

Nine of the Sligo competitors went on to represent their County at the National Championships at the weekend, see picture above. They had all qualified for a number of events which included a 200m sea swim, 200m paddle board race, 300m swim with fins, 50m beach sprint and beach flags. The under 12's girls team also competed in the taplin relay which involves 2x200 sea swims, a 200m paddle board and a 100m beach sprint.
 
With this year been the first year Sligo Water Safety has sent a full team to the National Championships, they were up against some very strong and well established teams including Donegal, Clare, Waterford and Wicklow been among the strongest. 12 Counties had teams who qualified for the National Championships. This didn't faze the Sligo competitors who performed very strongly in a number of the events and brought home six meddles from the Championships.

After such a successful performance this year, Sligo Surf Lifesaving hope to build on this success in all age groups for next year. The National Senior Championships takes place on Rossnowlagh Beach in Donegal on the 8th September and Sligo will have a Men’s and Women’s team competing. 
 
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Sligo Rovers Summer Camps

The ninth of Sligo Rovers Summer Camps gets underway next week on the astro turf pitch in the Showgrounds. The camp is for boys and girls aged 5 to 16 and runs from Monday to Friday from 10:30am to 3:30pm. Coaching is provided by Sligo Rovers players and coaches who are all fully qualified and Garda vetted.

The cost of the camp is €50 for the week for one child, €90 for two children from the one family and €120 for three children from the one family. All of the participants will receive a Sligo Rovers t-shirt and poster as well as getting to meet their Sligo Rovers heroes. Early booking is advisable given the popularity of the camps but walk-ons are accepted on the morning. For further information or to book a place please contact Sligo Rovers on 071-9171212 or e-mail keith@sligorovers.com



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Sligo Crew Win Mirror Nationals at Sligo Yacht Club


Overall honours at the Mirror dinghy national championships in Sligo went to local sailors Jack Maye and Sarah White at the weekend. The pair took the National title to Sligo after four days of extremely variable weather conditions.

A total of 8 races were sailed allowing for two discards (six counting). Jack and Sarah counted three firsts and three fourths to give them a narrow win over surprise packets, Harry and Fergus Collins also from Sligo Yacht Club.

This was the 44th Irish National Mirror Championships and for only the third time, the National Champions came from Sligo Yacht Club. Conal Henry and Brian Reilly took the title to Sligo in 1991 and 1999 respectively.

After two days of training kindy provided by Sligo Yacht Club the Mirror fleet, from Bronze to Gold, were well prepared for 4 days of extremely variable conditions and tight racing results.  Thursday saw light winds which gave the lighter helm and crew a chance to perform well. Friday was a day of doldrums and scorching sunshine which led to a day of patient floating about and ended up with some essential swimming and diving to cool off.

Despite the best efforts of vetran Race Officer Gus Henry however, no race could be started. On  Saturday the winds picked up with force 7 gusts and numerous capsizing of all ages and skills levels came to the fore, so the OD announced that all Bronze fleet must go in after the first race. The course was then moved inshore where there was some shelter and the gold and silver fleets had two very exciting races. The overnight leaders were Harry & Fergus Collins of Sligo, a considerable achievment for them as they were Silver Fleet sailors.

It was all down to the Sunday, the last day. By then gold and Silver had finished five races but the Bronze fleet had only three.

The Race Officer decided to have three races, which had the effect, if all were finished, that the second discard would kick in. Depending on the various permutations and combinations, it was still anyones regatta with six or even more possible winners.

A good force 3 South Easterly occationally gusting force 5 for perfect Sailing conditions.  The 3 races were completed and results were close. The final places were not decided until the last race, which developed into a ding dong battle between Kerry-Ann Boylan of Skerries, Beth Armstrong of Sligo, Peter Regan of Lough Ree and Jack Maye of  Sligo which finished in that order. Noone had any idea who was the overall winner until the computer did its work and a final protest was decided, but Jack and Sarah had done just enough to take the Championships by a point from the Collins brothers.

A number of the Gold fleet sailors are now preparing for a trip to the Mirror Europeans in Poole in 2 weeks time, while the Bronze fleet sailors prepare for the Mullingar Bronze fleet event  later this month while the highlight for the class is the staging of the Mirror Worlds in Lough Derg 27 July to 2 August 2013.

Meanwhile it has been confirmed that two Sligo boats are off to the European Mirror Championships at Poole, Dorset next week;- Jack Maye and Elizabeth (Beth) Armstrong. Beth finished 4th at last weekend’s Nationals and was 2nd overall in the 2010 European Championships.

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Bit O'Red News

Meanwhile it’s a case of on the double next week for the Sligo Rovers Summer Camps with two camps on one in the Showgrounds taking place on Sligo Rovers Astro Turf pitch and the other taking place in Michael McGowan Memorial Park in Enniscrone. The camp is for boys and girls aged 5 to 16 and run from Monday to Friday from 10:30am to 3:30pm. Coaching is provided by Sligo Rovers players and coaches who are all fully qualified and Garda vetted.

The cost of the camp is €50 for the week for one child, €90 for two children from the one family and €120 for three children from the one family. All of the participants will receive a Sligo Rovers t-shirt and poster as well as getting to meet their Sligo Rovers heroes. Early booking is advisable given the popularity of the camps but walk-ons are accepted on the morning. For further information or to book a place please contact Sligo Rovers on 071-9171212 or e-mail keith@sligorovers.com

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SLIGO ROVERS – 500 CLUB DRAW PRIZEWINNERS (4th August 2012)

€500 - Colm Fleming, Blackrock, Sligo
€100 - Tony Fagan, Churchill, Sligo
€100 - Pat McCormack, 82, St. Joseph’s Terrace, Sligo
€100 - Eugene Henry, 11, Glenore, Ballinode
€100 - Pat Togher, Shannon Eighter, Sligo
€100 - Maurice Ryan, Metric Ltd, Union Street, Sligo
€50 -  Brian Mulvihill, 28, Bayview Lawns, Killiney, Co. Dublin
€50 -  Declan McGarraghy, Castletown, Rathcormac, Sligo
€50 -  Seamus Gillen, 4, Fatima Ave, Sligo
€50 -  Gerry Nicholsan, c/o Connolly’s Bar Sligo
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Republic of Ireland U-21's vs. Turkey U-21's in Sligo

See Match Report HERE
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Sligo Tri Club – Rosses Point - 2/5Aug '12

Day two of Rosses Point Triathlon Festival finished yesterday with two waves of athletes completing the Sprint Distance Triathlon.  The race event was part of the National Junior Triathlon Series and finishing times showed how promising these young men and women are.

With the weather a little duller and blustier than the previous day (Saturday), the swim out to the first buoy proved to be physically challenging in a slightly choppy sea.  After round this buoy, the current was to swimmers’ advantage and there was a perceptible pick up in speed.  The final swim home took careful marking with the current again pushing swimmers off course.   First out of the water were a number the male and female Junior Championship competitors,  most of whom went on to win overall or category  race places.

First man home was Constantine Doherty, pictured right,  (also winner of Junior Category) in a time of 53 minutes 13 seconds.  He was followed by Rory Sexton (Blackwater TC) and Kieran Jackson (Waterford Tri Club).  

First woman home was Emma Jane Sharkey ( Olympian TC ) in a time of 1hour 5 minutes.  Joanne Doran of Northwest TC took second place and Lorraine Carey of Liquid Motion Tc took third place.   A number of the veteran categories were won by athletes who had raced in Rosses Point  in the ‘old days’ of Half Iron Man events  and they were given a big welcome back.  Conditions were good for the cycle leg, with the roads dried off after earlier showers.  The usual wind prevailed on the promenade but after the hilly first stretch, the return cycle was speedy.  Again, the calm cool day led to good final run times too.

This was the final event in the Rosses Point Triathlon Festival and Sligo Triathlon look forward to this now well established event in august 2012.  

Full results are on www.sligotriathlon.ie

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Sligo Rovers 11-A-Side Astro Turf League

The new season of the Sligo Rovers 11-A-Side Astro Turf League will be beginning shortly and the league is now taking applications from new teams looking to play in the League. Once again there will be two divisions and two cup competitions with the new season due to begin in September.

This will be the third season of the Sligo Rovers 11-A-Sider Astro Turf League and already it is established as the best and most innovative astro turf league in the North West. Due to planned upgrading works on the astro surface in the Showgrounds the first half of the season will be played in IT Sligo on their UEFA approved astro surface.

Anyone looking to enter a team or requiring further information is asked to contact any of the League’s Committee at the below numbers:


Keith O’Dwyer – 086-8235780
Vinny Nally – 086-1947511
Enda Scanlon – 086-2461950
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