Muristek
SLIGO manager Tony McEntee said after their defeat to Cavan on Sunday in Markievicz Park that he was bitterly disappointed and the end result didn’t reflect on his side’s performance. Speaking to the press afterwards, the Armagh man said: “I thought we worked really hard there for long periods of that game. We were in control at halftime and were up by 4 points, we should have been six or 7 points up at halftime such was our shooting, but even in the second half, we were in control and then circumstances happened, there was a sending off, I didn’t see it, the player questions whether he should have been sent off or not and there was a black card immediately which the player protests vigorously against that black card and then we’re down to 13 men for ten minutes. “I think even at that stage, we were struggling but managing it and keeping them at bay. I think the turning point of the game inevitably was the goal. Had the goal not gone in, there could have been a point or 2 in this game,” he said. The former All-Ireland winner said the margin at the end was unfair too. “I would say now looking at this that this was our best display so far in relation to our intensity and effort and workrate, for a good 50 minutes or more. “I thought we brought a good game to Cavan here and I thought we worked really hard. There were a lot of players didn’t play well to be fair, but you’re going to get that in games but as a whole I thought we were strong, we were aggressive, we turned over a lot of ball from them and they’re a good outfit in fairness to them,” the manager pointed out. He said one of their best players Gearóid McKiernan was kept relatively quiet by Darragh Cummins, who he said did a good job on him. “I thought Darragh did a great job on him for now Darragh did get a bit tired as the game went on and Gearóid got a bit of space then as they got on top of us in the last ten minutes in particular. “He got to shine a bit more like he normally does. Certainly for those 60 minutes I thought Darragh did a superb job on him and worked really well, with the support of other players around him.” He said that when he reflects on the game, he said the six scores from 16 shot in the first half should have seen Sligo further in front at the break. “There is no doubt, that would have helped surely if we had a few more points at halftime. But we still had opportunities against the breeze and we could have got better. It’s hard to be totally reflective of the second half as because we were down a man for the whole lot of it more or less and ten minutes without the second man, so it’s hard to be truly reflective.” He said that Sligo down to 13 were starting to tire and they were struggling in some parts of the game. “Some of the players like Paddy O’Connor was probably struggling for 10 minutes before we took him off, Niall was beginning to struggle a bit up front trying to get a bit more pace and space and it was hard to get it. Pat was already off at that stage, so a lot of our players were beginning to struggle and we were benching them at that point. “So there is a level of disruption when you bring on a number of players around the middle of the field as we did.” He said with regard the hit on Pat, he would have to see it again to see if it was fair or not. “I’d have to see it again, my initial reflection was that he was fairly caught. It was a good shoulder but I’d have to see it again. I think it was a fair shoulder.” The manager said the performance had improved from the week previous in Tipperary, but the next performances against London, Waterford and Leitrim will also need to be of a high standard. “At the start of the year we were looking at the fixtures and we said 2 out of four is a good start and we have three games left. “But the reality of looking at 2 out of 4 is that we should have had a result against Tipperary last week and today, well let’s be fair, Cavan is a better team than us . “We deserved more out of this game under normal circumstances so that’s where I’m disappointed. “I know there is more in us than this. Two out of 4 is a fair reflection, but I know there’s more in us. “We have three games left and we need to win all 3 to go up obviously so that’s the challenge for us now,” he added. Sligo play London at home in Markievicz Park on Sunday at 12pm in round 5.
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