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Limerick fail to get break

Limerick 2-13 Sligo 0-13: There was no consolation for Limerick after a fine victory, which sent Sligo down to Division Two …

Mon Mar 28 2005 - 01:00

Limerick 2-13 Sligo 0-13: There was no consolation for Limerick after a fine victory, which sent Sligo down to Division Two at the Gaelic Grounds, as results elsewhere ensured they are likely to join the Westerners.

Selector Billy Lee said: "Yes, it is looking as if we have lost our status . . . we have to perform something of a scoring miracle away to Armagh next Sunday. Even if we were to win that one, there's no guarantee of continuing in Division One B as we have an inferior scoring differential."

Lee said they lost their battle for survival in their home defeat to Down. "We also threw a point away in our opening match against Laois, and are now left to pay the price."

They must face Armagh without top scorer Eoin Keating, shown a straight red card, after 60 minutes, while injury prone captain Muiris Gavin, is also doubtful, having hobbled off. Sligo had Brendan Egan sent off after fighting with Keating.

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Limerick started with a flurry of points from Keating, Gavin (two), Michael Reidy and Conor Fitzgerald. Only once did Sligo get closer, when Seán Davey narrowed the deficit to two, 0-6 to 0-4. Keating steered the ball over the line on 26 minutes, after goalkeeper Philip Green saved from Conor Fitzgerald, and at 1-7 to 0-5 at the interval their position looked secure,

Michael Reidy set up Fitzgerald to grab goal number two early in the second half. The winners relaxed their grip, however, and Davey (two) and Tony Taylor threatened to make it more evenly balanced. Gavin gave Limerick added breathing space with a brace of points and entering the last lap they held a 2-10 to 0-11 advantage.

LIMERICK: S Kiely; T Stack, D Sheehy, J McCarthy; P Browne, S Lavin (0-1), C Mullane; J Quane, J Galvin; M Crowley, M Gavin (0-5, one free), S Kelly (0-4, two frees); C Fitzgerald (1-1), E Keating (1-1), M Reidy (0-1). Subs: M Riordan for Stack, M O'Brien for Reidy, S Lucey for Crowley, J Murphy for Gavin, A Lane for Browne.

SLIGO: P Green; P Naughton, B Philip, G Durkan; R Donovan, N McGuire, M Comer; T Taylor (0-2), B Egan; K O'Neill, M Breheny (0-3), J McPartland; D Tiernan, S Davey (0-4, three frees), J Davey. Subs: D McGarty (0-3) for McPartland, M Langan for Davey, B Curran (0-1) for Tiernan, K Sweeney for Durkan, M Clancy for Taylor.

RED CARDS: Limerick: E Keating (60 min); Sligo: B Egan (60 mins).

Referee: P Daly (Westmeath).