Nisll Murphy shines as Sligo come good to down Antrim

Sligo captain Niall Murphy scored eight points as the men in black put in their best performance of 2024 when beating Antrim by seven points at Markievicz Park.

But it took an improved second-half from Sligo to secure their third win of the campaign because a depleted Antrim led 1-9 to 1-8 at half-time after an exciting opening period that saw Patrick McBride kick several classy points for the visitors.

This was the second of four home games for Sligo in this year's campaign, with Tony McEntee’s men looking to exploit home advantage in a difficult section.

The hosts and the visitors had identical records coming into this fixture – two wins and one loss apiece, with Sligo victorious over Limerick in the previous round and Antrim losing to promotion favourites Down.

They also contested successive Allianz Football League finals back in 2009 and 2010, with Sligo winning those Division Four and Division Three deciders.

Recent meetings have been close encounters – a one-point win for Sligo in 2020 and a minimum margin victory for Antrim three years ago.

Sligo looked to make the early running but their only score for a spell of dominance was a point from Darragh Cummns.

Antrim rattled the home side with a scrambled goal in the seventh minute when Ronan Boyle got the final touch after a Ruairi McCann delivery – a point attempt from a mark – dropped short.

This goal kept the sides apart as Antrim, with goalkeeper Michael Byrne regularly raiding upfield, looked dangerous.

Sligo, though, gradually improved and they moved a point ahead, 0-5 to 1-1, with 23 minutes played following scores from Niall Murphy, Darragh Cummins and Sean Carrabine.

Good points from Dermot McAleese and Patrick McBride put Antrim back in front, 1-3 to 0-5, and then a