Rossie bench impresses as 14-man Sligo eased aside

Roscommon have booked a spot in the 2022 Connacht Senior Football Championship final after a comfortable 12-point win over Sligo at Markievicz Park.

Having beaten the Rossies in a provincial semi-final on their way to their historic U-20 Connacht Championship win earlier this month, hopes were high in Sligo that they might at least trouble their neighbours in the equivalent senior fixture, or at least give the Allianz League Division 2 champions something to think about in wet and greasy conditions at their home field.

Over 6,000 people made their way to Markievicz Park, and for the first ten minutes, they saw the home side suggest that this might become the type of arm-wrestle that would give Roscommon pause for thought.

Then corner-back David Phillips was sent off for his part in an off the ball altercation with Conor Cox, and the contest became a simple procession that ended with Roscommon scoring 0-18 from play and putting 11 different names on the scoresheet, including all five substitutes.

Power at midfield and some front-foot defensive play helped Sligo to lead by the odd point in three in the early stages, with Pat O'Connor kicking over the only point from play.

Roscommon’s highly-rated attack struggled to get into the game, but Cox was happy to carry them through this difficult period, kicking their first four points as they moved into an 0-04 to 0-02 lead.

The third of these was a free, and as he trotted back to his position his coming together with Phillips led to the ex-Kerry player laid out on the soggy turf, while referee Noel Mooney consulted with his officials and eventually went with the ultimate sanction.

Cox landed the next score but Darragh Cummins then replied for Sligo to cut the gap back to the bare