Sport

Raymond goal puts Sligo hurling on path of glory

NICKY RACKARD CUP FINAL:  SLIGO CAPTURED the Nicky Rackard Cup at Croke Park yesterday with full forward Keith Raymond registering…

Mon Aug 04 2008 - 01:00

NICKY RACKARD CUP FINAL: SLIGO CAPTURED the Nicky Rackard Cup at Croke Park yesterday with full forward Keith Raymond registering a fine total of 1-8 for the Connacht side. With Louth two points up, Seán Conroy seized on a moment of indecision on the edge of the square to pounce for their first goal on eight minutes.

Louth then endured a close shave at the other end with Brian Hassett pulling off an important challenge on Raymond.

Raymond was not to be denied midway through the half when he showed some deft stickwork to flick the ball past Louth goalkeeper Stephen Smith for Sligo's first goal. They continued their ascendancy with points from corner forwards Joe Bannerton and Larry Cadden to open up a four-point lead.

Sligo pulled further ahead on 25 minutes when Bannerton's ground stroke from the edge of the square sneaked past Smith.

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Further points by Paul Severs and Raymond stretched Sligo's lead out to nine points, 2-10 to 1-4, before Shane Kerrigan offloaded to Ronan Byrne, who duly found the back of the net for Louth on 32 minutes. But Sligo countered with another two points before an injury-time free from Aidan Carter cut the gap to seven at half-time, 2-12 to 2-5.

Two early points from Raymond after Louth had opened the scoring through Donnacha Callan, was soon followed by Louth's third goal came through Diarmuid Murphy on 40 minutes directly from a short-distance free.

But Louth were never able to close the gap and Paul Severs struck for a goal with seven minutes to go to kill off the game.

SLIGO: C Brennan; F Coyne, W Gill, R Cox; D Clarke, M Burke (0-1), L Reidy; J Mullins, D Collery; M Gilmartin (0-1), D Burke (0-2), P Severs (1-4, three frees); J Bannerton (1-1), K Raymond (1-8), L Cadden (0-1). Subs: C Herrity for Cadden (48 mins), M Shelley (0-1) for Bannerton (58 mins), C O'Mahony for Gilmarton (65 mins).

LOUTH: S Smith; C Kerrigan, T Teefy, B Hassett; D Callan (0-2), A Carter (0-1, one free), J Carter; T Hilliard, S Kerrigan; S Fennell, R Byrne (1-0), G Smith (0-1); S Conroy (1-0), S Callan, D Murphy (1-6, 1-3 frees, 0-2 65s ). Subs: M Kirwan for Teefy (31 mins), D Dunne for Kerrigan (half-time), E McCarthy for Smith (half-time), C Connolly for Fennell (40 mins), P Dunne for Conroy (65 mins).

Referee: S Whelan (Wexford).