Sligo 2-12 Cavan 0-9 Sligo cruised past fancied Cavan with ease at a rain-lashed Markievicz Park yesterday.
Dessie Sloyan opened the scoring with a Sligo point from play, after only 15 minutes, but Seán Brady soon levelled for the visitors.
The match turned in Sligo's favour on 15 minutes when Paul Taylor netted from the penalty spot after Michael MacNamara, not long on as a substitute, was pulled down as he raced in on goal. Sligo led 1-4 to 0-5 at the break.
Cavan raised the first flag of the second half, when Gerald Pierson pointed but from then on things went horribly wrong for Eamonn Coleman's side. The visitors didn't score again for 17 minutes, during which time Sligo, watched by a crowd of 3,000, tagged on a goal and five points.
A long ball by Seán Davey was flicked past Eoin Elliott in the Cavan goal by Mark Brehony in the 44th minute to put two goals between the teams.
A superb save by Philip Greene in the home goal kept Jason O'Reilly's shot out in the 56th minute as Cavan staged a spirited rally.
However, points by David Durkin and Sloyan added to the visitors' woes as Sligo ran riot.
Cavan missed the scoring exploits of Larry Reilly, who was sidelined with a groin strain.
Coleman was disappointed with the result. "We played very well in the opening 20 minutes of the first half, but then seemed to lose our way," he said.
He pointed to the first-half penalty as having a big bearing on the outcome.
Sligo manager James Kearins was, naturally, rather more upbeat. "Ground conditions were very difficult, but the players had a great desire to do well, which they showed in the second half."
Kearins said he was very pleased with the "superb attitude" displayed by his players.
SLIGO: P Greene; N McGuire, P Naughton, B Philips; P Doohan, M Langan, D Durkin 0-1; N Clancy, S Davey; P McGovern, M Brehony 1-3, B Curran 0-1; D Sloyan 0-4 (three frees), P Taylor (1-2, penalty, one free), G McGowan. Subs: M MacNamara for Langan (12 mins), J Davey for Curran (58 mins), T Brennan for Taylor (59 mins), P Durcan 0-1 for Philips (70 mins)
CAVAN: E Elliott; S Smith, T Prior, P Brady; K McGovern, T Crowe, E O'Reilly; D McCabe 0-1, P McKenna; S Brady 0-2, C Collins, A Forde 0-1; J O'Reilly 0-1, free), N Walsh, G Pierson 0-4, two frees). Subs: J Tierney for Crowe (52 mins), R Donohoe for Collins (59 mins), S Maguire for Walsh (59 mins).
Referee: J White(Donegal)
