U-20s face stern Sligo test

Eirgrid Connacht U-20 FC

Quarter-Final: Roscommon v Sligo at Dr Hyde Park on Wednesday (April 5th) at 7 pm

< SEAMUS DUKE

Roscommon’s U-20 footballers have been handed a tough draw in the Connacht championship as they face the holders Sligo in Dr Hyde Park next Wednesday evening at 7 pm. Over the years a home draw against the Yeats County would be viewed as a great opportunity for Roscommon to advance. However, Sligo are the reigning minor and U-20 champions while Summerhill and St Attracta’s, Tubbercurry are the Connacht

Colleges ‘A’ and ‘B champions for 2023. So underage football is very strong in Sligo at the moment.

Roscommon manager Noel Dunning has also told the Roscommon People that preparations for the match have not been ideal.

“We have had a very disrupted build up to be honest. We have a lot of injuries and the bad weather has presented a lot of problems with regard to the availability of pitches,” he said.

“A lot of our potential starters are injured or doubtful for the game including Colm Neary, Shane McGinley, Ethan O’Reilly, Conor Hand and Caelim Keogh to name just a few, and that’s a major worry”.

Noel says Sligo will provide very dangerous opposition: “Sligo are a very strong team. They are well coached and well or-

GAA Results

5th & Mad - East Side, New York Division One

O’Rourke Cup

Pádraig Pearses 2-9 St

Faithleach’s 0-9

St Brigid’s 3-22 Fuerty 1-6

Western Gaels 3-19 Boyle 1-11

St. Dominic’s 1-10 Tulsk

Lord Edwards 0-4

Leydon Bros London

Division Two O’Gara Cup

Michael Glavey’s 1-16 ganised and we will be up against it. They will not fear coming to Dr Hyde Park either. the teams will know each other well by the time this year is over. But all we want on Saturday is that the lads put in a big performance and do themselves justice on the day,” he concluded. It is very unlikely that there will be twenty points between the teams on Saturday but Roscommon have the momentum and it would be a surprise if they don’t prevail by at least five or six points.

“Our chances rely on us coming up with a good performance on the night. We will need all our players performing at their very best to win it, and remember there is no back door or second chances so it’s all (decided) on the night,” he concluded.

There is no doubt that this will be a very difficult assignment for Roscommon but at Dr Hyde Park they will be hoping to win and qualify for a semi-final meeting with Mayo the following Wednesday in the Hyde once again. Prediction: Roscommon.

*We will have an exclusive report on the Roscommon v Sligo match in next week’s edition of the Roscommon People.

Prediction: Roscommon.

Creggs 1-4

Castlerea St Kevin’s 4-9 St

Croan’s 1-8

Clann na nGael 0-10

Shannon Gaels 0-8

Kilmore 2-4 Pádraig

Pearses 0-7

Atlantis IPS Division

Three Tansey Cup

St Ronan’s 2-10

Strokestown 1-7

Oran 2-10 St Dominic’s 0-11

Western Gaels 6-12

Castlerea St Kevin’s 0-10

Sidero AFL Division Four

St Faithleach’s 4-5

Roscommon Gaels 1-7

GAA Fixtures

Friday, March 31st 5th & Mad - East Side, New York Division One O’Rourke Cup (8 pm)

At Kiltoom: St Dominic’s v St. Faithleach’s.

At Athleague: Fuerty v Western Gaels

At Lisnamult: Roscommon Gaels v Oran

Atlantis IPS Division Three Tansey Cup

At: Pairc Naomh Bearra: St Barry’s v Castlerea St Kevin’s. 8 pm

Saturday, April 1st

5th & Mad - East Side, New York Division One O’Rourke Cup

At Tulsk: Tulsk Lord Edwards v Elphin. 5 pm

Leydon Bros London Division Two O’Gara Cup

At Enfield: St Croan’s v St Brigid’s. 4 pm

At O’Rourke Park: Castlerea St Kevin’s v Michael Glavey’s. 5 pm

At Kilmore: Kilmore v Creggs. 5 pm

At Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence: Éire Óg v Pádraig Pearses. 5 pm

At Croghan: Shannon Gaels v Kilbride. 5 pm

Atlantis IPS Division Three Tansey Cup (5 pm)

At Strokestown: Strokestown v Oran

At Ardcarne Park: St Michael’s v St Aidan’s

At Davonna Park: Ballinameen v St Ronan’s

At Western Gaels: Western Gaels v Kilglass Gaels

Sunday, April 2nd

IPS Atlantis Division Three Tansey Cup

At St Dominic’s: St Dominic’s v St Joseph’s. 1 pm

AFL Division Five (Section A) (11.30 am)

At Croghan: Shannon Gaels v St Barry’s

At Davonna Park: Ballinameen v Tulsk Lord Edwards