The attacking excellence of Niall Murphy and Alan McLoughlin, scorers of 0-06 and 0-04 respectively, helped get an improved Sligo back on track as they overcame dogged 14-man Limerick, 1-18 to 1-15, at a blustery Markievicz Park.
Limerick's James Naughton was brilliant, scoring 0-07, but the visitors’ hopes of getting something from this fixture faded when Sean Clancy was sent-off with 20 minutes left.
The hosts, playing the second of their four home games in this year’s competition, were looking to bounce back from their dismal away performance against Laois - one of two losses from their opening three games.
Limerick came to the north-west with one victory so far - similar to Sligo - and intended to build on that win, a gritty one-point home defeat of Wexford thanks to substitute Peter Nash’s goal in second-half stoppage time.
Sligo’s previous AFL meeting with Limerick was two years ago - Sligo won that Division 3 clash by five points in Rathkeale.
Sligo, who were breeze-assisted in the first-half, made an ideal start when Cian Lally goaled after 20 seconds. A point from Murphy quickly followed but Sligo’s four-point lead, 1-01 to 0-00, was cut in half when Eliah O’Riordan landed a two-point free for the visitors.
Sligo direct play was paying dividends and they were five points up by the 11th minute, 1-06 to 0-04, with classy points from Canice Mulligan and Kyle Cawley enhancing their lead.
Danny Neville’s well-taken goal revived Limerick in the 14th minute, with James Naughton also chipping in with two excellent points from play.
Sligo finished the first-half four points to the good, 1-10 to 1-06, as inside Niall Murphy, with 0-04, made an impact, so too Conor Sheridan in midfield.
The second-half was competitive and Limerick remained in contention thanks to the expertise of Naughton at full-forward.
Limerick had goal chances, too, with substitute Nash forcing a save from Aidan Devaney and Jack Lavin clearing a ball off the line to deny Fahy’s goalbound flick.
In between these goal opportunities, there was a 50th minute dismissal for Limerick when Clancy, who was booked earlier in the second period, was shown a black card and then a red by referee Enda McFeely following an off the ball incident.
But Sligo, for whom Luke Towey was excellent, were never fully in control and Naughton’s pointed free - his seventh point of proceedings - made it a two-point game, 1-17 to 1-15, in the 68th minute.
Murphy’s pointed free in the last minute eased Sligo nerves and when the hooter sounded it was the men in black who celebrated a hard-fought but deserved win.
Apart from Naughton’s contribution, O’Riordan’s hat-trick of two-pointer frees was another highlight of Limerick’s battling display.
Sligo: Aidan Devaney, Tommy Ross, Evan Lyons, Luke Casserly, Luke Towey (0-01), Jack Lavin, Ross Doherty (0-01), Canice Mulligan (j-c) (0-01), Gavin Gorman, Conor Sheridan, Alan McLoughlin (0-04, 2f), Kyle Cawley (0-01), Cian Lally (1-02, 1tp), Niall Murphy (j-c) (0-6, 3f), Joshua Flynn (0-01)
Subs: Lee Deignan for Kyle Cawley, 47; Luke Gilmartin for Ross Doherty, 54; Shane Deignan (0-01) for Joshua Flynn, 57.
Limerick: Jeffrey Alfred, Jason Hassett, Colm McSweeney, Oran Collins, Diarmuid Buckley, Killian Ryan, Tony McCarthy, Barry Coleman (0-01), Cillian Fahy (c), Paul Maher, Danny Neville (1-00), Eliah O’Riordan (0-06, 3tpf), Sean Clancy, James Naughton (0-07, 2f, 1tp), Robbie Childs
Subs: Peter Nash (0-01, 1f) for Colm McSweeney, h-t; Jack McCarthy for Paul Maher, h-t; Mark McCarthy for Barry Coleman, h-t; Andrew Meade for Oran Collins 62.
Referee: Enda McFeely (Donegal)
