Tourlestrane 1-13 Eastern Harps 1-9

Tourlestrane picked up back-to-back Sligo Senior Football Championship titles with a comeback win over Eastern Harps at Markievicz Park.

Harps took advantage of seven first-half wides to lead by four at the break but a determined comeback saw Tourlestrane claim their sixth title in ten years. 

 

Tourlestrane had opened the scoring through Alan Dunne before underdogs Eastern Harps spurned a golden opportunity to register an early goal.

Thomas Cryan grabbed a high ball at the edge of the square but he watched his shot smack back off the crossbar.

Shane O'Grady sent over the first of his six-point salvo from a free shortly after and O'Grady and Cathal Henry exchanged scores to leave the sides level at two apiece mid-way through the half. 

A superb free from out wide from O'Grady nudged the east Sligo side back into the lead but a simple free was dispatched with ease by Tourlestrane's Brian Egan to see the sides square once more. 

O'Grady sent over another free seven minutes from the break but brothers Liam and Gary Gaughan combined for the south Sligo men to hit back. 

Harps surged into a two-point lead courtesy of two more O'Grady white flags. There was a reply from Tourlestrane through Henry before disaster struck Eamon O'Hara's men one minute into injury-time. 

A mix-up between goalkeeper Alan Bowens and his defender left Doherty with a simple finish as he swept the ball into an empty net. 

Tourlestrane recovered and sent over three points without reply in the first 11 minutes of the second period to level the contest before further scores from Gary Gaughan and Brian Egan, with his second of the day, sent the green and gold into a two-point lead. 

Tourlestrane extended their advantage to five in the 51st minute when Liam Gaughan laid the ball into the path of Henry, who finished coolly past Stephen Heraghty.

Shane King's men stayed in touch with points from Doherty and Ross Donovan but man of the match John Kelly sealed it for Tourlestrane with a late point.   

The champions  now go on to face either Mohill or Castlebar Mitchels in the Connacht series. 

Earlier on Sunday, Calry St Joseph's claimed their seventh Sligo senior hurling championship title on the trot with a 2-15 to 3-10 win over Western Gaels in the day's curtain raiser. 

Tourlestrane: Alan Bowens; Noel Gaughan, Brian Kennedy (Colin Neary 30+2), Barry Walsh; Alan Dunne (0-1), Adrian McIntyre, James Leonard; Stephen Henry (John Quinn 30+5), Shane Dunne; Cathal Henry (1-2) (John Marren 60+1), Brian Egan (0-3), Gary Gaughan (0-1) (John Francis Carr 53); Liam Gaughan (0-3), Pat Harte (0-1), John Kelly (0-2).

Eastern Harps: Stephen Hegarty; Gavin Horan, Kevin Cryan (Barry Cryan 55), Darragh Madden; Michael Clarke, Ross Donavan (0-1), Conor Higgins; Tony Taylor, Kevin Gallagher; Colin McGill (Michael Lennon 48), Thomas Cryan (0-1), Declan Hannon (James O'Hara 48); Evan Lavin, Shane O'Grady (0-6), Martin Doherty (1-1). 

Referee: Barry Judge (Castleconnor)