To use Eddie O’Sullivan’s much maligned phrase 'we need to get back on the horse’ but that is exactly what Sligo must do after last Sunday’s disappointing performance in Wexford. Sligo have the perfect opportunity to do just that when they play Offaly next Sunday in Markievicz Park.

They will be delighted to have the chance to quickly redeem themselves after a below par performance in a game which always was likely to be difficult. It will be important that Sligo get their heads right for this home game and get back to basics after Sunday’s confidence sapping display. It will also be very important not to panic as Sligo are still very much in the running for promotion with three games from the remaining four at home.

Half the Sligo players that played last Sunday also lost to Wexford after a disappointing display in 2007, and were heavily criticised in the wake of that defeat together with yours truly. However, that was the last game we were to lose in both league and championship that year until losing to Cork in the All Ireland Quarter Final, collecting a Connacht Championship on the way.

I feel the Sligo players now need to draw on that experience and forget about last Sunday’s game. We need to see the experienced players showing more leadership all over the field, and play with more confidence which is lacking at present.

With Antrim on top of the table with six points from six they are in pole position for one of the qualifying places but I predict a number of twists and turns over the course of the next few weeks. We need to remind ourselves that Sligo have played arguably the three most difficult teams in this section, two of which were away from home in Belfast and Wexford where there was never any guarantee of league points.

It is from here on that we cannot afford anymore slip ups. Next Sunday’s game is potentially a season defining game, where a win restores confidence and puts us back on the promotion track, pushing the Wexford defeat to the back of our minds. Whereas if Sligo were to lose next Sunday promotion prospects would be gone and all of a sudden you are looking at dealing with relegation thoughts. After analysing the remaining fixtures and venues in division three, I feel ten points should get a team promoted, which Sligo can still achieve.

Sligo went in at half time last Sunday only a point in arrears after being totally outplayed in all sectors of the field for the first 25 minutes of the game with Wexford missing numerous scoring opportunities. Sligo without playing well matched Wexford in the possession stakes in the second half but lacked any composure in the last third of the pitch hitting a number of erratic shots at goal, from both play and free’s Wexford got all the breaks that sometimes home team’s get, when scoring two goals to put the game beyond Sligo’s reach. When it looked like Sligo were going to end the second half without a score, Alan Costelloe with the help of a Wexford defender got a fortuitous goal that might yet have a better value at the end of the league when matters could yet be decided by scoring averages.

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

The fruits of great development and coaching work taking place in Sligo over the past number of years will be on display next Saturday in Charlestown.

For the first time in the same year two Sligo colleges have qualified for the Senior ‘A’ and Senior ‘B’ Connacht Finals. Both these finals which sensibly are taking place as a double header at the Mayo venue will feature south Sligo’s St.Attracta’s College who take on Kiltimagh in the B Final and City Side Summerhill College bidding for their first A Final title at senior level since 1985 against St.Gerald’s of Castlebar.

Both Sligo colleges had to show great character and desire to qualify for their respective finals after both semi finals went to extra time. St.Attracta’s led at that time by current Sligo player David Kelly last won the All Ireland at B level in 2006, and enters this game as favourites after disposing of prechampionship favourites Rice College.

Summerhill on the other hand like in all their games this year enter the match as underdogs against hotly fancied St.Gerald’s, who have a number of Mayo’s minors who reached the All Ireland final last year available to them.

One of the most interested observers at this venue will be Sligo minor manager Bernard Mulhern, where he will have a chance to run his eye over the nucleus of the players that will form part of his Sligo minor team. Even though college’s football age limit is six months outside minor level, at eighteen and a half the majority of both sets of teams will be eligible to the Sligo minor manager this year. This is a great opportunity for both sets of players to claim a Connacht Championship medal and hopefully come Saturday evening Sligo will be celebrating a double college’s success.