Four days after the official announcement that Sligo’s managerial team would remain in place for another two years and the Yeats men bring home the first trophy of the "New era" Kevin Walsh and his Junior team have defeated Kerry to win the first All Ireland Junior Cup for Sligo since 1935.

A difficult team to manage as Jason Farrell pointed out because the side was ever changing as players became ineligible when they lined out for the Seniors during the year. Injury also hit the junior ranks and the Captain of the day was the fourth to hold the position. The Owenmore Gaels man well deserved the title as Sligo’s No. 2 senior keeper for many seasons now and the man that kept this team in the Championship with a great Connacht final display. The first 15 minutes of the game was action packed as a Cian McNamara goal and points from David Maye and Pádraig McGoldrick got Sligo off to a great start with the benefit of a stiff breeze. Kerry came back into the game with a Brendan Poff goal and points from Michael O’Donoghue and Gary Sayers undoing all Sligo’s good work.

The Yeats men created a movement that did end up in the back of the Kerry net but no one was surprised when it was disallowed as it had all the hallmarks of a controversial Meath goal earlier in the year!

The Kingdom lost possession through a miss pass and Sligo’s attack resulted in a great Kieran Finan goal. The Westerners never looked back after this score. Not that Kerry didn’t have their chances but of the seven frees that they were awarded in the rest of the half only one was to be converted. Good chances were dropped short and cleared by the Sligo defence.

Benny McDonagh was introduced for Paul McTiernan and when David Maye was presented with a free he made no mistake with the conversion. Kerry got through for what seemed like a good goal chance with only Jason left guarding the net but the ball was instead thrown over the bar and the point itself was disallowed. It was a great chance for the Kingdom to get back into the game but instead a short Kerry kick out a few minutes later resulted in a free being awarded to Sligo with David Maye making light work of the conversion.

On the 29th. Minute Michael O’Donoghue converted a free, Kerry’s first score since the 13th., minute. A further Kerry attack resulted in a 45 which fell short and was easily turned over. The half ended with Sligo ahead on a score of 2-04 to 1-03. Niall Walsh was introduced to the Sligo side when play resumed with Shane Stenson making way. It was Kerry’s Alan Fitzgerald that commenced the scoring with a well taken free left of the posts. A Sligo attack went across the oppositions goal mouth but went harmlessly wide.David Maye scored two nice points and the heavy rain that had fallen from late in the first half left conditions very slippery.

Kerry’s Eamonn Hickson lifted his team with a point from all of 50m from play but a reckless charge on Kieran Finan saw Brendan Guiney receive his second yellow to leave the Kingdom to battle on with 14 men. Another converted David Maye free was cancelled out by a very good Alan Fitzgerald effort at 21 minutes into the half. Joe Quinn entered the fray with Pádraig McGoldrick making way and at 28 minutes Alan Fitzgerald found form again with a well taken point from play. A great David Maye point from play followed by a converted free also from his boot finished off the scoring for the game.

Two more Kerry players received their marching orders for second yellow card offences as the game drew to a close. Perhaps there is no latitude for Referees to use their own common sense when they are being monitored at every game but three red cards issued seemed a bit over the top in a game that was by no means dirty.

In an excellent speech Captain Farrell thanked the management team for their support at Senior as well as Junior level.