The county’s Minors finished up their group matches last weekend in this year’s Connacht MFC, with their hopes of advancing to the semi-final dependent on the result of this evening’s final round match between Sligo and Roscommon at Markievicz Park.

We needed Sligo to win tonight to make it through ahead of Roscommon while a win for the young Rossies would have seen them top the group – by virtue of their head-to-head record against Galway – and so qualify for the final. There was, then, everything to play for this evening down by bare Ben Bulben’s head.

In the end it was Sligo who prevailed, their two-point win securing a semi-final slot for themselves and ensuring that it’s us they’ll be up against then. That semi-final will be played this coming Wednesday evening at 7pm with the venue to be confirmed tomorrow.

Roscommon made Sligo battle all the way in this one. They bagged three first half goals, racing into a six-point lead at one stage and they held a five-point advantage over the Magpies at the break.

As the second half progressed, though, Sligo gradually reeled them back in. The gap was down to three ten minutes into the second half and then, soon after, a Gavin Duffy goal brought the match level. The same player raised a second green flag with ten minutes to go as Sligo edged in front.

The Yeats County lads seemed to be on the way to winning with a bit to spare as they led by five with the match entering stoppage time. Win it they did but a fourth Roscommon goal deep in injury time cut Sligo’s victory margin to two points. The final score was 2-15 to 4-7 and a match report from Connacht GAA is here.

Galway’s 5-25 to 1-4 victory over Leitrim in this evening’s other final round group game means they finish as group winners and advance directly to the Connacht final. There they’ll meet the winners of the Sligo/Mayo semi-final.