Sligo on alert for Leitrim ambush says Keelan Cawley

Forewarned is forearmed would appear to be the mantra coming out of the Sligo camp ahead of next Sunday’s Connacht SFC clash with Leitrim with Keelan Cawley stressing that the Yeatsmen will be taking nothing for granted in yet another derby clash.

Sunday’s clash in Avant Money Pairc Sean Mac Diarmada comes with the backdrop of three meetings in the Allianz NFL, one in the FBD League and one famous penalty shootout for the Yeatsmen in the Tailteann Cup over the past three years but despite Sligo having a clear edge in terms of wins, Keelan insists there is nothing between the teams.

Speaking at the Connacht SFC Championship launch in the Connacht GAA Centre of Excellence last week, Keelan told the Observer “The last couple of games have been a point falling on our side, it has nearly been the bounce of a ball or a bit of luck so leading into Sunday, I don’t think there is going to be much change. 

“Leitrim were in the League final last Saturday so they’re obviously coming on a good bit of form so we’re going to be well prepared for them heading down to Pairc Sean. We’ll be taking nothing for granted.”

The history of close meetings between these two teams should draw a big crowd to Carrick and Keelan is glad to see the game back in Pairc Sean: “Leitrim would be our closest neighbours and we’d always be seen as being of level par against each other. Getting to Carrick is a handy spin from Sligo so that is probably why you get a bit extra crowd at it.

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“The last couple of games, I think there has been five, six thousand at them and there will be a little bit more added incentive for a few more to go to it given the way the teams have been going recently. We’re expecting a big crowd and a good challenge and hopefully a good game.”

Familiarity certainly doesn’t appear to breed contempt with the Coolera Strandhill clubman well aware of the threat posed by Andy Moran’s side: “In fairness to Darragh Rooney and Ryan O'Rourke, they are taking up the mantle with Keith Beirne not being in the team but they have a lot of other strengths there. 

“You have Tom Prior who is coming on, Paul Keaney has been outstanding UL the last couple of years, Donal Wrynn is still floating around there as well - we know the threats Leitrim have and we’ll be doing our due diligence against them, we won’t be taking them lightly - the same as every team we go up against, we will do a proper analysis and set ourselves up to give ourselves the best chance.”

An added complication for Sligo is that Leitrim come into the game on a high after their Croke Park appearance last Saturday but it does add complications for a team trying to deliver big performances in both games with only eight days between games, a factor Keelan and Sligo had to endure last year.

But the wing-forward believes it can also be a positive: “It is a double edged sword - when you get to a League Final, personally I think there should be a week’s break at least. For counties that get to the Division 4 and 3 finals, they’re probably not playing in Croke Park or Finals that often and I think you have to celebrate every win. 

“There is scope there for it to be pushed out a week and give the teams that are in those finals a bit of breathing room, celebrating that bit of success. Last year, we took that confidence after winning division 4 going into the next game and Leitrim will be doing the same, they’re on a good bounce.”

Sligo come into the game after a League campaign that saw them solidify their position in Division 3 but Keelan believes that on any given day, there is little between any team in the bottom two Divisions: “We got out of Division 4 last year and set our sights on doing a little bit better. I thought we were a match for any team in the Division, probably Down was a bit of an outlier game but it is small margins. 

“You look at  the bottom of Division 2 down to Division 4, if you put any team against each other, there’d be no fear factor there. Everyone will go ‘we can have a cut at this game and get a result there’.I think the margin against teams is a lot tighter than people think.”

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Sligo football is on something of a high at the moment with their underage teams winning Connacht titles in recent years and as a veteran, Keelan believes the influx of young talent is a huge boost: “It is good that the underage is going so well, there are a couple of U20s from 2020 and 2021 who are starting to come in. 

“We have a nice mix of lads there, you have a few young lads around the 20, 21 mark, a few that are 25, 26 and a couple of older lads like myself that are the 30 plus club. I’ve been one of those for a little while so I’m well used to it at this stage. 

“One of the biggest things is that there is a good dynamic within the squad, the young lads are coming in and will learn off the older fellas, the older fells will be trying to keep up with the fact that there is no fear factor in these young lads who have a couple of medals in their pocket, they’re hungry for more success.”