Not many teams lead a match by seven points with 12 minutes to go and still admit relief at having survived by the full-time whistle, but that was Sligo's experience in Dr Hyde Park last Sunday.
Perhaps it was down to youthful complacency or to possible trouble in dealing with the novelty of leading comfortably in a provincial semi-final, but whatever the case, the visitors were almost stunned into submission by a late Roscommon goal raid. A brave Brian Walsh `45' earned them a reprieve.
Team Selections
ROSCOMMON: D Thompson; D Gavin, D Donlon, E Gavin; D Heneghan, C McDonald, M Ryan; G Keane, T Ryan; T Grehan, D Connellan, E Lohan; AN Other, N Dineen, L Dowd.
SLIGO: P Kilcoyne; N McGuire, N Clancy, M Cosgrove; R Keane, B Kilcoyne, E O'Hara; P Durcan, C O'Meara; T Killeen, D Sloyane, S Davey; B Walsh, P Taylor, G McGowan.
Team News: Tommy Grehan, instrumental in Roscommon's flash renaissance when he went in as a substitute last Sunday, gets a full start at right half forward. Vincent Glennon loses out but Grehan would have been an automatic starter for the first game had he not sustained a knee injury. Denis Gavin, preferred at corner back to Ronan Owens, is the only other Roscommon change. However, manager Gay Sheerin has left the left corner forward spot vacant.
Sligo full back Colin White has been dropped, with Nigel Clancy, so impressive along the flanks last week, asked to control the heart of Sligo's jittery defence. That change means Eamon O'Hara falls back from midfield to wing back and manager Mickey Moran has given newcomer Con O'Meara his chance at centrefield.
Concerns remain over the availability of full forward Paul Taylor, who has been hampered with back trouble since the original game, and Mark Cosgrove is also a worry, carrying a leg injury.
Key Confrontation: That Mickey Moran has switched Nigel Clancy from the flanks to full back hints at his concern over his last line of defence which grew increasingly anxious as Roscommon pummelled them with high balls last week. While Clancy's curtailment may cost Sligo a little in creativity, the hope is that he will steady the back line and stymie Nigel Dineen, who hit 1-1 for Roscommon last week.
View From The Camps
"We'd be happy enough going to Sligo now and having a second crack at it. Before the first game, there was a sense of pessimism about Roscommon but I think people were encouraged by the result. We played terrible football for a lot of the game but showed considerable improvement when we began playing direct. Sligo will naturally be favourites but we are guardedly hopeful." - Gay Sheerin (Roscommon manager).
"In the past we got pats on the head when maybe we should have got criticism, but there was flak when we deserved it too. Now we have our strongest team for years and the onus is on us." - Brendan Kilcoyne (Sligo player).
VERDICT: Sligo.
