Sligo 1-21
London 1-11
SLIGO MADE SHORT work of London as they banished the memory of their shock defeat at Ruislip in 2013.
The Yeats County were ruthless in front of goal, with 11 different players getting on the scoresheet.
Adrian Marren finished with 1-6, his 24th-minute penalty effectively putting the game to bed.
Sligo progress to a Connacht semi-final date with the winners of next Sunday’s clash between Mayo and Galway.
London fielded seven English-born players in their starting line-up, including five in the forward line, but it was up front they struggled as some wayward shooting cost them dearly.
The Exiles failed to register a single score from their first seven shots on goal, while Sligo had a 100% return on their first five attempts inside 10 minutes.
That drained London’s confidence and their kick-out strategy malfunctioned, which led to Sligo’s goal on 24 minutes.
Wing-back Gerard O’Kelly-Lynch was upended by Gavin McEvoy inside the area and Marren beat the London goalkeeper from the penalty spot to put Sligo nine points in front.
London produced the move of the game to create a goal for Monaghan native Fearghal McMahon to trail 1-10 to 1-3 at the break, and they also kicked the first three points of the second half.
However, Mark Gottsche’s black card for an off-the-ball tackle killed their comeback hopes and with their kick-outs again going awry, Sligo’s superior bench exposed London’s tiring defence in the final quarter.
Scorers for Sligo: A Marren 1-6 (1-0pen, 1f), C Henry 0-3, N Murphy, S Carrabine, S Coen 0-2 each, P Hughes, P O’Connor, A Devaney (f), L Gaughan, C Breheny, E McHugh 0-1 each.
Scorers for London: L Gavaghan 0-5 (2f), F McMahon 1-1, L Irwin 0-2 (1f), M Gottsche, R Elliott, E Murray 0-1 each.
Sligo: A Devaney; R Donovan, E McHugh, C Harrison; G O’Kelly-Lynch, A McIntyre, N Ewing; K McDonnell, N Murphy; C Henry, P O’Connor, P Hughes; L Gaughan, A Marren, K Cawley.
Subs: C Breheny for O’Connor (45), S Carrabine for Hughes (45), S Coen for Cawley (53), F Cawley for Henry (66), D Cummins for Murphy (70).
London: G McEvoy; P Butler, C Dunne, D Carrabine; M Walsh, M Mangan, P Begley; A McDermott, M Gottsche; A Moyles, L Gavaghan, T Waters; R Elliott, F McMahon, K Butler.
Subs: L Irwin for K Butler (ht), C Murphy for Moyles (ht), M Carroll for Gottsche (39, black card), C O’Neill for Dunne (43, black card), G Byrne for Walsh (53), E Murray for Carrabine (63).
Referee: B Cassidy (Doire).
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