Sligo are through to the third round of the Qualifiers after a narrow 0-12 to 0-10 victory over Wicklow in Aughrim.

This was a real nip-and-tuck affair but the Garden County, who played catch-up for most of the 70 minutes, could never get their noses in front and crashed out despite a gallant effort that saw them draw level with five minutes left.

In the end, Pat Flanagan's charges fully deserved their win, having made most of the running.

At the end of a pretty even first half, the visitors led by two points, 0-8 to 0-6.

The Yeats County registered the first four points courtesy of James Hynes, Charlie Harrison, Mark Breheny and Adrian Marren before Seanie Furlong got the hosts up and running from a free.

Furlong and Anthony McLoughlin closed the gap to one but Breheny knocked over a free to make it 0-5 to 0-3. Leighton Glynn's free brought it back to a one-point match again

David Kelly doubled the gap but the Garden County drew level with points from Glynn and Rory Finn. Marren's free restored the Yeats men's lead and goalkeeper Aidan Devaney nailed a '45' to close the first-half scoring.

James Stafford hit the first point after the restart but the busy Harrison was on hand to reply; Furlong's third point again brought Harry Murphy's men back within a point, 0-9 to 0-8.

With the match hanging in the balance and the pressure mounting, both sides recorded wides before Sligo substitute Stephen Coen brought an end to a nerve-wrecking 13-minute spell without a score.

The hosts rallied with an instant reply from Niall Gaffney followed by a dramatic leveller from substitute Darragh O'Sullivan: 0-10 each!

But Coen edged the Connacht county back ahead three minutes from the end and Brian Curran fisted over the score that left two between the sides going into two minutes of injury time.

The home side launched one last desperate attack but Sligo held on to book their place in the third round of this year's football Qualifiers.

Sligo - A Devaney (0-1'45); R Donovan, J Martyn, N Ewing; C Harrison (0-2), A McIntyre, K Cawley; K McDonnell, J Hynes (0-1); B Curran (0-1), M Breheny (0-2, 1f), B Egan; P Hughes, A Marren (0-2, 1f, 1sl), D Kelly (0-1). Subs: J Kilcullen for M Breheny; S Coen (0-2) for B Egan, D Rooney for J Hynes.

Wicklow - R Lambert; C Hyland, P McLoughlin, A Murphy; K Murphy, A Byrne, D Healy; J Stafford (0-1), A McLoughlin (0-1); D Hayden, P Earls, R Finn (0-1); L Glynn (0-1f), S Furlong (0-4, 1f), P McWalter. Subs: N Gaffney (0-1) for D Hayden, J McGrath for P McWalter, C McGraynor for P Earls, D O'Sullivan (0-1) for R Finn.

Referee - C Branagan. Tweet

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