Sligo's superb Connacht SFC semi-final victory over Roscommon came as no surprise to their manager Niall Carew.

Allianz League Division 2 champions Roscommon travelled to Markievicz Park as warm favourites to book a place in the provincial decider against Mayo, but Sligo - who had impressed in recent challenge matches against Westmeath and Tipperary - hadn't read the script and produced a wonderful performance to win by four points.

"I wouldn't be surprised by that result to be honest," Carew said in the Irish Daily Star.

"In fairness to Roscommon, they were always going to be under pressure coming into this game. They had just been promoted to Division 1 and they were seen as the up-and-coming team.

"I don't think that there's that much between the teams in Division 2 and Division 3. I always felt that we'd have a great chance if we put in a performance. Things had to go our way as well. Thankfully, they did."

The Kildare man added: "I thought that we defended very well. We defended well in numbers. I was afraid of our defence coming into the game being honest because we mightn't have been tested in Division 3. Roscommon have very good forwards."

Carew's opposite number John Evans was making no excuses.

"Sligo were by far the hungrier team. There's no doubt about that," he conceded.

"As I said to our own lads in the dressing room, we tried to hide the fact that we had two cups (Division 2 and FBD League) in the bag.

"We were put up on a bit of a mantle to be taken down. But full credit to Sligo, they had us in all departments."

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