Roscommon cruised to a ten point victory over Sligo in Dr Hyde Park this afternoon to move top of Group 3 on points difference.

A crowd of 5773 saw the Rossies control the majority of the game and despite not really streaking away throughout, kept Sligo a couple of points at bay up until Dylan Ruane netted to kill off the game. Diarmuid Murtagh and Enda Smith accounted for eleven of the hosts' scores.

Sligo have a massive task to get out of the group with a tough tie against Dublin in two weeks time whilst Roscommon if they beat Kildare by the same or a bigger margin will advance to the quarter-finals proper.

The game got off to a slow start in the Hyde with both teams exchanging early wides as the sides felt their way into the game.

Diarmuid Murtagh picked up the first Rossie score but Sligo did lead at the 13th minute. Roscommon showed a bit of their prowess shortly after putting themselves out by four as the clock ticked towards ten to go in the half.

Sligo though, despite being overwhelming underdogs did not go away, Carrabine and two Alan Reilly scores split by one for Colin Walsh for the hosts meant that the deficit was only two at the half time break.

Roscommon came out of the half stronger, and through Ciaran Murtagh and Enda Smith doubled their interval lead within just three minutes of the second period.

Just as fast as the hosts pulled out that advantage though, Sligo pulled it right back with Carrabine and Reilly keeping their side in the tie.

The ferocious scoring intensity in the second half continued. Roscommon stretched out to a five point lead with just over twenty on the clock but the theme of the match continued which was that Sligo would never lie down. A great burst from Mark Walsh the half time sub for Sligo created the first goal chance for the away side and laid it off to Alan Reilly who buried it to bring it back to just two points behind once more.

Diarmuid Murtagh and Enda Smith both picked up their fourth point each to extend the board away from their opponents once more, killing any momentum that might have been generated from the goal. The game was more or less put to bed with about seven to go with midfielder Dylan Ruane managed to bundle the ball into the net despite being tripped during his effort.

The goal really was the moment the Sligo heads dropped and belief of victory was no more as after the green flag from Ruane, two more from Diarmuid Murtagh and two from sub Donie Smith pushed the lead out to a massive nine points with Niall Murphy picking up two in that phase for Sligo.

Enda Smith added a point with the final kick of the game to ensure a double digit victory for the Rossies who now will be all but surely looking towards progression in the competition.