Sligo Rovers suffered a second Bank Holiday weekend defeat after a 3-0 loss at home to Shamrock Rovers.

Rovers were without eleven first-team players through injury or illness and the depleted Bit O’ Red team gave as much as they could on a warm afternoon at The Showgrounds.

Eanna Clancy and Greg Bolger were forced off in the first-half against Bohemians on Friday so Daniel Lafferty and Lukas Browning replaced them in John Russell’s starting line up. Conor Campbell and Daire McCarthy came onto the bench for the first time this season.

The first half was a tight on with little or no chances for either side.

Rovers caused some problems on either wing with David Cawley almost getting in on one occasion and Reece Hutchinson’s cross cleared away from close range before Shamrock Rovers went down the other end and Johnny Kenny forced Luke McNicholas into a smart save.

It remained scoreless at the break.

The second-half was a different story however as the visitors kicked into gear early on, with Kenny getting in behind and squaring for strike partner Rory Gaffney to tap home at the back post.

It was 2-0 moments later as Jack Byrne’s long pass over the Rovers back four found Gaffney again and he raced in on goal and dinked it over the advancing McNicholas.

The pace of the game slowed down from then on in and it was Aaron Greene who put a seal on the win for Shamrock Rovers with a goal from close range two minutes from time.

Next up is a trip to Tolka Park on Friday night at 7.45pm.