Ed McGinty registered his twelfth clean sheet of the season at Tolka Park as Sligo Rovers brought home a deserved point following an entertaining stalemate with league leaders Shels in Drumcondra. 

The Bit O’Red made two changes from the win over Dundalk six nights previous, with Jack Henry-Francis and Luke Pearce replacing Gareth McElroy and the injured Wilson Waweru respectively.

Shels arguably had the better of the play in the opening half but never really opened up Rovers for any sustained period, thanks to Ollie Denham and Niall Morahan who excelled at centre half. While Henry-Fracis put in his best performance since arriving on loan from Arsenal. 

Shels’ John Martin shook McGinty’s post in the first half, while the league’s top goalkeeper kept out Ali Coote with a smart stop with his legs after Harry Wood had spotted Coote’s exploratory run.

Unfortunate not to pick up the man of the match award from the Virgin TV studios, Denham was denied by a stunning finger-tip save from Shelbourne goalkeeper Conor Kearns who got across to keep out the former Cardiff man’s header. While Rovers’ Will Fitzgerald saw an effort whistle past the post soon after. 

With results in both the Shams and Derry games going their way, title-chasing Shels went direct in search of a winner but Rovers held on with reasonable comfort to earn a well deserved point on their final trip to Dublin this year. 

Rovers’ next league game is a visit to the Brandywell on 14th October as the Bit O’Red take on another title challenger, this time Derry City. This game follows the sold-out mid-season friendly with Glasgow Celtic at the Showgrounds on October 9th. 

Shelbourne: Conor Kearns; Patrick Barrett, Shane Griffin, Kameron Ledwidge, Tyreke Wilson; Alistair Coote (Burt 70), Mark Coyle, John O’Sullivan (Caffrey 62), Harry Wood (Smith 82); Sean Boyd, John Martin (O’Brien 62).

Sligo Rovers: Edward McGinty; Ollie Denham, Reece Hutchinson, John Ross Wilson; Ellis Chapman, William Fitzgerald, Jack Henry Francis, Connor Malley, Niall Morahan, Simon Power (McDonagh 88); Luke Pearce ( Barlow 78). 

David Goulden