Sligo Rovers signed off on the 2024 season with a narrow two goal defeat to St Patrick’s Athletic at the Showgrounds.
Ex-Rovers man Aidan Keena opened the scoring shortly before half-time in this one, while substitute Roman Palmer settled the result for the visitors at the death.
The result means Rovers finish the season in very respectable sixth place.
The home side made one change from last week’s score draw with the Tribesmen. Centre half John Mahon was handed his first start just two days short of one year since his last start for the club following an achilles injury which kept him sidelined for the vast majority of the year.
Pat’s likewise made the one switch. Jake Mulraney replacing Zach Elbouzedi from the narrow win over Derry City in Inchicore.
The occasion certainly didn’t have an end of season feel with both sides contributing to an entertaining pace to the game.
The Saints looked like they might steal a march inside the opening 60 seconds, but Kian Leavy’s touch let him down when it looked like he was through on Ed McGinty’s goal.
Three minutes later, Sligo’s Luke Pearce then spurned a great chance to open the scoring but fired wide from close range.
McGinty was on hand to keep the scores level shortly after when he kept out a Chris Forrester effort from the edge of the area. Forrester almost capitalising on the space offered to him by Ollie Denham who had strayed well out of position.
McGinty’s opposite number Joseph Anang reacted to block a Fitzgerald snapshot from the angle on the half hour. While Rovers were forced into a change ten minutes from the interval when Simon Power was forced off with injury.
Things deteriorated further for the hosts seven minutes from half-time when they fell behind to their former player. Jake Mulraney striding around Fitzgerald before laying a cross onto the forehead of Keena who nodded past McGinty for his fifth goal of the campaign and his second against his old club.
McGinty kept Rovers from sinking further when he flashed a wrist at Brandon Kavanagh’s shot on 43 minutes as Stephen Kenny’s charges ended the half on top.
Three minutes into the second period, Pearce went close again. Sligo skipper Niall Morahan picked out the former Southampton man with a sublime through ball, but Pearce was repelled by a great save down to his right from Anang.
Rovers had plenty of possesion in opening 20 or so minutes of the second half but couldn’t unlock a stubborn Pat’s defence.
Anang did grab a Fitzgerald header from an Owen Elding cross on 73, while the Ghanian got behind Elding’s shot on the turn 30 seconds later as Sligo began to push for the leveler.
Substitute Palmer settled the score on 90 minutes when he slotted the ball under McGinty.
Sligo Rovers: Ed McGinty; JR Wilson (Daire Patton 79), John Mahon (Kyle McDonagh 60), Ollie Denham, Reece Hutchinson; Jack Henry-Francis, Niall Morahan; Simon Power (Owen Elding 35), Connor Malley, Will Fitzgerald; Luke Pearce.
St Patrick’s Athletic: Joseph Anang; Ryan McLaughlin (Carl Sjoberg 79), Tom Grivosti, Joe Redmond, Anto Breslin; Jamie Lennon, Chris Forrester; Jake Mulraney (Romal Palmer 66), Kian Leavy (Zach Elbouzedi 58), Brandon Kavanagh (Jason McClelland 79); Aidan Keena (Cian Kavanagh 79).
Referee: Rob Harvey.
Attendance: 3,620.