Sligo Rovers

Report

Sligo Rovers secured their Premier Division safety and in doing so also confirmed Bray Wanderers relegation, as the Bit O’Red recorded their third league win at the Showgrounds this season.

All the goals came in an action packed five-minute spell early in the second half.

Caolan McAleer fired Ger Lyttle’s men into the lead, three minutes before Jake Ellis levelled the tie. But Mikey Drennan was on hand to restore Sligo’s lead just 60 seconds later.

Sligo dominated large parts of this first half and should have hit the lead early on.

Drennan’s chested attempt in front of goal crept past Mark O’Connor’s far post just two minutes in, while Rhys McCabe’s headed effort from a similar distance suffered the same fate.

Bray, who haven’t won a single league away game this term, spent much of the opening period inside their own half.

Lee Lynch had O’Connor scrambling to push away his drive from distance on the quarter hour. While Caolan McAleer, John Mahon and Lynch again, each went close to breaking the deadlock.

Rovers goalkeeper Ed McGinty had to be alert to tip Ger Pender’s bending effort over his crossbar five minutes into the second half.

McAleer netted twice when these two sides met at the Carlisle Grounds earlier this year and the Tyrone man was at it again on 56 minutes. The winger nodding Lynch’s ball past O’Connor for his fourth of the year, heralding a crazy few minutes.

Gary Cronin’s side were behind for all of three minutes. Jake Ellis making the most of the space afforded to him as he slotted past McGinty.

Bray had barely gathered their thoughts when they found themselves behind again. O’Connor came to claim Lynch’s cross from the right but was beaten to the ball by Drennan whose looped header won it for Rovers.

Sligo Rovers: Ed McGinty; Kyle Callan-McFadden, John Mahon, Patrick McClean, Regan Donelon; David Cawley, Rhys McCabe; Caolan McAleer (Liam Kerrigan 81), Lee Lynch (Raff Cretaro 88), Lewis Morrison (Darren Collins 60); Mikey Drennan.

Bray Wanderers: Mark O’Connor; Conor Kenna, Darragh Gibbons, Cian Walsh, Kevin Lynch; Dylan Hayes (Dragos Mamaliga 8), Paul O’Conor, John Sullivan, Darragh Noone; Jake Ellis, Ger Pender (Byron O’Gorman 85).

Referee: John McLoughlin.