Another big game for Sligo Rovers as they travel to Belfast to tackle the defending Premiership champions Cliftonville on Saturday in the final Group C game in the Avenir Sports Women’s All-Island Cup, 5.30pm, writes Conall Collier.

From a qualification perspective, the result is irrelevant to Sligo Rovers, but the prospects of claiming a major scalp could be the motivating factor for Steve Feeney’s side to kick-start an unbeaten run.

The Bit O’Red sit on zero points at the bottom of the Group, but that statistic will not have any impact on the attitude of the Sligo Rovers players who will be eager to take something home from the trip to Belfast.

Contrast all that to the facts facing Cliftonville, the Belfast side cannot afford to lose the game as that would leave them requiring a favourable result from the encounter in Strabane between Sion Swifts and Bohemian FC.

A defeat for Cliftonville and victory for either team in Strabane would leave semi-final qualification as Group C winner down to goal difference and that’s something that the Belfast side will want to avoid.

However, with the game in Strabane set for a 3pm kick-off and the game in Belfast scheduled for 5.30pm, Cliftonville will know the score.

Regardless of the various permutations that may arise, the Sligo Rovers players will approach this outing with nothing to lose and all to gain as the younger players in the team continue to download experience.

And that experience will be crucial ahead of a return to Women’s Premier Division action on Saturday 19^th August with a trip to tackle an Athlone Town side with a new manager who will be aiming to get a victory in his first home game.

There is also the first round of the FAI Cup to consider the following weekend, Saturday 26^th August when Donegal side Bonagee Utd will visit the Showgrounds.

Plenty of football still to be played, starting with this trip to Belfast on Saturday where the hosts will be looking to build on 2-1 wins against Sion Swifts (first round) and Bohemian Fc (second round) last weekend.

Fi Morgan and Danielle Maxwell scored the goals at the end of each half in the 2-1 against Sion Swifts.

The Belfast women also trailed last weekend against Bohemian FC with Abbie Magee equalising early in the second-half and Maxwell hitting a 68^th minute winner.

The Dublin side also missed a chance of an equaliser when Mia Dodds was off target from a late penalty.

The Cliftonville women were back in League action on Wednesday night and slumped to a first defeat of the season when they lost (3-1) to Crusaders after the concession of three first-half goals proved costly.

The 4-1 scoreline from last week’s defeat for Sligo Rovers in Strabane was a bit harsh on the team as the players battled back to parity (1-1) at half-time with a super Sarah Kiernan strike and it was only in the closing 20 minutes that the hosts added the goals that sealed the verdict.

The opportunity is there now on Saturday for Sligo Rovers to begin the preparatory process for the second part of the season and perhaps also make a statement and pick up a point with a battling performance.

Tickets are still available for tonight’s eagerly awaited game with Bohemians at The Showgrounds.

Supporters wishing to attend can pay online in advance via the link below, or simply bring cash or your card to the turnstiles and pay on the gate.

We are open from 6.30pm this evening.

Tickets: https://srfcdirect.com/match-tickets/

Tonight’s Match Programme will be available to supporters inside the turnstiles from 6.30pm.

You can also buy your programme online now and we’ll email you your copy before the game.

There is a huge 64-pages available with all the following content👇
Match Sponsor: The Snug Bar, Sligo

Ball Sponsors: Steve Taylor

• Notes From Our Chairman Tommy Higgins

• Notes From Our Manager John Russell

• Academy Review

• Yes We Can, Can’t We? By Conall Collier

• Yeats Utd. – Our guests at the game

• Sligo Rovers 500 Club Winners for April & May

• 20 Questions with Karl O’ Sullivan• Quiz

• Sligo Rovers Pen Pics• Interview With Owen Elding by Conall Collier

• Celebrate Your Birthday With Sligo Rovers

• Kailin Barlow Poster

• Bohemians Player Profiles

• Interview With Adam McDonnell by Conall Collier

• Sligo Rovers v Shamrock Rovers by Stephen McLaughlin

• Match Programme Memory Check

• Sligo Leitrim U14 Gaynor Cup Team

• Mayo FC Set To Join League Of Ireland

• FAI Cup Focus

• Into The West By Michael Walker

• Sligo Rovers Women v Bohs

• Sligo Rovers Women v Sion Swifts

• It’s The Miracle Of Loaves And Fishes At Underage Football In Ireland

• League Of Ireland Attendance Numbers Increase Up To Mid-Season Break

• You Reds Photo Gallery

• Results and Fixtures

• Teams

BUY TONIGHT’S PROGRAMME:

https://srfcdirect.com/programmes/

Sligo Rovers take on Bohemians on Friday night at The Showgrounds in the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division.

Rovers come into the game on the back of a defeat last Friday against UCD at The UCD Bowl. The Bit O’ Red lead at half-time in the game but were pegged back with two second-half goals from the home side.

Bohemians drew 2-2 at home to Shamrock Rovers on the same night, coming from two goals down in the second-half to secure a point.

Manager John Russell spoke to sligorovers.com ahead of the game:

‘’We are coming into Friday night’s game against Bohemians in a disappointing position in the table.

‘’I know that there is frustration around recent results and performances and this is understandable.

‘’We are aware of how important this game is for us and the players have worked hard all week in training. We have yet to beat Bohs this season, so we know we’re in for a tough game’’.

Gates open at 6.30pm on Friday and tickets can be purchased online at https://srfcdirect.com/match-tickets/ or on the night, at the gate where supporters can pay by cash or card.

Russell is keen for a large home support to get behind the team:

‘’I know the quality we have at the club and want the players to play without fear.

‘’I still believe in the huge potential of this team and I am hoping for a big performance in The Showgrounds in front of the home fans’’.

In team news, Rovers are without a number of players through injury.

Reece Hutchinson remains sidelined after an injury sustained before the game with Shelbourne recently. It is expected the Englishman will be out until for the next six weeks or so.

Garry Buckley keeps progressing weekly with his return from an ACL injury now getting closer. Buckley hopes to get back into the matchday squad towards the end of July for his eagerly awaited return to competitive action.

Karl O’ Sullivan, who has been sidelined since March is recovering from ankle surgery and will return to training at the end of July and hopes to be back as part of the matchday squads soon after.

Fabrice Hartmann continues to recover from a hamstring injury sustained in May and Eanna Clancy is out with a hamstring injury picked up against Bohemians at the start of the month.

James Finnerty nurses an achilles injury sustained on his debut against UCD in April and is out for the next four weeks or so while Gary Boylan remains sidelined for the 2023 season with his ACL injury.

Mark Byrne is nearing a return to full training soon and hopes to be back involved in competitive games in August while Conor Walsh is hoping to return from an ankle injury next week where he will resume training.

Greg Bolger wasn’t fit to start against UCD last week, however he has now recovered and available for selection.

Kick off is 7.45pm tomorrow evening and we hope for a large crowd to cheer on the Bit O’ Red team.

Sligo Rovers are excited to announce we will host a mid-season friendly with Celtic FC ‘B’ at The Showgrounds on Tuesday, July 11^th at 7pm.

The game will see the Scottish side travel to Ireland as part of their pre-season preparations.

There are a number of connections between the clubs, most notably the likes of former Rovers’ man Willie McStay who was Player/Manager from 1992 to 1994 where he won the FAI Cup, First Division and First Division Shield in the 93/94 season. Willie is currently Head of Academy Scouting at the club.

Sean Fallon was born in Sligo in 1922 and joined the Bit O’ Red in the late 1940’s before joining Celtic a couple of years later. Fallon went on to become a Celtic legend, making over 250 appearances in Glasgow over an eight-year period.

The Sligoman would then go on to become the club’s Assistant Manager from 1962-1975, taking the team shortly afterwards as Caretaker when Manager Jock Stein was involved in a near-fatal car crash.

In 2014, The Showgrounds All-Weather pitch underwent development works to improve the club’s facilities and it was announced that the new facility would be named in Fallon’s honour and to this day is named The Sean Fallon Centre, the home of the Bit O’ Red’s Academy.

Speaking on the announcement of the game, Manager John Russell is looking forward to welcoming Celtic to The Showgrounds:

‘’It promises to be a good occasion for both clubs here at The Showgrounds.

‘’I know there is a good history between the clubs with various players or staff having played or managed both here and in Scotland.

‘’It will be a good test for us, and it will also be good for the supporters of both clubs to come to The Showgrounds and see a good game of football’’.

Club Chairman Tommy Higgins:

‘’We are very happy to welcome Celtic Football Club to The Showgrounds on July 11^th.

‘’The game will hopefully be an entertaining one for the supporters and we hope to see a large Celtic support here on the night too.

‘’Celtic are a hugely followed club around the world, particularly here in Ireland and we are all looking forward to the game’’.

There is one more, possibly the most important Sligo link to Celtic. Founder of the club, Brother Walfrid was born in Ballymote.

Walfrid founded the club in 1888 as a means of raising funds for the Catholic Community in the area.

He is remembered at both Celtic Park in Glasgow and the Community Park in Ballymote where there are two sculptures in his honour.

Tickets for the match are now available on https://srfcdirect.com/match-tickets/ and are priced at €15 for Adults, €10 for Seniors and Students and €5 for Under 12’s.

We look forward to welcoming Celtic to The Showgrounds.

Sligo Rovers are back in action this Friday night at The Showgrounds at 7.45pm when Bohemians are the visitors in the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division.

Tickets for home supporters are available now via the link below:

https://srfcdirect.com/match-tickets/

Rovers fans can also pay on the gate Friday evening from 6.30pm.

It was an action packed weekend for our Academy with all six teams in action from Friday to Sunday.

First up on Friday evening at The Showgrounds, our Under 14 side defeated Derry City 3-2 in the Under 14 Eddie Wallace Cup.

Goals from Conor Whittaker (2) and Ryan Lang sealed the win, meaning the side have now won two out of the first three group games.

On Saturday, our Under 17 Women fell to defeat in Athlone, with the hosts winning 6-0 at Athlone Town Stadium.

At The Showgrounds, our Under 17 Men’s side won 1-0 at home to Bray Wanderers in the first game of Phase Two of the League campaign thanks to a late goal from substitute Femi Olajide.

Thats two wins in a row now for the side after a recent cup win over Finn Harps.

Sunday saw three games down for decision with one home game and two games away from home.

At The Showgrounds, our Under 15 side had a 3-0 victory over UCD in the Under 15 Cup thanks to goals from Liam McLaughlin, Jamie O’ Malley and Cathair Tighe.

This was the fifth win on the bounce for this side who are having an impressive season so far.

Our Under 19 Womens team took on Galway United away from home on Sunday afternoon and came away with a 5-3 win in the first game of Group C of their Under 19 Cup.

Katie McGuire scored an impressive hat-trick and Rebecca Doddy added a brace in a high scoring game.

A Conor Campbell goal saw our Under 19 Men’s team win 1-0 away from home against Bray Wanderers in the first game of Phase Two of the League season. This was the second win on the spin for Declan Boyle’s side after a win over Kildare before the break.

In other news, the club were delighted to see eight of our Under 17 Womens team at Under 15 Ireland Assessments on Sunday afternoon.

Lucy Gavin, Lesley Anne Sweeney, Mairead McIntyre, Casey Ruane, Kya McKenna, Amy Murphy, Eve Capriani and McKenzie Reynolds represented the Bit O’ Red in Dublin.

Sion Swifts took the Group C Avenir Sports Women’s All-Island Cup spoils this afternoon with a comprehensive 4-1 second round victory against Sligo Rovers at the Melvin Sports Complex, writes Conall Collier.

The opening half was a cagey affair and the teams turned over on level terms (1-1), but Sion Swifts dictated the exchanges after the break.

Both teams lost in the first round of Group C last weekend with Sion Swifts edged out by the odd goal in three away to Cliftonville while the Bit O’Red lost at home to Bohemian FC.

Both teams needed to win to have any chance of earning a semi-final ticket and Sion Swifts achieved that target, but will need favourable results elsewhere to progress.

Despite the best efforts of the players in this encounter the opening 40 minutes was scoreless.

However, the deadlock was broken a minute later when another Sligo Rovers own goal, this time a deflection off Kate Nugent, gave Sion Swifts the lead.

Undaunted by the setback, the Bit O’Red got back on level terms when Sarah Kiernan rifled a free into the bottom corner of the Swifts net in first-half added time to leave it 1-1 at the interval.

The hosts resumed smartly for the second-half and hit the front again in the 51st minute with a Kerry Brown goal.

The hosts remained in the ascendancy and were rewarded with a third goal with about 20 minutes remaining when Caoirse Doherty finished to the net and effectively sealed the win.

It got worse for the Bit O’Red in the 81st minute when Sion Swifts substitute Tara O’Connor-Farren added a fourth goal for an impressive victory for the hosts.

Sligo Rovers will complete the Group C campaign next weekend with a trip to Belfast to tackle Cliftonville while Sion Swifts will play Bohemian FC.

Sion Swifts – Jennifer Currie: Aimee Neal, Tasmin McCarter, Saoirse Healy, Kelly
Crompton, Zoe McGlynn, Kerry Brown, Cora Chambers, Teegan Lynch, Aoibhe O’Neill, Caoirse Doherty. 

Subs – Caoimhe Walsh for Neal 45 mins, Lauren Haynes for Healy 58m, Tara O’Connor-Farren for Doherty 76m.
 
Sligo Rovers – Bonnie McKiernan; Emma Hansberry, Lauren Boles, Emma Doherty, Casey Howe, Aoife Brennan, Jodie Loughrey, Keela Scanlon, Sarah Kiernan, Alice Lillie, Kate Nugent. 

Subs – Amy Roddy for Nugent, Leah Kelly for Scanlon and Keri Loughrey for Hansberry all 64 mins, Katie Melly for J Loughrey 71 mins, Ciara Henry for Boles 80m.

Sligo Rovers suffered defeat in Dublin on Friday night after a second-half comeback from UCD ensured they took all three points at The UCD Bowl.

Rovers went into the game having to make two changes to the side that drew with Shelbourne in our previous game with Frank Liivak and Greg Bolger both replaced by David Cawley and Stefan Radosavljevic.

The game started with Rovers on top in the early stages. Long spells of possession saw half chances for Max Mata and Stefan Radosavljevic and some good play down the right hand side from Johan Brannefalk.

Rovers took the lead on 23 minutes. Brannefalk’s corner was headed down by John Mahon into the path of David Cawley who’s effort went in off former Rovers’ man Jack Keaney and into the net.

It could have been 2-0 on 39 minutes when Mata was played through by Cawley but the New Zealander’s strike was saved by Kian Moore in the UCD goal.

The second half was much the same as the first. Both sides looked to keep possession but neither goalkeeper were worked in truth and Rovers seemed to be in control.

Greg Bolger and Frank Liivak came on for Cawley and Radosavljevic and the game’s major turning point happened on 73 minutes.

A long ball from UCD ran through toward goalkeeper Luke McNicholas on the edge of his penalty area. McNicholas looked to clear the ball down field but it was charged down by substitute Samuel Clarke and the ball rebounded into the net to bring the Students level.

Kailin Barlow was introduced for Niall Morahan and immediately he found Mata with a good cross but his header went just over the crossbar.

This would come back to haunt Rovers as a minute later, UCD were in front. Alex Nolan’s free kick was brilliantly headed to the net by Jake Doyle on 86 minutes and what looked to be a game in control was all of a sudden turned and UCD hung on for the win, despite a late Mata header which saw a magnificent save from Moore in added time.

Next up for Rovers is a home game with Bohemians on Friday night at The Showgrounds at 7.45pm.

Sligo Rovers are back in action on tonight as we face UCD away from home at 7.45pm.

It will be the second game in a row that Rovers travel to Dublin after our 1-1 draw with Shelbourne at Tolka Park last time out.

The game marks the return to action for all teams following the International break and will be the Bit O’ Red’s 21^st game of the 2023 season.

Manager John Russell is looking forward to getting back to action this evening:

‘’We’re all looking forward to getting back on the pitch on Friday evening. The players have trained well this week and it’s important that they bring that into the game tonight.

‘’We’re still nursing a few injuries but we’re hoping over the next few weeks we will see the return of a few players. We welcome back Max, Nando and Stefan from international duty who will all go into the squad.

UCD are on bottom of the table at present, with Rovers in 8^th position heading into the game.

The last time the sides met was a 3-1 Rovers victory at The Showgrounds in April following February’s 3-2 win for Russell’s side thanks to Max Mata’s hat-trick.

Russell knows the importance of the game on Friday:

‘’We know the threat UCD bring. They have got some good young players and are well coached by Andy Myler and his staff. We will need to be at our best to get a result.

‘’The last time we played in Belfield we had a big support and we’re hoping for another big following this evening’’.

In team news, Rovers have a number of injury worries going into the game.

Long-term absentees Garry Buckley, Gary Boylan, Mark Byrne, Karl O’ Sullivan, James Finnerty, Fabrice Hartmann and Eanna Clancy are all out with their respective injuries.

There was more bad news for Rovers before the game against Shelbourne when Reece Hutchinson as injured in the warm-up and he will miss the next number of weeks with an achilles problem.

Greg Bolger was forced off in the same game and is a doubt for Friday and goalkeeper Conor Walsh is expected to miss out once again with an ankle injury, but is progressing in his rehabilitation.

Max Mata, Nando Pijnaker and Stefan Radosavljevic all returned from International duty with no concerns and all three are available for the game.

The game is Live on LOI TV with a 7.45pm kick-off.