Sligo Rovers began pre-season with a win over Fleetwood Town on Friday evening in England, with John Russell’s side running out 5-1 winners thanks to goals from Cillian Heaney, Max Mata, Daniel Lafferty, Johan Brannefalk and Fabrice Hartmann.

The Bit O’ Red were due to face Stoke City at Clayton Wood in Stoke before the game was unfortunately cancelled due to heavy snowfall in the area.

There were first starts for James Finnerty, Daniel Lafferty and Bogdan Vastsuk with John Mahon also starting after his signing from St. Johnstone last weekend. Karl O’ Sullivan started at right back. Luke McNicholas returned in goal following his ankle injury at the end of 2022 and Sean McAteer was given his first start at senior level partnering Greg Bolger and Vastsuk in midfield. Academy graduate Cillian Heaney started on the left with Frank Liivak on the right and Aidan Keena in attack.

Rovers made a bright start with Aidan Keena latching onto a through ball down the left and breaking into the penalty area, seeing his shot stopped by the Fleetwood goalkeeper.

Moments later Rovers did score. Keena played Frank Liivak in down the right hand side and the Estonian’s cross was met by Cillian Heaney at the back post and the man from Westport made no mistake, steadying himself before placing the ball in the top corner from 12 yards.

Rovers kept good possession and created a couple more half chances as the half went on but it was 1-0 at the break.

John Russell made nine changes at half time with all bar Lafferty and McAteer making way for Conor Walsh in goal, Johan Brannefalk, Eanna Clancy, Nando Pijnaker at the back, Lukas Browning and Kailin Barlow in the middle and Will Fitzgerald, Max Mata and Fabrice Hartmann up front. David Cawley was brough on sixty minutes as he continues his recovery from a hip operation in October. Niall Morahan wasn’t risked on the all-weather facility as he also continues his recovery from a recent ankle injury however he could feature on Monday.

The second half started well for Rovers with Max Mata converting a penalty in the 47^th minute.

Daniel Lafferty scored his first goal for the club minutes later before Johan Brannefalk and Fabrice Hartmann got in on the act before 65 minutes to make it 5-0 to Rovers.

The hosts pulled a goal back from a corner with twenty minutes remaining but, the fixture proved to be an important workout for the squad and, we thank Fleetwood for giving us the opportunity to play the game at short notice.

A 22-man squad made the journey to The UK with the friendly being the start of a four-day camp overall, with training on Saturday and Sunday at The FA’s base at St. George’s Park in Burton-On-Trent.

The camp will end with a fixture against Wigan Athletic Under 21’s after our fixture with Nottingham Forrest was cancelled due to Forrest’s Under 21 side having a last-minute fixture change, meaning they now have a competitive fixture Monday evening after it was postponed on Friday.

Sligo Rovers will depart for a pre-season camp in St. George’s Park in England tomorrow, Friday which will last a total of four days, with the squad returning to Sligo on Monday.

Manager John Russell and his squad were scheduled to face Stoke City Under 21’s at their Clayton Wood training ground however, this fixture has been cancelled due to a frozen pitch at the venue after a heavy snowfall in the area overnight.

Instead, Rovers will travel to take on Fleetwood Town at 2.30pm on Friday afternoon in a behind closed doors friendly. The game will take place at Town’s Poolfoot Farm training ground.

The Bit O’ Red then travel South to Burton-on-Trent where they will spend three days on site at St. George’s Park, home of the English FA.

There will be a number of training sessions over the weekend with a game against Nottingham Forrest Under 21’s scheduled for 11am on Monday morning at the same venue before the squad fly home.

The trip has been kindly sponsored by our friends at Pet Stop Discount Warehouse

Your business can become an Associate Sponsor of the club for just €300 for a Season Ticket booklet that can be used to treat staff or customers to Sligo Rovers match tickets in 2023.

Each book contains 18 Match Tickets which can be used at any game this season.

Sponsors also receive a space in our Match programme and wesbite as well as a window sticker for your business to show you support the club in 2023.

BUY: https://srfcdirect.com/2023-associate-sponsor-book/?showHidden=true

Sligo Rovers will take on Galway United at United Park in Westport, home of Westport United on Saturday, January 28th in a pre-season friendly.

The game takes place at 2pm and all proceeds will be going towards Galway based charity, ACT for Meningitis.

Westport United will also hold a ceremony before the game, in memory of former player Adam Mulchrone, who sadly passed away from Meningitis four years ago, with the Mayo club’s pitch to become the Adam Mulchrone Memorial pitch.

Supporters in attendance will be asked to make a donation of their choice rather than paying a set entry fee.

It will see a return to Westport for their former players Cillian Heaney and Conor Walsh who are now part of The Bit O’ Red squad having signed for the our Under 15’s from the Mayo club.

Sligo Rovers can confirm that defender Gary Boylan has sustained an ACL injury in training this week which is expected keep him out of action for the majority of the 2023 season.

We will now support Gary in his recovery over the coming months and our thoughts are with him.

This Monday’s Sligo Rovers Lotto Jackpot is a massive €17,000

The draw will take place at The Showgrounds on Monday at 3.30pm.

For your chance to win the big prize, enter our lotto online via the link below from just €2 per line, or you can play three lines for €5

https://sligoroversfc.clubforce.com/products/sligo-rovers-fc-lotto

Sligo Rovers are delighted to announce the signing of John Mahon on a permanent basis from St. Johnstone until the end of the 2024 SSE Airtricity Premier Division season.

Mahon had been a big part of the club’s success in qualifying for European football from the 2020 and 2021 seasons before joining the Scottish Premiership side last January, months after being named Sligo Rovers’ Player of The Year from the 2021 season.

The Sligo born defender returns to The Bit O’ Red today and will join up with his Rovers team-mates over the weekend as they continue preparations for the new 2023 season.

Manager John Russell is delighted to secure Mahon’s signature:

‘’I’m excited with the signing of John Mahon.

‘’John has turned down much larger financial packages in order to return to Sligo Rovers but, this clearly demonstrates his loyalty, commitment and his love for the club.

‘’John has come up through the academy here and he knows the league well having put in some outstanding performances before making his move to Scotland last year.

‘’Being a proper defender, John is aggressive in and out of possession. He has a warrior mentality – he leaves everything on the pitch which I know the fans appreciate.

‘’John hasn’t played a lot of football in the last 12 months so it’s important we are patient and help him regain his fitness, sharpness and confidence. There is no doubting his quality.

‘’I know from our conversations he is looking forward to joining the group, working hard and getting back enjoying his football.

‘’I’m sure the fans will be excited about John’s return’’.

Shamrock Rovers are the visitors to The Showgrounds on Saturday February 18^th and with the game expected to be a sell-out, the club are advising supporters who do not have a season ticket to get yours now online via www.srfcdirect.com or at The Showgrounds office.

The match will be an all-ticket game with tickets expected to go on sale from The Showgrounds in the next fortnight for a game that could be a second debut for Mahon, who is thrilled to be back home with his boyhood club:

‘’I am absolutely delighted to be back at Sligo Rovers today.

‘’It has been a tough few months for me and, I was delighted to know the club wanted me back.

‘’The moment I started speaking to John I knew it was the best move for me as from working with him in the past I know he will give me a chance and opportunity to play football.

‘’The season is just a few weeks away and I’m already looking forward to the opening game against Shams.

‘’I am happy to be home and back where I belong and to continue where I left off last year. There is some unfinished business and, I can’t wait to get going”

Mahon first joined Rovers as an Under 17 squad from his local side Ballisodare United. He then progressed through to the Under 19 team before signing his first professional contract in 2017 after making his first-team debut against St. Patrick’s Athletic at The Showgrounds.

The big central defender has already made over 90 appearances for the club and will be part of John Russell’s squad who travel to play Stoke City and Nottingham Forrest next weekend in England.

Mahon will return and wear the number 21 shirt, a number he wore before his departure.

The best chance you have to watch his second debut will be by buying your 2023 Sligo Rovers season ticket today.

Sligo Rovers are delighted to announce that versatile midfielder Aife Haran has re-signed for the club ahead of the new SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division season.

Haran was part of the club’s first ever Under-17 Women’s National League side, before moving on to play for Athlone Town and ultimately ending up back at The Showgrounds in the summer transfer window last season, going on to become a consistent performer between then and the end of the season.

The Ballinacarrow native started her football with Strand Celtic at the age of eight and played up as far as Under 18 level.

Haran won seven league medals Strand, while also representing Sligo/Leitrim Emerging Talent squads, and represented Connacht at Under 15 level.

The midfielder spent two years with the Rovers’ Under 17s team and scored the club’s first goal in the underage Women’s National League as she scored versus Peamount United.

‘’I’m delighted to be re-signing with Sligo Rovers and looking forward to the 2023 season.

‘’I think it’ll be important that we use last year’s experience to push on and gain more consistency throughout the season.

‘’Steve and his management team have a vision for success and I’m excited to work with them again’’.

Manager Steve Feeney is happy with this latest addition to his 2023 squad:

Aife is a player we wanted to bring in earlier than last July but, we had to wait and we were excited to be able to bring her back to The Showgrounds.

‘’We’re really happy she is with us now for the full season as her quality will help us throughout 2023.

‘’Aife is a local who had to go play her senior football outside of Sligo until Rovers were in a position to begin life in the league and now that we can provide this platform for these players, that is what it’s all about.

Rovers begin pre-season training tonight at The Showgrounds with our opening game against Shamrock Rovers just over seven weeks away.

Season tickets will be available in the coming days for just €50

Sligo Rovers are delighted to announce that defender Helen Monaghan has re-signed for the club ahead of the new SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division season.

Monaghan has been part of the club’s academy and was a key player for our Under 19 Women’s team in 2022 as well as an important part of Steve Feeney’s Senior squad in our first Women’s National League season.

Helen spent time at Sligo/Leitrim youth level with local club Yeats United before joining The Bit O’ Red in 2019, meaning she will go into her fifth season at The Showgrounds in 2023.

Manager Steve Feeney is thrilled Helen will be with the squad this year:

‘’I am happy that Helen has agreed to re-sign with us this season. She proved to be a hugely influential player for the Under 19 team last year and was very important to us also at senior level, making a number of impressive performances.

‘’Helen has plenty of talent and we’re looking forward to seeing her progress at the club over the coming months and years’’.

Sligo Rovers Women take on Shamrock Rovers Women on Saturday March 4^th at The Showgrounds in the opening game of the new season.

Season tickets go on sale soon for just €50, which gives supporters access to every match in 2023.

Monaghan is delighted to be back with the club this season:

‘’I am delighted to be signing with Sligo Rovers for the coming season.

‘’After playing with the Academy for several seasons I am thrilled to get to sign for the senior team.

‘’I am really looking forward to the season and to continue to develop as a team’’.

Steve Feeney, his staff and players return to pre-season training tomorrow night at The Showgrounds.

Sligo Rovers are delighted to announce the appointment of Sean Flannery as the new Men’s First Team Head of Strength & Conditioning after the departure of Mark Howley.

Flannery took up the same position back in 2016 before departing to set up his new business and returns today and will oversee the implementation of the teams Strength & Conditioning and fitness programme throughout the 2023 SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division season.

Sean runs his own business, SFX Sport & Fitness, located in Rathcormac in Sligo.

Flannery is a former Bit O’ Red player having played for the club between 1998 and 2007.

Sean is thrilled to be back involved at The Showgrounds for 2023:

”It is great to be back involved in The Showgrounds.

”I spoke with John Russell before Christmas and he outlined what he was looking for from the role and I am delighted to now be part of the team again.

”I am looking forward to the season ahead, getting to know all the players, getting some solid work done and continuing the good work Mark Howley has put in place the past couple of seasons”.

The Bit O’ Red squad have been put through their paces with their new Strength and Conditioning coach over the past few days since the return to pre-season training. Flannery will join the squad on a pre-season training trip to The UK next week to oversee the side’s training programme across the weekend.