Saturday sees our under 17 Women’s National League side finally open their season with a game against Shamrock Rovers at The Sean Fallon Centre.

Our opening two fixtures were postponed against Peamount United and Donegal, so the girls are eagerly awaiting tomorrow’s fixture.

Danny O’ Leary has had some time to work with the squad since arriving in August with training sessions at both at The Showgrounds and our partner IT Sligo’s training facilities. Unfortunately, the game is strictly behind closed doors with just one parent per player allowed watch the game.

Brian Dorrian takes his under 19 side to Finn Park to take on Finn Harps at the same time tomorrow in a curtain raiser to the senior fixture on Monday night at The Showgrounds.

It’s the team’s second game of the season and they will be hoping for an improved result than the 2-0 defeat against Derry City on match day one.

Our under 17 and 15 teams both have a weekend off from competitive action.

Alan Farry takes his under 13 squad to our friends at Ballinamallard for a friendly at 12 noon on Saturday.

We wish all players and staff the best of luck and wish to again thank all our underage sponsors:

Pure Telecom

EJ Menswear

Ivor Park Painter and Decorators

O’ Connor Cabins

Verus Metrology

Our 500 club is one of the club’s most important fundraising initiatives, with the draw continuing each month over the COVID 19 pandemic, with prizes for the monthly draws remaining unaffected at €500 as the top prize.

If you are interested in joining, you can visit https://www.sligorovers.com/500-club/ for more information. The cost of joining is less than €5 per week over the course of a year.

The 500 Club was founded in 2003, and our aim is to keep the 500 Club going strong and increasing these numbers in the coming months.

Our winners for July were as follows:

• €500 – Dessie Kilcullen, Skreen.
• €100 – Joe Gannon, Rosses Point
• €100 – Paul Gileece, Circular Road
• €100 – Michael Conmy, Culleens, Co Sligo
• €100 – John Gerard, Lord Edward St, Sligo
• €100 – Stephen Gilroy, Tonaphubble
• €50 – Joe Davey, Ballisodare
• €50 – Niall Harrison, Cliffoney
• €50 – Sean Dwyer, Cartron Point, Sligo
• €50 – Patrick Gavin, Aylesbury Park, Sligo

The 500 Club winners for August were:

• €500 – Myles Phillips, Rathcormac
• €100 – Eddie Gethins, Cartron Estate
• €100 – Seamus Gallagher, Crossmolina, Co Mayo
• €100 – O’Brien & Brett, Ballinacarrow
• €100 – Aidan Meehan, Blue Lagoon, Sligo
• €100 – Ray Gallagher, Strandhill Road
• €50 – Noel Kelly, Teeling Street, Sligo
• €50 – Frank Clancy, Corofin, Galway
• €50 – Mark Mullholland, Markievicz Road, Sligo
• €50 – Frank Carr, Cedar Drive, Sligo.

We wish to thank the Friends of Sligo Rovers 500 Club committee for their continued hard work. Their efforts each year are a massive help to the football club.

Thanks to all those who are part of The 500 Club, and we invite supporters to join if they are able to do so.

It was another victory for our under 15 team on Saturday who defeated Finn Harps at The Sean Fallon Centre.

The lads fell behind early on after a cross from the right hand side was headed home at the back post to give Harps the lead.

Rovers reacted quickly and equalised through defender Niall Holohan, before goals from Ronan Clarke, Shay O’ Neill, Conor Devaney, Owen Elding and an Adam Nugent hat-trick helped the team to their third win of the season.

In Donegal, at the same time, our under 15 side recorded a 5-0 win over the same opposition.

Johnny Kenny scored his second hat-trick in as many games and Mayo man Aidan McHale scored a brace to seal the three points. The Rovers were solid defensively and dangerous in attack, with many fine performances on the day.

Our under 19 team had the disappointment of a postponement on Friday night, where they were due to travel to Bishopsgate to take on Longford Town. The game was called off due to a waterlogged pitch.

The under 13 squad had a 2-0 win over St Josephs of Dublin in a friendly at The Sean Fallon Centre on Sunday morning.

Our ladies team continued to train and prepare for this weekend’s game at home to Shamrock Rovers (2pm Saturday). Manager Danny O’ Leary and his squad will get their season underway with a tough test against the Dubliners at The Sean Fallon Centre.

Well done to all our staff, players and parents for their continued efforts in these challenging times.

It was a mixed weekend for our academy teams last weekend with two wins and two defeats from our four league matches.

Tonight sees the start of our next game week with our under 19 team facing Longford Town at 7pm at Bishopsgate. The Bit O’ Red are without Tyler Stallard who is suspended and Darragh Forde who continues to recover from injury. Rovers will be looking to get points on the board after last weekends 2-0 defeat at home to Derry City.

On Saturday, our under 15 and 17 teams both face Finn Harps at 2pm. The under 15 side have made a good start to their league campaign with maximum points from the opening two games. A number of the squad were present at an FAI assessment day at Abbottstown on Thursday, but are fit for selection against the Ballybofey side.

Ryan Casey’s under 17 side travel to The Curragh in Donegal to face the same opposition at 2pm. Johnny Kenny’s impressive hat trick as well as a Kailin Barlow free kick and a Bridel Bosakani goal saw the Bit O’ Red win 5-0 in Longford on Sunday last, and they will be keen to impress again against a good Finn Harps team.

Our under 13 team have no game this weekend, but continue to train with a training session on Sunday morning under manager Alan Farry.

Danny O’ Leary and his ladies team must wait patiently for their next game, with a free weekend for them again. The girls train this evening at The Showgrounds, with their next game being next Saturday at 2pm against Shamrock Rovers at The Sean Fallon Centre.

We wish to thank our sponsors Pure Telecom, Ivor Park, O’ Connor Cabins/Knoxpark Developments, ejmenswear.com and Verus Metrology.

Our underage teams are all in action this weekend, with five games down for decision today and tomorrow.

Alan Farry and Kieran Brick take their under 13 squad to Aileach, Donegal for a 2pm kick off against Derry City. The lads have had a long pre season since February and are ready to kick start their campaign this afternoon. We want to wish all our under 13 squad the best of luck in their first competitive game for the club.

Also today, Saturday in Ballisodare, Conor O’Grady, Marcel Gordon and Paul Masterson will see their under 15 squad take on Cavan/Monaghan at 2pm. The lads had an impressive start to the season last weekend against Derry City, winning 5-0 in Donegal. The game is strictly behind closed doors with only one parent per player permitted to attend. We wish to thank everyone at Ballisodare United FC for the use of their fantastic new all weather facility for today’s game.

In Letterkenny at 5.30pm this evening, Danny O’Leary and our under 17 ladies team take on Donegal. After the dissapointment of last weekend’s fixture against Peamount being postponed, the girls will be looking forward to starting their season with a tough away fixture. The ladies staff and committee have put in fantastic work in 2020 to get the squad ready for today’s game, and we wish them all the best of luck for the season.

On Sunday, Ryan Casey, Packie Lynch, Nigel Naughton and Ultan McKenna travel with their under 17 squad to Bishopsgate to take on Longford Town at 2pm. The lads had an entertaining game against Derry City last weekend at The Sean Fallon Centre which ended all square. This talented group of players will be looking to pick up their first three points of the shortened season against a good Longford side.

Finally, Brian Dorrian, Johnny Dunleavy, John McAteer and Brian Morihan have been preparing their under 19 players for tomorrow’s season opener against Derry City. The squad have been working hard in pre season and over the past few months as they awaited for a return to play.

This game is again behind closed doors at The Sean Fallon Centre, and we ask people not to congregate outside to watch the game as this will not allow for proper social distancing.

Thanks to all our underage sponsors Joma Sport, Pure Telecom, O’ Connor Cabins, Ivor Parke, ejmenswear.com and Verus Metrology.

Our underage teams have been in training for the last 6 weeks in preparation for their respective league campaigns which begin this weekend.

It has been a long time since March when football was suspended due to the Covid 19 pandemic, but each player is ready to return to competitive action after some recent friendly matches as part of their mini pre season.

This weekend sees both our u15 and u17 teams take on Derry City. 

At The Sean Fallon Centre, Ryan Casey’s under 17 squad host The Candystripes this afternoon.

Conor O’Grady’s under 15’s make the long journey north to Greencastle, County Donegal to face the same opposition tomorrow at 4pm.

Our under 13 side travel to Athlone for their final pre season game on Saturday while our under 19 squad continue to train over the next week before their season opener a week on Sunday, also against Derry City. 

In The Women’s National u17 league our Bit O Red girls were due to face Peamount United this evening at The Sean Fallon Centre, however this game has been postponed due to lockdown measures in counties Kildare, Laois & Offaly, where some of the Peamount squad reside.

The girls’ season now commences in Letterkenny against Donegal on Saturday next. 

We would like to thank all our underage players and staff for their great efforts over the last few months which included some important charity donations to our friends at Sligo Cancer Support Centre.

Since March, all our players have been training on their own before returning to group training in July. This was driven by our dedicated group of coaches who continue to dedicate their time and effort into our youth system.

We also want to thank our players’ families who have shown great support to the players over the last few months and who have been extra patient and understanding lately with behind closed doors trainings and friendlies.

We wish everyone the best of luck on our return to action. 

Our 500 club continues as one of the club’s most important fundraisers each season. In it’s 18th year, The 500 Club is the modern day membership scheme for Sligo Rovers.

For €20 per month or €240 per year (Less than €5 per week), it is an ideal way to make a contribution to Sligo Rovers and be part in making the club a success both off the pitch and on it.

Vincent Nally and his 500 club committee recently held draws for April, May and June, with Paul Gilleece, Noel Kelly & Mary Kelly all getting themselves the €500 monthly prize. We had 27 other winners over the three month period, each taking home either €50 or €100.

Results:

If you are interested in becoming a 500 Club member please email michaelclancy04@gmail.com with your name and contact details. If you wish to join you can make payment in a number of ways:

Online:

It is now available to join via Paypal.

You can sign up for monthly payments of €20 for 12 months or in a one off payment of €240.

Users can pay by credit/ debit card or by logging into their PayPal account. This is an ideal method of payment for exiled fans abroad. However there is a small additional charge in respect of PayPal’s processing fee.

Online Store:

https://srfcdirect.com/search.php?search_query=500+club

Through your bank:

You can also make payment in a one off bank transfer or alternatively by monthly direct debit mandate of €20. Further details are available upon request by e-mailing michaelclancy04@gmail.com

Congrats to all our prize winners and thanks to all our 500 Club members.

We would like to take the time during these uncertain times to thank the people who have helped us up until now.

Our partners, Fit Food Meals continue to deliver healthy meals nationwide from their base in Galway. Fit Food Meals was established in 2019 and has quickly grown due to their high-quality meals and convenient delivery service. We aligned with them due to their passion for great taste, results and advancing human potential through convenience and bespoke nutrition.

They have assisted our senior players by providing them with personalised meals to optimise their performance on and off the pitch since the launch of our partnership in January. They have been an essential part of the player’s healthy lifestyle and will continue to help them when football resumes.

If you are interested in levelling up your nutrition, you can go to their website www.fitfoodmeals.ie , you won’t regret it!”