Sligo Rovers face Shamrock Rovers on Saturday night in The Showgrounds in the SSE Airtricity Premier Division.

The Bit O’ Red have had a win, draw and defeat against the Hoops this year.

In team news, Romeo Parkes is out for the rest of the season with a medial ligament injury.

Ronan Murray begins a three-game ban. Ronan Coughlan will have a late injury test.

Dante Leverock returns from suspension.

Liam Buckley said: “I couldn’t fault the players last Sunday. They gave everything and all through this season they’ve worked extremely hard. It didn’t go our way but we still have four games left in our year and we want to consolidate our position. 

“We were back at it this week and we’d like to finish the season as competitively as we can. We’d have to go on a run to catch the teams above us but what I want is to finish with some performances befitting our best this season. 

“We will have to make some changes in coming games because of injuries and suspensions. That said we’ll still be putting out teams to try to win matches and that can win matches. 

“Shamrock Rovers is a tough game as we know, we’d like to maintain our home record and get a result.”

Sligo Rovers are delighted to announce details of our upcoming Halloween Camp, which will take place from October 28^th until November 1^st.

Following on from the success of the Summer Camps, prices remain unchanged with the cost of the camp €60 for one child, €100 for two children from the one family and €135 for three children from the one family.

The optional Breakfast Club which sold out for three weeks during the Summer returns, with the price remaining unchanged at €25 for the week or €10 per morning. The Breakfast Club is limited to 25 participants and must be booked in advance.

The Halloween Camp is open to both boys and girls aged 5 to 15, with each participant receiving a Sligo Rovers Official Training Top, a participation certificate and a photograph with the Sligo Rovers players.

For more information on the Halloween Camp or to make a booking, you can contact the club on 071-9171212 or email administrator@sligorovers.com.

Alternatively you can book online here

Regan Donelon has signed a new contract with Sligo Rovers to stay with the club for the 2020 season.

The 23-year-old made his debut in 2014 having previously been an academy player.

Liam Buckley: “Regan has done well, we’ve used him in a couple of roles this year.

“We rate him highly and being able to deploy him on the left side of a 4-3-3 midfield has been useful because he has a tremendous passing ability and a brilliant left foot.

“The set-piece ability is a major asset to him game as well so he is a valuable member of the squad.

“There is still more to come from him. For a 23-year-old he knows this league very well and we’re looking for him to have his best year yet next year.

“I think he will play a big part in our season next year and he has his best football ahead of him.

“We will be working off quite tight numbers again in 2020, so every player that we sign is going to be very important for us.”

Regan Donelon: “I’m delighted to be staying here for another season, Liam and John have been great throughout the season.

“Hopefully we can build on this season going forward for 2020.

“We’ve learned a lot as a team and a group all season and we’re all going to work even harder to push on to better things again for next season.

“We can be happy with progress, but this club can do a lot better than that still and that is what we are all thinking going into 2020.”

Sligo Rovers 2020 squad:

Goalkeepers:
Ed McGinty
Luke McNicholas (Signed for 2021)

Defenders:
John Mahon
Lewis Banks
Johnny Dunleavy
Regan Donelon

Midfielders:
David Cawley
Niall Morahan (Signed for 2021)

Strikers:
Romeo Parkes
Ronan Murray

The #bitored’s league game with Waterford scheduled for Friday 11 October will now be played next Tuesday 8 October at 7:45pm at the RSC.

The match has been moved because of the Tunnocks Caramel Wafer Cup tie for the Blues later in the week.

Sligo Rovers can confirm that our eight-year primary sponsorship relationship with Volkswagen Connolly’s will conclude at the end of the season.

The sponsorship agreement with VW Connolly’s has been recognised as one of the most successful and mutually beneficial sponsorships in the league in recent times.

Sligo Rovers chairman Martin Heraghty said: “Our relationship with VW Connolly’s began in 2012, a year that will be fondly remembered by us all.

“Since that season Connolly’s have made a large contribution to the progression of the club.  They were with us on our great days and loyal in more challenging times.

“Their legacy at the club also includes the redeveloped Railway End stand that the Volkswagen group made an investment towards during that building project. We saw last Sunday just how valuable that has been to us all.

“We are also proud of our role as Connolly’s continued to expand over this period and that the brand of Sligo Rovers was so beneficial to them. The number of fans who became customers of Connolly’s also showed how respected the partnership has been.

“We want to thank Neil Connolly, Kevin Connolly, Graham Lee and all the team at Connolly’s for their wonderful support. We know they will be fans of the club for life.”

The club is now open to hearing from interested parties who would like to avail of the opportunity to become the primary sponsor for next season and beyond as we aim to build on a very promising year at The Showgrounds.

Republic of Ireland will play two Under-19 matches against Denmark in The Showgrounds later this month.

Tom Mohan’s side – who qualified for the European Championships in the summer that featured on RTÉ television – will play two friendlies against the Danes as they prepare for a new qualification period.

The matches will take place on Friday 11 October at 7:45pm and the following Monday 14 October at 1pm.

Entry is  €5 with Under-18s and OAPs free.

Romeo Parkes suffered a medial ligament injury in Sunday’s FAI Cup tie.

Recovery time is up two months so while the injury is set to rule Romeo out for the remaining four league games this season, he will be fit to start pre-season for 2020.

Dundalk FC have returned over 200 tickets.

These tickets will be on sale on Sunday 11am to 1pm in The Showgrounds offices beside the front gate. Demand is big, first come first served. 

The Jinks Avenue Stand can now be accessed by home fans. 

Online purchase not available

Please share. #bitored 

Sligo Rovers face Dundalk in front of a sold out Showgrounds on Sunday, kick-off 5pm.

In team news, Dante Leverock is suspended but Rovers have an otherwise complete squad with Johnny Dunleavy returning from a foot problem.

In an interview ahead of the FAI Cup semi-final, Liam Buckley said on the following subjects:

On his side now believing they can win games regularly: “I just like winning. I like the thoughts of winning. I like that everyone now is thinking ‘can we win?’ in big games. It is that expectation that I want in the dressing-room. That drives you on. You need to be organised, driven, fit, supporting each other, all of that dynamic. If you get that you’ll have a great chance of winning stuff.

“It is nice to have this important game and all that comes with it. It is just another game in the season from our point of view. It’s an important one, don’t get me wrong. It would get us to the Aviva which would mean so much to so many people at our football club. Hopefully we get that bit of luck and get through.”

Can you beat Dundalk: “We will have our game plan, it’s a one-off game. We can’t afford to think this is something where it can be easy at any point over 90 minutes. We have to limit them. They will get chances, no doubt about that. We have to play to get chances because it will only happen by design. You will see improvement in us in the future because of the work we have done this year and you’ll see it for the rest of this season and next season. We will be better for some of the stuff we have worked on.  They are a top team, they retained their players this year and brought in one or two to strengthen up and I’m sure they’ll do the same next year. They are at a slightly different level to where we are at, along with Shamrock Rovers as well. Those two clubs would have greater resources. That said, we’ll have XI out on the night and if our players are organised collectively and driven, we’ll give ourselves a chance.”

“We are going to have to put in a shift but we have to believe we are going to do it. I do believe we will do it and we have to have a mentality across the board to say ‘let’s get at it’. Dundalk have 23 or 24 players, they could put out two teams where either team would be in the top three here, if not winning it. That is where they are at. The Cup is on the day. You need bit of luck which I’ve had myself over the years. Hopefully we get it on the day.”

On what it would mean (question relates to beating Sligo in the Cup as a player and manager!): “I would be the happiest man in Sligo on Sunday if we win because I know the consequence of it is an opportunity in a final. There is a lot at stake. That said, I do see improvement in the group. They are settled, they have a good dynamic and it’s a help going forward for sure.”

On over 4,000 present:  “It’s great to have that support. You’re playing for 3,500 Sligo Rovers fans here on the day or close to it and it is a big game. I hope it is the first of many to come. We want them behind us, I think they will be behind us because they have done so all season. Dundalk will be used to big occasions.  It’s a 90-minute game. We’ll prepare as best we can, and see where it takes us.”