Sligo Rovers make the trip to Dublin for the final time in 2024 this Friday, as the Bit O’Red visit Tolka Park for the second occasion this season to take on title-chasing Shelbourne, kick-off 7.45pm.

Rovers face Shels in front of the Virgin Media television cameras as both camps try to pick up as many vital league points as possible between now and the end of the season. 

This will be Rovers’ second visit to Drumcondra this season and the fourth meeting of the sides this year. John Russell’s charges have come out on top in two of the three preceding games against the league leaders, who sit three points ahead of Derry City going into Friday’s game. A win for Rovers could see them return to the top four depending on results elsewhere. 

The Dubliners beat Rovers in the first clash between the pair in Sligo back in March. While goals from Kailin Barlow and Fabrice Hartmann cancelled out Sean Boyd’s strike for Shels to hand Rovers the points at Tolka on the last day of May. Sligo then beat Damien Duff’s men again last month at the Showgrounds, Will Fitzgerald and Wilson Waweru finding the net either side of Evan Caffrey’s goal early in the second period. 

In team news, Waweru begins his journey back to fitness and will not travel. The striker was stretchered off having sustained an achilles injury shortly after his equalising goal against Dundalk last Saturday. The 23-year-old will meet with a specialist today (Thursday) to further assess the injury. 

Defenders John Mahon and Conor Reynolds continue their rehab, while winger Stephen Mallon is likely to miss the rest of the season due to injury. Stefan Radosavljevic is yet to prove his fitness and won’t travel. 

Jack Henry-Francis returns to the squad having missed that Dundalk victory through suspension.

Ahead of Friday’s game, Russell said it’s early days in terms of appraising Waweru’s fitness. The Rovers boss is also enjoying the run-in as he looks to steer the club to as high a position as possible.  

“We don’t have the full picture on Wilson just yet”, he says. “So we’ll wait to see what the specialist says. He’s been in super form for us since the summer and will be a big loss should he miss the rest of the year. But that’s why we have a squad and it gives the chance for another player to take Wilson’s place and impress. 

“It’s another weekend and another huge game for us. We weren’t at our best against Dundalk but we were happy with how we grinded out the win regardless. We showed plenty of character and maturity to turn that game around and that’s a real positive for us. 

“At this stage of the season, it’s all about picking up points and as many as you can regardless of performance. 

“Tolka is one of the toughest places to go. We’re playing the league leaders and possibly the champions of Ireland. But we always back ourselves and I have great faith in this team under any circumstance. Our next two games are against the top two so it’ll be tough but you’ve got to enjoy and embrace these challenges. We’re still in with a shout of finishing in a European spot with five games to go and that tells you how well we’ve done this year.”

David Goulden  

Sligo Rovers 0-1 Athlone Town

By Conall Collier

It wasn’t pretty as the heavyweight had to slug it out over 90 minutes against the perceived lightweight at the Showgrounds on Sunday where a cruel deflection gave Athlone Town the crucial Women’s FAI Cup semi-final winning goal against hosts Sligo Rovers.

Neither was it evident that a massive 34 points separates double-chasing Athlone Town from bottom of the table Sligo Rovers.

There was a late change foe Sligo Rovers before kick-off when Amber Hardy sustained a knock during warm up and was replaced between the posts by Bonnie McKiernan.

Two changes from last week’s draw saw Alice Lillie and Eimear Lafferty come into the starting 11 for Kate Nugent and Rachel McGoldrick.

Athlone Town looked comfortable for long periods in the game, but the Westmeath side found the going more challenging against 11 players in comparison to the last encounter when a first minute red card reduced the Bit O’Red to 10 players.

On that occasion Athlone won impressively by 5-1 in a League encounter, but today at the Showgrounds the outcome was in the balance until referee Alan Patchell ended the contest after about seven minutes of added time.

Four minutes added time was announced, but then there was a lengthy period of attention for an Athlone Town player in the 92^nd minute and in fairness to the referee he added on time that also allowed for other time-wasting tactics.

This wasn’t a spectacle of free-flowing football, but it produced further evidence of the progress that the home side has made in recent weeks – they are no longer a pushover and the players can certainly look forward to the next three games with some optimism.

Athlone had early chances from Brenda Tabe and Madison Gibson who was narrowly off target on two occasions, but they struggled to seize the initiative as Sligo Rovers settled and Keeva Flynn dictated from the back.

However, Athlone pressure was rewarded in the 32^nd minute when Shauna Brennan’s shot took a deflection off a Sligo Rovers player and flashed past Bonnie McKiernan for a 1-0 interval advantage.

Keri Loughrey had the best chances for Sligo Rovers in each half, but she just couldn’t make the breakthrough while Roisin Molloy had opportunities for Athlone, but overall the second-half was a dour battle.

Sligo Rovers lost Keeva Flynn to a head injury with about 20 minutes remaining as Athlone stood strong and progressed to a third successive decider.

Sligo Rovers – Bonnie McKiernan; Alice Lillie, Cara King, Kelsey Munroe, Keeva Flynn, Emma Hansberry, Muireann Devaney, Paula McGrory, Keri Loughrey, Eimear Lafferty, Anna McDaniel.

Subs – Rachel McGoldrick for Flynn and Kate Nugent for King both 70 mins, Katie Melly for Hansberry, Leah Kelly for McGrory and Jessica Casey for Lafferty all 80m, Sarah Kiernan for Lillie 86m,

Athlone Town – Katie Keane; Kellier Brennan, Kayleigh Shine, Shauna Brennan, Kate Slevin, Laurie Ryan, Roisin Molloy, Brenda Tabe, Madison Gibson, Emily Burke, Ciara O’Neill. Sub – Isobel Ryan for Burke 77 mins.

Referee – Alan Patchell.

Assistant-referees – Richard Storey, Fintan Butler.

Fourth Official – Aaron O’Dowd.

The 2024 Annual Draw which took place last night at our home game against Dundalk, was hailed a major success for the club reaching a new record total of €130,300 raised.

The club would like to sincerely thank everyone who supported the draw this year.

The club also wishes to acknowledge and thank all the volunteers who worked tirelessly and with great dedication since the Annual Draw was launched a number of months ago. The 2024 total breaks last year’s record of €108,300 by some distance.

Congratulations to all prizewinners, including Patrick Downes of Ransboro, Sligo who won first prize of €5,000. Full list of prizewinners are detailed below:

1st prize Patrick Downes, Ransboro – €5,000
2nd Aaron Deering, Roscommon – €1,000 Pet Stop Discount Warehouse Voucher
3rd Keith McMcMorrow – One night Bed and Breakfast for two and dinner in the Clayton Hotel Liffey Valley
4th V McCullagh,Teesan – 2 Corporate Tickets for a Liverpool home match
5th Gerry O’Reilly – 2025 Sligo Rovers Season Ticket
6th Simon McVann, Cloonacool – €200 Kate’s Kitchen Voucher
7th Coleman’s Electronics – €200 Elverys Voucher
8th Neil Connolly – €200 Ticketmaster Voucher
9th Donal Egan, Oxfield – 2 Tickets for Mamma Mia 28/9/24
10th Alan Greer, Skreen – Signed Republic of Ireland jersey

Second half goals from Wilson Waweru and Ellis Chapman turned this game on its head as Sligo Rovers beat Dundalk at the Showgrounds.

Robbie Benson had given the Lilywhites the lead courtesy of a controversial first half penalty. But a battling Rovers fought back to record their seventh straight league win on home soil and were aided by a winderful last-gasp save from goalkeeper Ed McGinty.

The win sees the Bit O’Red move into fourth, level on points with Shamrock Rovers who occupy the final automatic European qualification spot. 

Dundalk’s cause was further hampered in the second half by the dismissal of defender Hayden Cann 15 minutes from time. 

The night was capped off by the news that the club had raised a record €130,300 in this year’s annual draw. 

On the pitch and despite their recent off-the-field woes, it was Dundalk who enjoyed the better of the first half.

Rovers boss John Russell welcomed club captain Niall Morahan back to the starting eleven after the Leitrim man had missed last week’s defeat to Shamrock Rovers through suspension. Morahan Sligo’s only change from that defeat at Tallaght Stadium.

The visitors for their part also made the one switch, Jad Hakiki replacing Scott McGill who had started the recent loss to Waterford. 

Despite their recent off-the-field woes, it was Dundalk who enjoyed the better of the first half.

Winger Daryl Horgan bent an effort over the Sligo crossbar from inside the area six minutes in, while Will Fitzgerald’s shot flashed past the far post at the opposite end three minutes later. 

The visitors had the lead on 24 minutes in controversial circumstances when referee Marc Lynch ruled that the ball had hit Connor Malley’s arm. A decision which enraged the home bench who argued both that the ball had hit Malley’s shoulder and that the former Dundalk man was outside the box when the incident happened.

Unfazed by the surrounding fuss, Benson knocked his spot kick beyond McGinty, although the on-loan net minder did get a touch to the ball. 

Rovers did manufacture chances in this period. Unmarked at the far post, Ollie Denham headed Simon Power’s set piece over Ross Munro’s crossbar on the half hour. While Power’s swerving drive from 35 yards out moved in the air before it smacked back off Munro’s post. 

The lively Horgan twice threatened before the break. His effort clipped Gareth McElroy on its way past McGinty’s post while the Galway man pulled an excellent save from Sligo stopper late in the first half. 

Chasing that seventh straight league win on home turf, Russell’s men almost leveled the game on 55 minutes only for a superb block from Munro who denied Fitzgerald from close range. 

The hosts restored parity on 69 when despite facing away from goal, Waweru managed to head Power’s cross from the left beyond the scrambling Munro for his tenth goal of the year. 

Waweru’s night was brought to a halt minutes later when he was stretchered off with what looked like an achilles injury but spiritis were lifted once more when Rovers hit the lead with 15 to go. 

A jaded looking Cann pushed sub Luke Pearce to the floor as the Cardiff loanee ran through on goal. Referee Lynch showed little hesitation in awarding the penalty and sending the stricken Cann to the stands. Chapman was then on target from the resulting penalty for his ninth goal of the season. 

Dundalk threw their lot at Rovers during the final moments. A world-class save from McGinty kept out a Robbie Mahon header from just yards out, while the same man kept out Jamie Gullan in the dying moments of those added minutes.  

Sligo Rovers: Ed McGinty; JR Wilson, Gareth McElroy, Ollie Denham, Reece Hutchinson; Niall Morahan, Conor Malley (Luke Pearce 62); Will Fitzgerald, Ellis Chapman, Simon Power; Wilson Waweru (Kailin Barlow 74). 

Dundalk: Ross Munro; Dan Pike, Andy Boyle, Hayden Cann, John Mountney; Aodh Dervin, Jad Hakikii (Dara Keane 71), Robbie Benson (Norman Garbett 84); Daryl Horgan (Robbie Mahon 84), Ryan O’Kane (Bobby Faulkner 77); Eoin Kenny (Jamie Gullan 71). 

Referee: Marc Lynch. 

Attendance: 2,754. 

David Goulden

Sligo Rovers captain Niall Morahan returns to the Bit O’Red’s match day squad for Saturday’s Premier Division clash with Dundalk at the Showgrounds, kick-off 7.45pm.

The Rovers skipper missed last week’s defeat to Shamrock Rovers through suspension courtesy of an accumulation of yellow cards, but returns in time to face the Lilywhites on Saturday. This is welcome news for manager John Russell who will be without Jack Henry-Francis, who replaced Morahan in the starting eleven for that game in Tallaght. Henry-Francis himself is unavailable for the Dundalk game as he serves a one game ban for two yellow cards picked up in that loss in Dublin.

Elsewhere Stefan Radosavljevic, John Mahon and Conor Reynolds will not take part due to injuries. Stephen Mallon is also unavailable. 

While Owen Elding will be assessed leading up to the kick-off.

The teams are evenly matched this term with one win, one draw and one defeat against each other. Rovers put five past Dundalk in the first meeting of the sides in Oriel Park back in March, while the Louth men took a point from the Showgrounds one month later. John Daly’s side then took all three points in the last game between the clubs in Dundalk in June. 

Rovers will look to keep up their superb home form, having won all of their last six league games on Sligo soil. While depending on the result between Drogheda and Bohs on Friday, Dundalk may have the chance to lift themselves off the foot of the table. 

Russell is desperate to keep that home run going but knows that recent developments at Oriel will perhaps see Saturday’s opponents arrive in Sligo with their backs up.

“They’ve had a difficult few days but there was some good news for them a few days ago and it’s great to see that Dundalk in some way at least, seem to be heading in the right direction. I am sure spirits in the camp have been lifted with recent developments and they’ll be hoping that will translate on to the pitch.

“Either way, they’ve got some of the most talented players in the league and we know from experience how they can hurt you.

“We’re in really good form at the Showgrounds and we want to keep that run going. A strong home record is the pillar of a good season.

“I thought the result in Tallaght didn’t really reflect the true story of the game. We opened Shamrock Rovers up on several occasions when we had eleven men and we just lacked that last ball to finish them off. We’ll look to improve on that come Saturday. 

“We’re very much still in the mix to finish the season the way we want to. We will get there by winning games and that’s the aim this weekend.”

David Goulden

By Conall Collier

There are more questions than answers ahead of Sunday’s eagerly-awaited Women’s FAI Cup semi-final as Sligo Rovers prepare to host double-chasing Athlone Town, 3pm.

The main question, and the only relevant one, relates to the identity of which Sligo Rovers team will turn up?

Will it be the team that ran Shamrock Rovers ragged at Tallaght Stadium last Saturday or will it be the team that was run ragged by Shelbourne in a midweek mauling at the Showgrounds?

Leaving that to one side for a moment, there are many intriguing statistics around both teams.

This will be a 77th competitive game for the Bit O’Red since the club affiliated a senior team in 2022 – that incorporates fixtures played in the League, the FAI Cup and Avenir Sports Cup, there was a walkover against Douglas Hall in 2022 that’s excluded.

Katie Melly and Paula McGrory played in the first game against Peamount Utd in 2022 and are on the panel for Sunday.

Casey Howe and Amy Mahon (goalkeeper) played with Sligo Rovers last season and moved to Athlone Town for this season while Muireann Devaney moved in the opposite direction.

That still leaves Sligo woman Roisin Molloy leading the charge for goals for the Westmeath side along with  Brenda Erika Tabe while Sligo Rovers will be without the injured Jodie Loughrey.

Top goalscorer Emma Dohery left Sligo Rovers at the mid-season break and moved to Galway while Kelly Crompton and Zoe McGlynn also exited.

Those departures, for whatever reasons, impacted the balance of the team that was trying to adjust to new players and a new manager after Steve Feeney stepped away at the end of last season.

Add in the vital statistic that Sligo Rovers have not beaten Athlone Town since they joined the League of Ireland in 2022 and it all points to a comfortable stroll in the park for the team formerly managed by Bit O’Red boss Tommy Hewitt and now with Ciaran Kilduff in the hot seat.

This will be the fourth game for Sligo Rovers against Athlone this season, two in the League and one in the Avenir Sports Cup.

Sligo Rovers lost 2-0 in League in May and lost 2-1 in the Avenir Sports Cup in April with Muireann Devaney scoring the goal against her former club.

Athlone won 5-1 most recently, but Sligo Rovers had goalkeeper Bonnie McKiernan sent off after 60 seconds. She collided with former Sligo Rovers player Casey Howe as she raced out of her penalty area – both players were injured in the collision.

Tackling Athlone with 10 players for 90 minutes was only going to produce one result as goals from Roisin Molloy (two), Kerry Brown and the impressive Brenda Erika Tabe gave the hosts a comfortable victory.

However, it was a commendable display from the Bit O’red on the day with Anna McDaniel showing remarkable composure for her goal with 20 minutes remaining. Athlone’s fifth goal was a 90^th minute penalty.

And it’s that performance in defeat, coupled with the display at Tallaght Stadium last Saturday that will give the Sligo Rovers players sufficient reasons for optimism as they face into what could best be described as a ‘mission impossible’ where the outcome could once more demonstrate the unpredictability of sport.

PATHS TO THE SEMI-FINAL

FIRST ROUND

Sligo Rovers defeated Terenure Rangers 5-0 in the first round at the Showgrounds

Paula McGrory (two), Keri Loughrey, Jodie Loughrey and Rebecca Doddy scored the goals.

Athlone Town received a bye as holders.

QUARTER-FINALS

Sligo Rovers defeated DLR Waves 3-1 away.

Anna McDaniel, Kelsey Munroe and Paula McGrory scored the goals.

Athlone Town defeated Treaty Utd 2-1 away.

Brenda Erika Tabe and Kerry Brown scored the goals.

By Conall Collier

Sligo Rovers manager Tommy Hewitt is adopting a pragmatic approach ahead of Sunday’s Women’s FAI Cup semi-final against his former club, Athlone Town at the Showgrounds.

For Sligo Rovers this really is David versus Goliath or in footballing terms, bottom of the table against top of the table, a gap of 34 points between the sides with Athlone Town in the driving seat to win the Women’s Premier Division title.

That’s not in any way over-hyping the Westmeath side – and they will quietly have ambitions of completing a League and Cup double.

So, in real terms, is there any point in Sligo Rovers even turning up on Sunday?

After all, Sligo Rovers have failed to beat Athlone this season, last season ot the season before, and the Sligo Rovers manager was at the Athlone helm for the majority of those games, until a vacancy occurred at Athlone Town Stadium midway through last season.

Ciaran Kilduff took over the reins, his first game in charge was against Sligo Rovers, and he finished the job that Tommy Hewitt started with an FAI Cup final win at the end of last season.

Athlone Town defeated Sligo Rovers at the same stage of the competition last season.

“Athlone will rightly be overwhelming favourites on Sunday, but I know that the Sligo Rovers players can put in a performance that they will be happy with,” commented the Bit O’Red boss.

“We had three hard games in seven days last week and we were better in the third game despite losing the first two and conceding eight goals.

“We now can go into the Cup semi-final knowing that we can compete, but we have to bring consistency to our performances, once we do that we will have a chance.

“We definitely won’t lie down and roll over and hopefully we will make a contest out of it.

“I’ve been here before, that was as an underdog with Athlone in a Cup semi-final against Wexford and we won that day. A repeat of that now with Sligo Rovers would be a brilliant outcome.

“I have seen massive improvements since the start of the season and this is a free hit for us, we have nothing to lose and we really need to get a result against Athlone,” he added.

There are reasons for optimism ahead of Sunday’s encounter, one being the inclusion of both Keeva Flynn and Muireann Devaney in the League of Ireland team-of-the-week selection.

For a team that’s still looking for a first League win of the season to have the youngest centre-back in the Women’s Premier Division recognised is certainly overdue at this stage.

And the performance against Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium last Saturday now gives the manager a new kind of headache as he explained.

“A problem I have now is what team will I pick, it’s a good problem to have and the young players have put their hands up to start on Sunday in what is the biggest game of the season, so far,” he explained.

“We have to get the basics right and make it difficult for Athlone, if we can do that and stay in the game, then we will be in with a chance.

“When we conceded that early goal last week at Tallaght Stadium I felt that our reaction was superb, we certainly didn’t panic and Paula (McGrory) had a great chance of an equaliser about a minute later.

“It was a dogged performance in one sense, but we also played some very good football.

“One of my main targets initially was to improve our game from a physical aspect, that we wouldn’t be pushed off the ball or intimidated by the opposition.

“It’s quite obvious from our position in the League that all the other teams are better than us, up to now anyway, and to counter that we have to raise our performance in every game for 90 minutes.

“I got the feeling at Tallaght last Saturday, just standing on the sideline and watching the game, that we were actually going to get something out of it.

“I know that we gave away some chances, but we defended well and Bonnie (McKiernan) made some very good saves.

“We eventually got the equaliser with about three minutes remaining and then we almost won it.

“We were after losing twice in the previous five days and then to go to Tallaght and get the result we got just shows the character and determination of the players.

“If we can repeat that in the Showgrounds on Sunday, then we will definitely have a chance of causing an upset and hopefully we will have Emma (Hansberry) available again because she brings a lot of experience to the team,” he concluded.