David Goulden at the Showgrounds
Sligo Rovers picked up our first points of the season with a superb win over Shamrock Rovers at the Showgrounds. Reece Hutchinson had given Rovers the lead in the first half before substitute Graham Burke found an equaliser for the Dubliners on 68 minutes.
A disciplined and determined Sligo weathered a short Hoops storm and a skipper’s goal from John Mahon, his third for the club, won this game with twelve minutes to go. The victory lifted Rovers off the foot of the table ahead of a crucial league fixture with Cork City this Friday.
Chasing their first points of the season, Rovers made two changes from the team who were narrowly beaten in Inchicore last Friday. Conor Walsh was handed his first start for the club since the final day of the 2023 season, while winger Owen Elding returned to start in place of Matty Wolfe who didn’t make the match day squad.
The Hoops arrived in Sligo without a win at the Church Hill Road venue in two years, with three changes following a draw with Shels at Tolka last Friday. Aaron Greene, Cory O’Sullivan and Gary O’Neill back in while goalkeeper Ed McGinty returned to the ground he made his name on, starting between the sticks for the visitors. New signing Sean Robertson made the bench.
Both sides cancelled each other out in the opening half. It took 46 minutes for the Dubliners to test Walsh, the Westport man holding a flashed Roberto Lopes header from a corner in added time at the end of the opening half.
The Connacht men missed penalties in two of their opening three outings and had a shout for another spot-kick turned down on 29 minutes. Lopes looked as if he had pulled back Will Fitzgerald inside the area, but referee Rob Harvey saw otherwise, instead electing to award a free-kick from which Jake Doyle-Hayes landed the ball on the roof of McGinty’s net.
Cian Kavanagh struck twice against the Saints last Friday and the Showgrounds was on its feet on 32 minutes when he nodded a Hutchinson cross beyond McGinty only for the referee’s assistant to raise the flag for offside.
Sligo arrived again six minutes later for the opener. Gareth McElory nodded Fitzgerald’s set piece across goal towards Elding and although McGinty managed to scramble away the attacker’s initial effort, he was unable to stop Hutchinson’s follow up as the full back hammered an effort past his former team-mate for his first goal for the club since netting at the Brandywell last May.
The away side’s frustration continued up until the 68th minute when Burke levelled the tie shortly after he came on. The former Aston Villa youth’s influence was instant as he picked out the far corner of Walsh’s net from a tight angle just 60 seconds after coming on.
Stephen Bradley then sprung both Aaron McEneff and Rory Gaffney from the sidelines as Watts’ fizzed drive had Walsh at full stretch as he shot narrowly wide.
But Sligo were steadfast and went ahead again with twelve to go. Skipper Mahon forced the ball past McGinty after Hutchinson had laid possession back across the goalmouth from another Fitzgerald set-piece to the delight of the majority of the four thousand in attendance.
Sligo Rovers: Conor Walsh; Harvey Lintott (Oskar Van Hattum 60), John Mahon, Gareth McElroy, Reece Hutchinson; Connor Malley (Ryan Manning 77), Jake Doyle-Hayes; Will Fitzgerald, Jad Hakiki (Ollie Denham 89), Owen Elding; Cian Kavanagh (Francely Lomboto 77).
Shamrock Rovers: Ed McGinty; Roberto Lopes, Dan Cleary, Cory O’Sullivan (Aaron McEneff 72); Josh Honohan, Danny Grant (Rory Gaffney 72); Matt Healy, Gary O’Neill (Graham Burke 66); Dylan Watts, Michael Noonan; Aaron Greene (Victor Ozhianvuna 60).
Referee: Rob Harvey.
Attendance: 4.023