| Rovers in convincing win over St John's |
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| Tuesday, 21 February 2006 | |
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SLIGO Rovers played their first pre-season friendly in Sligo last Saturday as they made the short trip to Carraroe to take on local club, St John’s, in Cuilbeg. The fixture was to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the founding of St John’s Football Club and Rovers fielded a strong side, which included new signings Keith Foy and Gavin Peers in their starting line-up. Rovers started fast and took the lead after three minutes when Gary Curran swung in a corner from the left that was headed home by former St John’s player Michael McNamara. Niall Walsh then twice went close for St John’s as first he had a shot from 20 yards saved by Rovers goalkeeper John O’Hara and then he shot low into the side-netting from the left side of the box after being set up by Gavin O’Dwyer. It was Rovers who scored again in the 23rd minute when Curran made a break from midfield but found his route to goal blocked so he laid the ball for Sean Flannery, whose shot was deflected back to Curran and he scored with a deflected side-foot shot. St John’s cut the deficit on the half-hour mark as Johnny Davey was brought down 20 yards from goal. While the Rovers players argued about the decision, Fearghal O’Hara showed some alert thinking as he took the free-kick quickly, catching O’Hara by surprise. St John’s then had a good little spell of pressure that was broken in the 37th minute when Rovers scored their third as Foy put in a corner from the right and John Bellew scored with a well-taken header from the edge of the six-yards box. Two minutes later Rovers scored their fourth as Jason McCartney’s shot from the left side of the box took a wicked deflection off Mark Hutchinson, taking it past the St John’s goalkeeper, Brian McCaffrey. The second-half was marred by a flurry of substitutions from both sides with Rovers giving a run to Jamie McKenzie, Chris Turner and trialist Richard Bush. St John’s nearly pulled a goal back in the 48th minute as Walsh picked up the ball inside the box and went to pull it back for Fearghal O’Hara, whose shot was blocked into the path of Gavin O’Dwyer and his toe-poke effort was cleared off the line by Foy. Rovers were reduced to 10 players in the 73rd minute as Turner picked up his second yellow card in the space of five minutes – both for needless challenges. Rovers wrapped up the scoring in the game as they scored their fifth in the 85th minute. Rafael Cretaro ran down the right before playing the ball low across the face of goal where it was turned into the net by Bellew. St John’s: Brian McCaffrey, Gary Melly (Colin Harte 65), Shane McManus (Ian Colburn 71), Mark Hutchinson, Fearghus Roche (David Rooney 59), Brian McMorrow (Shane Stenson 59), Brian Kinsella, Fearghal O’Hara (Keith O’Dwyer 80), Gavin O’Dwyer (Paul McDaid 65), Johnny Davey (Gavin McGuinn 80), Niall Walsh Sligo Rovers: John O’Hara, Rafael Cretaro, Keith Foy (Sean Kelly 65), Conor O’Grady (Chris Turner 45), Michael McNamara (Richard Bush 84), Gary Curran (James Keaney 65), Gavin Peers (Jamie McKenzie 45), Mikey Creane, Sean Flannery (Fahrudin Kudozovic 33), John Bellew, Jason McCartney (Colin Gaule 45) Referee: Paul Deering (Sligo) |
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