Sligo Rovers’ only home pre-season friendly ended in victory by the odd goal in five in an entertaining match that saw some moments of genius from Rovers new signings.

With The Showgrounds lights providing a beacon for the Bit O’Red faithful, it was back to the business of preparing for another eircom League season tonight on Church Hill as the home side faced local neighbours Finn Harps in what was their third pre-season match.

Cook’s side is beginning to have a settled look, with Alan Moore the only trialist in the starting eleven but despite the more familiar look to the team, Rovers took a long time to settle.

Harps had the better of the first forty five minutes and were quicker off the mark as early as eight minutes when Gethins blasted over from edge of box.

The home sides first real chance came on thirteen minutes when Boco controlled a Jennings clearance doing well to change direction into the path of Doherty who struck a left-footed volley narrowly over at the railway end.

Moments later Boco proved the danger this time set free on the left by a deft Kudozovic header, but despite controlling well he failed to get his shot on target.

However, it was a set piece just inside the Rovers half in the nineteenth minute that gave Finn Harps the lead. The long ball into the box by Roddy was flicked on by Parkhouse for Stuart Malcolm to climb highest to head into the top left corner.

The Donegal men almost extended their lead a minute later when but Jenning got down well to deny Gethins.

The game really didn’t get back to life in the first half with Conor O’Grady going closest  as both teams battled with the condition of the pitch.

The second half was a different story. Despite being punctuated with the expected substitutions, including Michael Clancy, the winner of the player for a day competition, there was plenty of value for money with a couple of goals that would grace any stage.

Rovers drew level ten minutes into the half when Sean Doherty played a one two with Boco, before unleashing a driving right foot effort giving the ‘keeper no chance.

With the home fans still celebrating the Bit O’Red went into the lead three minutes later and it took some dazzling skill by Boco who jigged and jinked his way diagonally past three Harps players before getting to the byline, beating the keeper and rolling it into the path of Kudozovic who had the easiest of tasks to tap it into the net.

The visitors didn’t make the journey for nothing and on sixty eight minutes Gill put Parkhouse through on the right side of the box and he made no mistake firing a rocket into the roof of the net.

Rovers weren’t to be denied the victory though and it was another piece of magic conjured up by Seamus Coleman who found Faz on the edge of the box. The Bosnian chipped it Boco who controlled it on his chest and made no mistake with a dipping shot that raised the roof of the West stand.

The final ten minutes didn’t disappoint with Harps hitting the target from a set piece to be denied by Jennings before Gerry Gill saw his effort kept out by the woodwork.

For the home side Brian Cash and Gary Curran both went close before Rovers gave a debut to Michael Clancy whose efforts were matched only by his sizeable fan club in the crowd.


Sligo Rovers
Pat Jennings, Seamus Coleman (Matt Judge 78 min), Gavin Peers (Jamie McKenzie 62 min), Daniel Ventre (Gary Curran 79 min), Chris Butler (Keith Foy 73 min) , Conor O’Grady, Anto Murphy (Rafael Cretaro 73 min), Alan Moore (Mouro Almeida HT), Romauld Boco (Ross McLoughlin 78), Fahrudin Kudozovic (Ciaran Green  78 mins), Sean Doherty (Brian Cash 67 min) Michael Clancy for Ciarna Green

Finn Harps
James Gallagher, Sean Roddy, Sean Holmes, Marc McKenzie (Declan Boyle 27 mins), Stuart Malcolm, Michael Funston, Gerry Gill, Shaun McGowan, Stephen parkhouse, Conor Gethins (Chris Breen 73 min), Shaun Williams


By Paraic Casey