| Classic encounters with cup rivals |
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| Tuesday, 03 June 2008 | |
 As Sligo Rovers gear up for the third round Ford FAI clash against Shamrock Rovers on Saturday night, we reproduce a recently published retrospective from the Sligo Champion featuring reports of some of the classic encounters between Rovers and Shams.
courtesy of The Sligo Champion As far as Sligo Rovers are concerned, there’s no greater rivalry in Irish soccer than their clashes with Shamrock Rovers. The history of the Sligo club is littered with controversial and incident-packed showdowns with the famous Dublin club, and the rivalry is as strong now as ever. In advance of Saturday’s clash between the sides, we recall some key games from the past involving Rovers and Shams. Sunday, April 10th, 1977. SLIGO ROVERS 3; SHAMROCK ROVERS 1 After a rollercoaster ride through the League campaign, Sligo Rovers came into the last game of the season needing a win over their old rivals to clinch their first League title in forty years. A massive crowd crammed into the Showgrounds, paying gate receipts of £3,278, and they weren’t disappointed as Rovers long wait for a League title finally came to an end in a match which has earned legendary status in the club’s history. Responding to fanatical support from the packed terraces, Rovers got off to a flying start, racing into a 6th minute lead as the alert Gary Hulmes connected with a cross from Charlie Ferry and directed a well-placed header low to the net. The game lost a lot of its early sparkle as nervous tension got the better of Rovers, allowing Shams to take control of the exchanges. Disaster struck for Sligo twelve minutes into the second half when the Hoops struck for a devastating equaliser. A free from Johnny Fullam was touched on by Harry McCue and Paul Magee applied the finish from close range. With Sligo’s closest rivals, Bohemians, leading St. Pat’s at Richmond Park, it looked as if Rovers were doomed to another hard luck story. But Billy Sinclair’s gallant team weren’t prepared to throw away a whole season’s work and they responded to the challenge with renewed conviction. Mick Leonard went close with a header from Paul McGee’s corner and only a brave save by Shams’ keeper, Alan O’Neill, prevented Gary Hulmes from edging Rovers back in front. Chris Rutherford also forced O’Neill to a smart save as the pressure mounted. Then, in the 69th minute, Sligo finally made the breakthrough as Rutherford rose majestically in a crowded goalmouth to dispatch a powerful header from McGee’s corner to the roof of the net. Rampant Rovers were now firmly in the driving seat and they put the issue beyond all doubt when McGee raced on to a free kick from Graham Fox and guided the ball past the advancing ‘keeper to make it 3-1. The result was sufficient to give Rovers an historic League title and the celebrations went on long into the night. ROVERS: Alan Paterson, Paul Fielding, Graham Fox, Tony Fagan, Chris Rutherford, Tony Stenson, Paul McGee, Michael Betts, Mick Leonard, Gary Hulmes, Charlie Ferry. Sub: Mick Walker for Leonard. ——————————————————————- March 6th, 1983. FAI Cup quarter final at the Showgrounds SLIGO ROVERS 2; SHAMROCK ROVERS 1 After countless hard luck stories in Cup football against the Hoops, Sligo finally recorded their first ever FAI Cup win over the famous Dublin club in this thriller. In keeping with past encounters between the sides, the game produced plenty of incident and drama - an early goal and a missed penalty for Rovers, a stunning equaliser for Shams, and then a late, dramatic winner for the Westerners. Rovers attacked relentlessly right from the start and their early aggression was rewarded with the lead goal after 12 minutes. Martin McDonnell delivered a vicious cross into the area and when the ball broke free, Harry McLoughlin met it on the half-volley, sending a blistering shot low to the net. Just before half-time, Rovers were handed a glorious opportunity to increase their lead but Andy Elliott’s penalty flew well wide of the target. The miss proved very costly as the Hoops hit back to get on level terms within three minutes of the restart, Liam Buckley (now manager of Sporting Fingal) finishing from close range after a neat build-up. The home side gradually regained control, with the magnificent McLoughlin causing havoc on the right flank with a series of penetrating runs. As the pressure mounted, John Skeffington was denied by a goal line clearance by Denis Clarke and Tony Stenson headed narrowly wide from McDonnell’s corner. Then, with six minutes remaining, the breakthrough finally arrived. Clarke was adjudged to have handled the ball twenty yards from goal and Tony Fagan stepped up to unleash a blistering shot to to the back of the net. Shams threw caution to the wind in a nailbiting finish but Rovers held on for a memorable victory. ROVERS: Colin Oakley, Mick Ferry, Chris Rutherford, Tony Stenson, Graham Fox, Mick Savage, Tony Fagan, Martin McDonnell, Harry McLoughlin, John Skeffington, Andy Elliott GATE RECEIPTS: £2,523 —————————————————— April 5th, 1995. FAI Cup quarter-final, Showgrounds SLIGO ROVERS 2; SHAMROCK ROVERS 0 Controversial penalties figure prominently in the history of clashes between these age-old rivals. In the 1978 FAI Cup final, Shams got the better of Sligo thanks to a hotly-disputed penalty while the 1995 quarter-final was decided in Rovers favour by two spot kicks. Rovers went into the 1994/’95 season as FAI Cup holders and enjoyed another prolonged run in the competition under the management of Lawrie Sanchez. They secured a hard-earned scoreless draw away to Shamrock Rovers in the quarter-finals, thereby setting up a mouth-watering replay under the Showgrounds floodlights. After a tight and tense struggle in the first half, Rovers got a lucky break three minutes after the restart. Shams defender, Martin Buckley, was rather harshly adjudged to have handled the ball in the area and ice-cool Eddie Annand dispatched the resultant penalty to the net. If Shams felt hard done by on that occasion, their fury reached fever-pitch five minutes later when the referee ruled that Sligo striker, Mark Reid, had been upended as he made his way into the box. The Dubliners protested long and hard against the decision but Annand held his nerve in the mayhem around him to slot the ball home. The victory kept Rovers’ Cup hopes alive but their dreams of winning the coveted trophy for the second year in a row were shattered when the lost 3-1 to Shelbourne in the semi-final at the Showgrounds three days later. That game, too, was laced with controversy as Rovers ‘keeper, Mark McLean, was sent off shortly before the interval at a a time when Shels were leading 2-0. The Rovers team which beat Shams in the quarter-final was: Mark McLean, Gerry Kelly, Gavin Dykes, Ian Lynch, Robert Brunton, Will Hastie, Lawrie Sanchez, Ger Carr, Johnny Kenny, Mark Reid, Eddie Annand. GATE RECEIPTS: £13,000 |
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