| Derry win A-league battle |
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| Monday, 30 June 2008 | |
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Sligo Rovers A team were at the wrong end of a four one reversal against a strong Derry City side on Sunday afternoon in the Showgrounds. Rovers previous game was a 3-1 defeat away to Salthill Devon while Derry had beaten Finn Harps 1-0 in Ballybofey. There was two changes to the Rovers side this time out with Stephen Heraghty replacing Pat Jennings in the nets and Ciaran Greene coming in for the injured Steve Feeney. Both Paul Cook and Stephen Kenny were in the stands casting their eyes on potential future stars for their respective sides. Rovers started the brighter with the first real chance of the game coming in the 11th minute when Greene passed the ball to Mikey Creane just outside the area but he hit his shot wide of the goal. It was just a minute later when Rovers took the lead with Ciaran Greene involved again when he saw the Derry keeper off his line he decided to try his luck and lob the keeper from well outside the box and it paid off, Rovers were in front. In the 30th minute a chance fell to Rovers defender Niall Costello as Eugene Ferry in the Derry net was left stranded off his line, Costello was given the chance to hit it into an empty net but only for Derry defender Sean Hargan to take the ball from his feet. It was only cleared as far as Gary Curran who crossed the ball too high for any Rovers player to head it into an empty net. With 42 minutes on the clock, Derry were back in the game when they crossed the ball and it was headed down in the Rovers box and it fell to the Derry striker right in front of goal who hit it into the net. Sligo Rovers first team striker Matthew Judge was introduced at the beginning of the 2nd half, replacing Gary Curran in midfield. The next major incident came in the 60th minute when Derry took the lead with a strike into the top corner over the diving Heraghty. In the 73rd minute Niall Costello saw red for his second bookable offence. Down to ten men, Rovers were struggling and it was only five minutes later when Derry extended their lead with a lovely strike in the area. Rovers final chance of the game fell to David Rooney who’s free kick hit the underside of the crossbar and looked as if it had actually crossed the line but the referee didn’t agree and the ball bounced back out and Ferry gladly collected it. Three minutes later Derry went 4-1 up when Paul Deering decided that David Conwell had fouled a Derry player in the area and awarded a penalty kick which was confidently struck right down the middle past Heraghty who dived to the left of the goal. 4-1 to the visitors was how it finished and Rovers will be disappointed that they have yet to register a point in the new ‘A’ league after the first two games. Next up for Sligo Rovers is a trip to Ballybofey to face north west rival’s Finn Harps next weekend. Harps beat Mervue United 3-0 this weekend so it will be no easy match for the A side. Sligo Rovers: Stephen Heraghty, David Conwell, David Rooney, Niall Costello, Jason Noctor, James Keaney(Lee Kennedy 90), Oisin Mannion, Gary Curran(Judge 45), Alan Maguire, Mikey Creane, Ciaran Greene(Shane Brannigan 71). Subs not used: Ian Colbourn Bookings: Rovers: Niall Costello-Red (2nd yellow) David Conwell-Yellow Derry: None Referee: Paul Deering(Sligo) Report by Michael Lynott |
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