Sligo Rovers have the opportunity to move off the foot of the Premier Division table ahead of the summer break as St Patrick’s Athletic are the visitors to the Showgrounds this Friday night, kick-off 7.45pm.

The Bit O’Red remain deadlocked with Cork City at the bottom of the division, with just one goal separating the sides as we hit the season’s half-way point. 

Friday’s game will be the second meeting of these two sides this year and is the Saints’ first visit to Sligo of 2025. Pat’s narrowly beat Rovers by the odd goal in seven when the clubs met at Richmond Park back in February on the third weekend of the season. While Stephen Kenny’s side beat Rovers last time out at the Showgrounds, on the final day of the 2024 season. 

Rovers manager John Russell will be without centre half Ollie Denham who isn’t due back in action for another four weeks approximately. Full back Oskar Van Hattum has returned to training and may be available. While there are doubts over defender Conor Reynolds and midfielder Jake Doyle-Hayes who was withdrawn before kick-off in Tolka Park last Friday. Van Hattum, Reynolds and Doyle-Hayes will each be assessed once more in the lead up to the game.

Ahead of the match, Russell has praised his players’ resilience over the last few weeks and noted that he believes he has seen enough from his squad to prove they are a match for any team in the division. However, Russell has also warned in equal measure, the threat Pat’s will bring with them this Friday. 

“You just have to look at who their manager is and some of their players”, Russell tells sligorovers.com.

“They have the most experienced manager in this league, someone with an international and both a league and cup winning background. While their squad is littered with talent so this is going to be the toughest game we’ve had this season. 

“We’ve been gifting goals to teams lately and if we do this again on Friday, we’ll be sorely punished so we have to cut out the mistakes and be fully focused from kick-off.  

“There’s goals in our team and plenty of them. It gives us confidence that we went to the home of the champions last week, scored twice and were always in the game. We had Shels under the cosh for sustained periods and produced plenty of opportunities. We just have to stop giving away these gifts of goals. 

“As a club, we have so much belief in this young group and I think the supporters do too. We’re constantly being hit with set-backs and a lot of that is down to ourselves. But we always dust ourselves down and go again. There’s a real self-belief and resilience in us. 

“We know we’re good enough to beat anyone on our night. The games have come thick and fast and it’s been a busy few weeks heading into this break. We don’t want to be where we are as it isn’t where we belong and we’re looking to finish the first half of the season with a win. Hopefully we’ll have a big crowd in to roar us on on Friday night.”

David Goulden