Darren Purse says Friday’s game with Shelbourne will afford further opportunities to both his younger and fringe players to put themselves in with a chance of being part of his Sligo Rovers squad for next season. 

The Bit O’Red travel to Tolka Park, kick-off 7.45pm, eleven points off the rest of the league with four games to go, meaning Rovers will more than likely play First Division football in 2027. 

But whilst attempting to see out what’s been a challenging 2026 in as positive a fashion as is possible, Purse is already planning for next season regardless of division status. 

“If you look at the teams I’ve put out the last few games, you’ll see we’re looking at next season”, he tells sligorovers.com. 

“For me, it’s all about the performances. You look at the St Pat’s game where we ran them close. It was a game of two chances with Jack (Shorrock) and Aidan Keena and they took theirs. But that’s the story of the season when you look at the number of goals we’ve scored. 

“Players have to back themselves and put themselves in the picture to earn a contract for 2027 and go and be involved in a side that gets us back up.”

Purse says there has been a steady build up to Friday’s game, with the players afforded a small break after the Pat’s game, before returning to a ‘mini pre-season’. 

There were a few less experienced players who were unable to attend the full course of training such as Aidan Gabbidon, Charlie McGarvey and Jamie O’Donnell who were all on international duty with Ireland at their respective age grades. 

Purse was delighted to see the talent from our Abbvie Academy be recognised on an international stage, all which bodes well for the future. While he is hopeful that a few players will return from injury in time for Friday night. “We didn’t have a few of the boys because they were off on international duty and that’s a great thing in this context”, he continues. 

“It’s great that they’ve got recognition for how well they’ve done for the 20s and you’ve seen a few of them stepping up around the first team. From that point of view, it’s been pleasing. 

“I’ve watched a lot of those lads with the 20s and they’ve been in with the first team too. It was great to see that when I put them in, they back up your decision with performances. They’re somewhat learning on the job but they’re learning quickly. 

“We gave the lads a few days off as we’ve been struggling a bit with injuries. We’ve been trying to get one or two back fit and then we’ve had a bit of a mini pre-season which has been fantastic for the players. There’s been plenty of hard work put into the players. 

“We’ll have a few back. Seb Quirk is a possibility and he’s back in training which is great news for us. We’re hopeful he’ll be available.”

Purse also confirmed that midfielder Trey George’s time at the club has been cut short due to injury. 

The 20-year-old Welshman has returned to parent club Cardiff City having appeared six times for the club since coming in on loan in the late summer. 

“Trey’s hamstring injury was a big one and he was never going to be right between now and the end of our season”, Purse outlines. 

“It was the right thing to do, to let him go back to Cardiff and do his rehab there.”

 The Rovers boss also hinted that goalkeeper Liam Hughes will see out the rest of the year as first choice stopper, both to test him out and allow regular ‘keeper Sam Sargeant recover from a knock. 

“Liam’s really stepped up”, he says. 

“Sam has had a niggly shoulder which he was playing with but he’s taken himself out as he wants to get it right as the season comes to the close. That’s also why we have Charlie (McGarvey) on the bench recently. He’s another good, young promising player. 

“We needed to have a look at Liam. The position we’re in right now, it gives us a chance to look at him. There’s a little rustiness in him, as before I came in, he hadn’t kicked a ball. He’s slowly building in stature in training and games and he’ll only grow in the games he plays in in the next few weeks.”

Looking ahead to what is Rovers’ penultimate fixture away from the Showgrounds for 2026, Purse is expecting a tough tussle by the Tolka as Shels look for a second league win under former Sligo boss John Russell. 

He says: “John probably hasn’t got the results that their performances have warranted.

“But they look to play and play forward. It’s going to be tough but you look at the money some of the clubs in this division spend and you’ll see it was always going to be tough for us. But we’ll go to Dublin and give our best account of ourselves.” 

David Goulden