David Goulden at the Showgrounds 

Michael Duffy scored the only goal of the game as Derry City beat Sligo Rovers at the Showgrounds for the first time since 2021.

The game’s deciding goal didn’t come without controversy however as the referee’s assistant had initially ruled the goal out for offside before changing his mind.

The results sees Rovers two points adrift heading into the international break. 

Manager John Russell made two changes from the draw in Cork. Jake Doyle-Hayes and Oskar Van Hattum replacing Matty Wolfe and the injured Owen Elding respectively.

Despite an aggressive start from Rovers, it was the visitors who led this game at the break courtesy of match-winner Duffy. 

The multiple league and cup winner was involved eleven minutes in when he crossed for Liam Boyce who nodded wide. City then had to rely on a clearance from Sam Todd, their only change from their draw with Galway. The former Finn Harps man swept away the danger after Jad Hakiki had lobbed the ball over the oncoming Brian Maher after Reece Hutchinson’s ball had opened up the City rearguard. 

Tiernan Lynch’s men opened the lead on 20 minutes when Sligo’s Oskar Van Hattum conceded a set-piece to Duffy for what may have been interpreted as fair challenge. 

The ex-Dundalk winger’s right-footed free-kick from the left drifted into the opposite corner, untouched. Referee’s assistant Darragh Keenan had initially lifted his flag to rule out the goal, before quickly changing his decision.

Without a win at the Showgrounds since 2021, a record which stretches back to the early days of Ruaidhri Higgins’ reign, City then lost midfielder Sadou Diallo to an arm injury nine minutes from the break, after Duffy’s corner had sliced Conor Walsh’s crossbar.   

Sligo’s main threat came from Hakiki who fired well over on 69 minutes as the sides struggled to create much in a second period without many talking points until the dying moments. 

Substitute Stephen Mallon might have done better with his opportunity on 88 but could only fire straight at Maher who had closed the angle. While the Derry stopper easily dealt with John Mahon’s headed effort from a Hutchinson cross on the stroke of full-time.

Jake Doyle-Hayes was then shown a red card after the final whistle.  

Sligo Rovers: Conor Walsh; Harvey Lintott (Stephen Mallon HT), Ollie Denham, John Mahon, Reece Hutchinson; Connor Malley (Ronan Manning 78), Jake Doyle-Hayes; Oskar Van Hattum, Jad Hakiki, Will Fitzgerald (Francely Lomboto 78); Cian Kavanagh.

Derry City: Brian Maher; Mark Connolly, Hayden Cann, Sam Todd; Ronan Boyce, Ben Doherty; Sadou Diallo (Ciaron Harkin 36), Adam O’Reilly; Dom Thomas (Shane Ferguson HT), Michael Duffy; Liam Boyce (Danny Mullen 69). 

Referee: Rob Hennessy.  

Attendance: 3,712. 

Owen Elding scored Sligo Rovers’ only goal of the game as the Bit O’Red took a point from Cork City at Turner’s Cross.

Elding netted his second strike of the season on 25 minutes when he expertly nodded Harvey Lintott’s pin-point cross across the front of the City keeper and into the far corner of the net.

Leading at the break, Rovers then had to rely on a string of superb stops from goalkeeper Conor Walsh in the second period and found themselves playing the last twenty minutes of this tie with ten men, after substitute Conor Reynolds was shown a straight red for a late challenge on Malik Dijksteel.

Cork had leveled the game six minutes previous courtesy of Kitt Neslon.

Fresh from a convincing win over Shamrock Rovers the Monday previous, Rovers began this game the brighter.

Conor Malley wasn’t too far away with an early header from a Will Fitzgerald set piece before Elding headed Rovers into the lead. 

Cork had half an opportunity through Charlie Lyons who fired well over from an improvised overhead kick, while the ball was in the Sligo net moments later. The goal was ruled out however, after a City player had fouled Walsh on the Mayo man’s goal-line. 

Walsh produced the goods early in the second period, going full stretch to keep out another Lyons effort, this time with the head. While the pressure eventually told on 62 when Nelson’s seemingly innocuous looking effort took a wicked deflection off John Mahon as the ball fumbled past the helpless Walsh. 

Reynolds was dismissed when he crashed into Dijksteel one minute after he was introduced from the bench.

The incident rallied the Rebels, but player-of-the-match Walsh denied Milan Mbeng, Alex Nolan and sub Josh Fitzpatrick with a trio of absolutely stunning saves in added time.

Next to come for Rovers is the visit of Derry City to the Showgrounds this coming Saturday, kick off 7.45pm. 

Cork City: Tein Troost; Darragh Crowley, Milan Mbeng, Charlie Lyons, Benny Couto; Rio Shipston, Seán Murray; Alex Nolan, Kitt Nelson (Harvey Skieters 80), Malik Dijksteel (Josh Fitzpatrick 71); Ruairí Keating.

Sligo Rovers: Conor Walsh; Harvey Lintott (Conor Reynolds 67), Ollie Denham, John Mahon, Reece Hutchinson; Matty Wolfe (Ronan Manning 67), Connor Malley; Owen Elding, Jad Hakiki (Stephen Mallon 78), Will Fitzgerald; Cian Kavanagh (Francely Lomboto 46) (Gareth McElroy 90+1).

Referee: Eoghan O’Shea.

David Goulden

David Goulden at the Showgrounds

Sligo Rovers picked up our first points of the season with a superb win over Shamrock Rovers at the Showgrounds. Reece Hutchinson had given Rovers the lead in the first half before substitute Graham Burke found an equaliser for the Dubliners on 68 minutes. 

A disciplined and determined Sligo weathered a short Hoops storm and a skipper’s goal from John Mahon, his third for the club, won this game with twelve minutes to go. The victory lifted Rovers off the foot of the table ahead of a crucial league fixture with Cork City this Friday. 

Chasing their first points of the season, Rovers made two changes from the team who were narrowly beaten in Inchicore last Friday. Conor Walsh was handed his first start for the club since the final day of the 2023 season, while winger Owen Elding returned to start in place of Matty Wolfe who didn’t make the match day squad.

The Hoops arrived in Sligo without a win at the Church Hill Road venue in two years, with three changes following a draw with Shels at Tolka last Friday. Aaron Greene, Cory O’Sullivan and Gary O’Neill back in while goalkeeper Ed McGinty returned to the ground he made his name on, starting between the sticks for the visitors. New signing Sean Robertson made the bench.

Both sides cancelled each other out in the opening half. It took 46 minutes for the Dubliners to test Walsh, the Westport man holding a flashed Roberto Lopes header from a corner in added time at the end of the opening half.

The Connacht men missed penalties in two of their opening three outings and had a shout for another spot-kick turned down on 29 minutes. Lopes looked as if he had pulled back Will Fitzgerald inside the area, but referee Rob Harvey saw otherwise, instead electing to award a free-kick from which Jake Doyle-Hayes landed the ball on the roof of McGinty’s net.

Cian Kavanagh struck twice against the Saints last Friday and the Showgrounds was on its feet on 32 minutes when he nodded a Hutchinson cross beyond McGinty only for the referee’s assistant to raise the flag for offside.

Sligo arrived again six minutes later for the opener. Gareth McElory nodded Fitzgerald’s set piece across goal towards Elding and although McGinty managed to scramble away the attacker’s initial effort, he was unable to stop Hutchinson’s follow up as the full back hammered an effort past his former team-mate for his first goal for the club since netting at the Brandywell last May. 

The away side’s frustration continued up until the 68th minute when Burke levelled the tie shortly after he came on. The former Aston Villa youth’s influence was instant as he picked out the far corner of Walsh’s net from a tight angle just 60 seconds after coming on. 

Stephen Bradley then sprung both Aaron McEneff and Rory Gaffney from the sidelines as Watts’ fizzed drive had Walsh at full stretch as he shot narrowly wide. 

But Sligo were steadfast and went ahead again with twelve to go. Skipper Mahon forced the ball past McGinty after Hutchinson had laid possession back across the goalmouth from another Fitzgerald set-piece to the delight of the majority of the four thousand in attendance. 

Sligo Rovers: Conor Walsh; Harvey Lintott (Oskar Van Hattum 60), John Mahon, Gareth McElroy, Reece Hutchinson; Connor Malley (Ryan Manning 77), Jake Doyle-Hayes; Will Fitzgerald, Jad Hakiki (Ollie Denham 89), Owen Elding; Cian Kavanagh (Francely Lomboto 77). 

Shamrock Rovers: Ed McGinty; Roberto Lopes, Dan Cleary, Cory O’Sullivan (Aaron McEneff 72); Josh Honohan, Danny Grant (Rory Gaffney 72); Matt Healy, Gary O’Neill (Graham Burke 66); Dylan Watts, Michael Noonan; Aaron Greene (Victor Ozhianvuna 60). 

Referee: Rob Harvey. 

Attendance: 4.023

Sligo Rovers were beaten by the odd goal in seven at Richmond Park as St Patrick’s Athletic pipped the Bit O’Red to the three points following an intense battle in Inchicore on Friday night.

An exciting encounter didn’t just feature seven goals, but also a missed penalty and a red card for Saints midfielder Barry Baggley late on.

Rovers soaked up plenty of pressure early on but finally caved nine minutes from the break when Zak Elbouzedi fired the home side into the lead. Former Rovers striker Aidan Keena had Pat’s second 60 seconds later but Rovers fought back to half the deficit before the interval. 

Will Fitzgerald supplied the first of his three assists for the evening when his cross was turned into his own net by a disoriented Baggley. 

Stephen Kenny’s side looked like they might boss the remainder of the tie when sub Chris Forrester bashed one past Sam Sargeant on 52 minutes to make it 3-1. But again, a defiant Rovers battled back into contention. 

Cian Kavanagh saw his spot kick saved by Joseph Anang on 56 after the same player was grounded inside the Pat’s penalty area. Kavanagh however returned with intent ten minutes later to nod another Fitzgerald assist, this time from a floated set-piece towards the back post, beyond Anang who couldn’t react in time. This was Kavanagh’s first goal for the club.

On a night for strikers to score against their former clubs, Kavanagh repeated the trick on 78. The once Saint stretched to meet Fitzgerald’s cross following a typical determined run from the Limerick wide man.

Rovers were to leave Dublin with nothing however as Keena struck at the far end 60 seconds later. 

Next up for Rovers is our league clash with Shamrock Rovers, this Monday at the Showgrounds. Kick-off 7.45pm. 

St Patrick’s Athletic: Joseph Anang; Ryan McLaughlin (Axel Sjoberg 16), Joe Redmond, Tom Grivosti, Anto Breslin: Romal Palmer (Chris Forrester, 27), Barry Baggley; Zach Elbouzedi, Brandon Kavanagh (Mason Melia 70), Jake Mulraney (Jay McClelland 70); Aidan Keena

Sligo Rovers: Sam Sargeant; Harvey Lintott (Oskar Van Hattum 81), Gareth McElroy, John Mahon, Reece Hutchinson; Matty Wolfe (Owen Elding 60), Jake Doyle-Hayes (Ryan Manning 81); Jad Hakiki, Connor Malley, Will Fitzgerald, Cian Kavanagh (Francely Lomboto 81)

Referee: Paul Norton (Dublin)

David Goulden

Drogheda remains an unhappy hunting ground for Sligo Rovers, after the Bit O’Red extended their winless run at the newly named Lambe and Sullivan Park following a three goal defeat on Friday night.

Goals from United’s Josh Thomas, Darragh Markey and Luke Heeney means Rovers haven’t won at the County Louth venue since 2022. 

Manager John Russell gave first starts to two recent arrivals. Midfielder Jake Doyle-Hayes and full back Harvey Lintott both in the starting eleven for the first time, his only changes from the opening night against Waterford. While Ronan Manning made his first team debut as a second half substitute.

Drogs had the lead three minutes from the interval. Shane Farrell assisting Welsh striker Thomas for the opener. 

Rovers looked more settled in the early period of the second half but fell further behind on 74 when Markey had United two up. 

Sligo thought they’d halved the lead when Cian Kavanagh finished from the angle, only for the referee’s assistant to rule him offside although replays suggest the decision may have been harsh. 

Heeney finished the evening with a drilled effort past Sam Sargeant late on. 

Rovers’ next game is our Premier Division clash with St Pat’s at Richmond Park on Friday, February 28th. Kick-off 7.45pm.

Drogheda United: Luke Dennison; Andrew Quinn, Conor Keeley, James Bolger; Owen Lambe, Shane Farrell, Ryan Brennan (Luke Heeney, 89), Conor Kane; Darragh Markey; Zishim Bawa (Thomas Oluwa 62), Josh Thomas (Warren Davis, 72).

Sligo Rovers: Sam Sargeant; Harvey Lintott (Oskar Van Hattum, 69), Ollie Denham, John Mahon, Reece Hutchinson; Jad Hakiki (Ronan Manning, 84), Jake Doyle-Hayes (Francely Lomboto, 69), Conor Malley; Will Fitzgerald, Owen Elding; Cian Kavanagh.

Referee: David Dunne

Sligo Rovers were narrowly beaten on the opening night of the new Premier Division season as Waterford came away from the Showgrounds with all three points. 

A frustrating start from the Bit O’Red allowed the Blues take a two goal lead at half-time courtesy of Rowan McDonald and Tommy Lonergan. 

Owen Elding’s first goal for the club gave Rovers some hope but a Cian Kavanagh penalty miss and Conan Noonan’s eventual winner moments later decided this game. Jad Hakiki did net a late goal for Rovers who were by far the better side in the second period.  

There were positives for Rovers including a handful of debuts and a real battling second half showing. There was a also a first game as club captain for AbbVie academy graduate John Mahon.

Restricted mostly to efforts from range, Rovers manufactured the opening chance through Elding whose shot was easily held by Waterford net minder Stephen McMullan. 

The visitors hit the lead on 13 minutes when McDonald sent a well struck curler around the reach of Sam Sargeant on his Rovers debut. 

The Munster side then doubled their advantage in the 33rd minute.

A move straight from the set-piece playbook, Noonan’s free-kick from the left was headed back across the face of goal by McDonald. Lonergan leaping highest to finish past Sargeant for a goal on his debut.

Desperately requiring some sort of reprieve, Elding gave an improved Rovers that much needed shot in the arm when he halved the deficit five minutes into the second period. Will Fitzgerald forced his way inside the area before squaring for the teenager who fired home for his first senior goal. 

A crazy few minutes saw Rovers then miss a penalty before Waterford had their third despite Rovers being well on top.

McMullen pulled off a magnificent save to deny Cian Kavanagh from 12 yards after Fitzgerald was fouled inside the area. While on the counter, Padraig Amond supplied Noonan who calmly slotted the ball beyond Sargeant with 59 minutes gone. 

Rovers threw it all at their opponents and ended the game with five times as many shots on goal as their rivals only for John Russell’s men to find McMullan in fine form. 

Debutant Hakiki had offered Sligo some hope on 82 minutes when his thunderous drive from the angle clipped the crossbar on its way past a stunned McMullan. 

The Sligo siege was rebuked on several occasions, resulting in Ryan Burke taking an Elding bullet off his own line after Fitzgerald had hit the crossbar on the approach.  

Sligo Rovers: Sam Sargeant; Oskar Van Hattum, Ollie Denham, John Mahon, Reece Hutchinson; Conor Malley (Jake Doyle-Hayes 87), Matty Wolfe (Francely Lomboto 65); Owen Elding, Jad Hakiki, Will Fitzgerald; Cian Kavanagh. 

Waterford: Stephen McMullan; Andy Boyle, Grant Horton, Kacper Radkowski; Navajo Bakboord (Darragh Leahy 72), Ryan Burke; Rowan McDonald (Dean McMenamy 53), Ben McCormack, Conan Noonan (Maarten Pouwels 83); Tommy Lonergan (Kyle White 83), Padraig Amond. 

Referee: Damien MacGraith. 

Attendance: 3,612. 

David Goulden

Sligo Rovers signed off on pre-season 2025 with a commanding four goal win over neighbours Finn Harps at the Showgrounds. 

Conor Malley scored early on as Rovers led at the break, while further strikes from substitutes Gareth McElroy and Francely Lomboto and goal from Cian Kavanagh just past the hour rounded off a busy winter schedule for the Bit O’Red ahead of Saturday’s league kick-off.

Malley had Rovers ahead after just eight minutes, while McElroy doubled our lead two minutes into the second half. The Donegal man finishing off a Ronan Manning set-piece.

Lomboto clinched number three with a well worked goal and smart finish. While the Galway man turned provider for Kavanagh’s goal when Lomoboto squared for the former Pat’s man to finish to an empty net. 

The game rounds off Rovers’ pre-season schedule ahead of the much anticipated opening game of the 2025 Premier Division season against Waterford at the Showgrounds on Saturday, February 15th. Kick-off is 7.45pm. Tickets are available at this link: https://www.sligorovers.com/season-tickets/

Rovers: Sargeant, Van Hattum, Mahon, Denham, Hutchinson, Wolfe, Malley, Fitzgerald, Elding, Hakiki, Kavanagh.

Subs used: Walsh, McElroy, Priosti, McDonagh, Cannon, Reynolds, Patton, Lomboto, Lintott, Manning. 

There were five individual goal scorers at MacSharry Park as Sligo Rovers beat a Sligo/Leitrim XI by six goals to one in the Bit O’Red’s penultimate pre-season outing ahead of next weekend’s Premier Division kick-off.

Owen Elding, Francely Lomboto, Guilherme Priosti, Callum Lynch and Rasheed Yeboah each found the net for Rovers, while an own goal added to the League of Ireland men’s side of the scoreline.

A determined Sligo/Leitrim pulled a goal back in the second period courtesy of an impressive strike from Kenny Ogun. 

Rovers’ final pre-season game takes place against Finn Harps at the Showgrounds, this Saturday. Kick-off is 7.45pm.

Rovers: Walsh, Lintott, Denham, Mahon, Hutchinson, Fitzgerald, Malley, Wolfe, Hakiki, Elding, Lomboto.

Subs used: Sargeant, Priosti, McDonagh, Patton, Malone, McElroy, Mallon, Lynch, Yeboah, Jonathan, Van Hattum, O’Malley, Nolan. 

With the 2025 Premier Division kick-off just two weeks away, Sligo Rovers continued their preparations with pre-season friendly games at both Markets Field and Bishopstown.

The first of these two games saw the Bit O’Red take on First Division side Treaty United in Limerick on Friday night.

An experimental Rovers starting eleven went ahead in this one on 22 minutes when winter signing Francely Lomboto finished off a quick attack from the visitors.

Treaty levelled the game eight minutes into the second half when Rovers’ Premier Division winner Lee Lynch set up an unnamed trialist for the leveller.

Lynch then went on to score the winner in the 71st minute.

With game time ahead of the Waterford game on February 15th the most important aspect of this visit to Munster, Rovers had a speedy turn-around with kick-off at Bishopstown arriving just 16 hours after the full-time whistle in Limerick.

Jad Hakiki, Cian Kavanagh and Owen Elding netted Rovers’ goals in a competitive game which finished 6-3 in Cork’s favour.

Rovers’ next game is our penultimate pre-season fixture. A Sligo/Leitrim XI are our opponents at MacSharry Park on Tuesday night, February 4th, kick-off 7pm.

Rovers XI V Treaty: Walsh, Van Hattum, Mahon, Cannon, Reynolds, Hutchinson, Fitzgerald, Wolfe, Patton, Manning, Lomboto. 

Subs: Sargeant, Lintott, Hakiki, McDonagh, Malley, Jonathan, Edling, McElroy, Malone. 

Rovers XI V Cork: Sargeant, Lintott, Denham, McElroy, McDonagh, Malone, Malley, Hakiki, Mallon, Kavanagh, Elding. 

Subs: Walsh, Jonathan, Priosti.  

Goalkeeper Conor Walsh netted the winning penalty as Sligo Rovers beat Galway United in a shoot-out in our third pre-season friendly of 2025.

Played in memory of former Westport United player Adam Mulchrone at Abbbvie United Park, the home of the Mayo League outfit, the sides finished 90 minutes level at two goals a piece.

A penalty competition decided the outcome with net minder Walsh stepping up to slot home the decisive kick on the turf of his own hometown club. 

Galway took the lead in the rain after 29 minutes through Tubbercurry’s Sean Kerrigan. But the Bit O’Red pulled one back before the break courtesy of Cian Kavanagh who scored again in the second period, this time from the penalty spot after the referee had spotted a handball in the opposition’s penalty area. 

Galway striker Stephen Walsh leveled the tie with six to go on to bring the game to a shoot-out which Rovers won 6-5.

Our next friendly is away to Treaty United on Friday January 31st.

Rovers: Sergeant; Lintott, Mahon, Denham, Hutchinson, Fitzgerald, Malley, Wolfe, Hakiki, Van Hattum, Kavanagh.

Subs used: Walsh, Jonathan, Elding, Nolan, Priosti, McDonagh, Patton, Reynolds, Canon, Lomboto, O’Malley, Mallon, Manning.