Liam Kerrigan has joined UCD, the club can confirm.

The Rovers Under-17 graduate progressed through the ranks to become a member of the first-team squad.

He started with the Under-17s in 2015 and went on to make 24 appearance for the senior side.

The 19-year-old said: “Like Jack said this has been a very difficult decision to make. I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t a Sligo Rovers fan and making my debut and signing my first professional contract last year was a dream come true.

“Thanks to Gerard Lyttle and Kevin Derry for giving me that opportunity. 

“I would like to thank all my coaches from Real Tubber FC and Raff Cretaro for introducing me to the club as mascot when I was five-years old, Sligo Leitrim youths, Sligo Rovers 17s, Niall Harrison, Colm Jinks and Danny O’Leary, the u19s, Dinky (Brian Dorrian) and the first team management, Liam Buckley, John Russell and Dave Campbell for all their encouragement and guidance throughout the years.

“I’d also like to thank everyone behind the scenes at Sligo Rovers and all the fans for supporting me over the last two seasons.

“Best of luck to everyone at the club for the rest of the season.”

Liam Buckley said: “Liam has decided to take up this offer. We wish him well. We don’t want to lose our young players and going forward the IT Sligo scholarship scheme will help with that.

“It’s disappointing but we wish Liam a great future and perhaps one day we will see him in a Sligo Rovers jersey again.”

Derry City returned to winning ways with victory over Sligo Rovers at a rain-soaked Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium.

Winger Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe netted his seventh goal in as many games, while teenager Jack Malone netted his first goal for the club.

After a 40 minute delay because of floodlight failure, it was the home side who started the better in the opening stages.

In fact Derry missed a glorious chance on three minutes as Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe’s run and cross from the left found an unmarked David Parkhouse, but the Sheffield United loanee side-footed over with the goal at his mercy. Soon after Parkhouse went even closer. This time Jamie McDonagh’s super right wing centre found the Strabane man, but his header at the near post was saved by Rovers ‘keeper Edward McGinty.

Minutes later a stunning Ronan Murray pass released Romeo Parkes, but after racing clear of the Derry defence the Rovers striker’s shot was well kept out by Derry ‘keeper Peter Cherrie.

That missed chance came back to haunt the visitors as Derry took the lead on 21 minutes as Parkhouse’s clever lay-off found Ogedi-Uzokwe, the winger cut in from the left before side-footing home, clipping off McGinty’s left hand post on the way into the net.

Liam Buckley’s side should have equalised soon after when Daniel Kane’s right wing cross found Parkes, but the front man’s miss hit effort from 10 yards sailed well off target. Derry doubled their lead right at the start of the second half as Ogedi-Uzokwe bamboozled John Dunleavy, before cutting the ball back to McDonagh, who made no mistake blasting high into the net from 10 yards.

The home side added a superb third goal on 79 minutes when following a stunning passing move, young substitute Malone played a one-two with Greg Sloggett, before firing home from some 25 yards.

Rovers’ night was summed up minutes later as Ronan Coughlan fired over from close range, after the ball fell perfectly to him inside the six yard box. The woodwork came to Sligo’s rescue deep into stoppage time as substitute Michael McCrudden saw his shot on the turn come back off the post.

Derry City: Cherrie, McDonagh, Cole, Gilchrist, Coll; Bruna, Harkin, Sloggett (McCrudden 82); Ogedi-Uzokwe (McCauley 75), Parkhouse, Davis (Malone 63).

Sligo Rovers: McGinty, Banks, Warde (Twardek 59), Callan-McFadden, Dunleavy, Coughlan, Fordyce, Murray (Donelon 73), Kane, Mahon, Parkes.

Sligo Rovers travel to the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium on Friday night to take Derry City in the SSE Airtricity Premier Division.

The Bit O’ Red extended their unbeaten run at home to nine matches last time out against Waterford and go in search for a fourth win on the road this year.

Wins over Finn Harps, UCD and Bohemians have helped Rovers to sit in sixth place in the league, with this game a key one in trying to get closer to Derry and St Patrick’s Athletic.  

In team news, Dante Leverock (red card last time out) and David Cawley (yellow card accumulation) are suspended.

Niall Morahan is away on international duty.

Regan Donelon returns and is available to play.

Liam Buckley said: “We expected a bit more last Saturday. We’re proving very hard to beat but we could have done a good bit better in the game.  

“We would have liked to play better in the second half. We got the point so we’re still in there and with 11 games to go we’d like to see where a good run could take us.

“The league table doesn’t lie in that Derry are a couple of wins ahead of us but we feel we can compete against any side. We’ve beaten the top three in the league yet had some disappointing results and Derry couldn’t get that goal last week so it proves how hard this league is.

“We’d like to go up there and show a bit more of what we can do and get the result.” 

Sligo Rovers are delighted to confirm the renewal of their partnership for 2019 as Top Oil are again confirmed as official fuel supplier to the Bit O’ Red.

The announcement was made today with representatives of Rovers are Top Oil at The Showgrounds.

Details were also announced of how fans can help the club once again as part of the new agreement.

€10 will go to Sligo Rovers if customers quote ‘TopSR’ when ordering fuel from Top Oil.

The partnership has been very successful so far, so we encourage all fans to use Top Oil. To order, phone 071-9162238 for a quote and receive the excellent customer service that Top Oil provides.

Sligo Rovers chairman Martin Heraghty commented: “Top Oil has been very loyal to the club and we are very happy to have them on board again.

‘’It shows that our sponsors see the benefit of long-term association with the club as the agreement has been extended for a third time.

‘’We ask all our fans to support our sponsors and don’t forget to mention ‘TopSR’ when ordering.

Andrew Meagher, Head of Sales for Top Oil’s Direct business, said:

‘’We are very pleased to be extending our long-term partnership with Sligo Rovers. Top Oil is very much part of the local community in Sligo where we employ are serve local people and businesses.

“Sligo Rovers is a community based club so we are pleased to be associated with such a great club as we renew our sponsorship again for another year. We want to take the opportunity to wish the club the very best, both on and off the field.’’

Top Oil has a growing network of depots and forecourts that champion quality service and reliability.

As an addition to the partnership, Top Oil has committed to making a €10 donation to Sligo Rovers FC for every order placed in the region using the promo code ‘TopSR’.

Orders can be made online at their website top.ie or by calling your local Top Oil depot in Sligo locally on 0719162238.

Romeo Parkes missed a first half penalty as Sligo Rovers played out a scoreless draw with Waterford at the Showgrounds.

There was further anguish for the Bit O’Red as they finished the game without defender Dante Leverock. The Bermudan dismissed four minutes from time having been shown a second yellow card. 

Both sides produced three goals each in their last meeting as the RSC, but this game was to pass without either goalkeeper breached.

Rovers’ Ronan Coughlan had an early chance before Michael O’Connor’s header from a Tom Holland free from deep looped over Ed McGinty’s crossbar.

Parkes’ first touch took him away from a Waterford defender after he controlled a Ronan Murray cross on the quarter hour. But Parkes’ resulting effort was deflected away.

Last May’s game also saw both teams miss a penalty each and Parkes continued this tradition on 18 minutes.

The Jamaican denied by Matthew Connor from twelve yards after Danny Kane was tripped by O’Connor.

The Blues’ net-minder also keeping out Murray’s follow-up.

This sucked the wind from the Rovers sails as Alan Reynolds’ charges finished the half the stronger.

Jonathan Lunney’s drive from 25 yards not too far away from McGinty’s post after the attacker dinked his way past two Sligo challenges. But this was the best the away side could muster before the break.

Waterford threatened after the re-start courtesy of the lively Cory Galvin and again on 66 through O’Connor as the two thousand strong support awaited an opener.

Galvin gave the Rovers defence plenty of cause for concern and went close once more on 67 when his effort from the angle smacked back off the Sligo’s woodwork.

While Connor was comfortable dealing with David Cawley’s shot from the edge of the box after Parkes shifted play into the path of the Mayo man.

Maxim Kouogun wasted a glorious opportunity with twelve to go when Johnny Dunleavy’s lack of urgency allowed the centre half in. But his ballooned effort flew well over the Sligo goal with just McGinty to beat.

O’Connor’s next go suffered a similar fate minutes before Rovers were reduced to ten when Leverock was shown his second yellow after a late challenge on Galvin.

Sligo Rovers: Ed McGinty; Johnny Dunleavy, Kyle Callan-McFadden, Dante Leverock, Danny Kane; Romeo Parkes, Daryl Fordyce (John Russell 68), David Cawley, Kris Twardek; Ronan Coughlan (Sam Warde 61), Ronan Murray (John Mahon 87). 

Waterford: Matthew Connor; Rory Feely, Kenny Browne, Maxim Kouogun, Kevin Lynch (Georgie Poynton 56); Jonathan Lunney, Tom Holland, Shane Duggan; Dean O’Halloran (William Fitzgerald 76), Michael O’Connor, Cory Galvin.

Referee: Rob Harvey

Attendance: 2,037

Sligo Rovers host Waterford FC on Saturday night in The Showgrounds. Kick off is the later time of 8pm.

The Bit O’ Red drew 0-0 with Shamrock Rovers last week and played a mid-season friendly on Monday, beating Accrington Stanley.

New signing Danny Kane is awaiting international clearance. 

Lewis Banks serves a one-game ban.

Regan Donelon (hamstring) and Romeo Parkes (ankle) will undergo late fitness tests. 

Niall Morahan has been called up to the Ireland Under-19 squad for the European Championships so will miss out.

Liam Buckley said: “We were superb without the ball in Tallaght in terms of organisation, tenacity and overall defensively. We battled and scrapped and wouldn’t give in. With the ball, we could have been a lot better. It was a very good point from where we are at. Not many teams are getting a result there currently.

“Monday’s game was useful in that we got minutes for lads who needed them and it was actually a very good game. It was competitive and we played quite well. It was good for the likes of Danny Kane to play a part and a couple of others coming back from knocks. 

“We’ve got 12 games left. I think the players have worked extremely hard, and a late run could make it an exciting end of the season for us. We’re still in a position to kick on and going into this game that’s what we’re looking at.

“We will be without a couple of lads at least, the rest we’ll look at before the game. 

“It’s great for Niall to get the call-up, it’ll be a fantastic experience for him and he is progressing. 

“We’d like to put on a big performance in front of our supporters, we’d love a big crowd behind us and we’ll try to get the win because it could really get us closer to the top half teams.”

Sligo Rovers can today announce the signing of defender Danny Kane until the end of the season subject to international clearance.

The former Cork City and AFC Fylde man has been recovering from serious injury and has been part of the Rovers group for the majority of the season in that process. 

Kane, 22, has been recuperating from a serious ankle problem but is now back to fitness and played in the 1-0 win over Accrington Stanley on Monday.

Danny Kane said: “I’m delighted to officially be a Sligo Rovers player. It has been a long recovery but I’m happy to have been here for it. The lads are a fantastic group and it’s a great environment to be in. 

“I met Liam Buckley for the first time in January in Dublin and he ticked every box for me. I ended up going to Sligo the next day.

“He said I could do my recovery with a view to joining and the club would be totally open to me, help me and be part of things which was great. It has been frustrating watching on and mentally hard but being around the lads and the staff has been vital for me. They helped me settle in straight away.

“Playing on Monday was a great feeling. I think I did okay and I just need to get sharper. Now that I’m signed I want to show what I can do and get back flying. We have a few defenders in the squad. My preferred position is centre-half but I can play anywhere across the back four. I don’t mind, I just want to get back to my best.”

Liam Buckley said: “We lined Danny up earlier in the year. Both sides have had to be patient – it was a bad injury and he’s done the work to get back. We wanted to help him get back because we have a very good player on our hands at his best.

“He’s a baller. He can really play and also defend very well. He has that versatility and while we have good players in defence so he’ll have lots of competition, we have been low on bodies through the year. Not too long before the injury he was playing for the Ireland Under-21s and doing well and we think we can get him back to that form. 

“He played in the friendly with Accrington and came through that well. I think he can make a big contribution and I see the hunger in him. His grandmother is from the area so to have family around is great for him as well. 

“We are still looking. This window is difficult to pick up players. We don’t just want to go for someone for the sake of it. There’s still a couple of weeks to go so we are certainly not ruling anything out.”

Danny is awaiting clearance to be ready to be involved in competitive action. 

Sligo Rovers are partnering with Nazareth Nursing Home Sligo and Ballymote Community Nursing Unit in 500 km/1000 km Challenge in aid of both nursing homes.

Together, they challenge you to get out and about and to cover 500km or 1000km in one year all while raising funds for this very worthy cause.

Walk it, jog it, run it or even dance it. The choice is yours. You will need to walk just 1.4km every day to cover the 500km in the year and double it to cover the 1000km. You may already be a keen walker or runner and achieve this over a number of marathons or you may be starting off from the couch to 5km, either way, do it your way.

Take this on as a personal challenge, or better still, get your family, friends and colleagues involved.

Whatever way you take part, the sponsorship you raise is supporting Nazareth Nursing Home Sligo and Ballymote Community Nursing Unit to build and refurbish their Nursing homes, so that people living there have the most comfortable homes where they can live out their lives in style.

Each participant will receive a medal and certificate on completion of the challenge.

Sligo Rovers are delighted to be supporting our neighbours with the campaign, further evidence to the club being at the heart of the community once again.

It’s free to join, all you have to do is go to www.thenazarethcarefund.com/walkingchallenge and fill in your details to register. The 365 days begins the day you register.

Sligo Rovers will play Glebe North away in the first round of the Extra.ie FAI Cup in August.

The draw was made at the Aviva Stadium. Club officials were present for the draw.

Rovers face the Leinster Senior League outfit from Balbriggan on weekend ending 11 August. More details will be confirmed shortly