Ronan Coughlan netted a hat-trick for Sligo Rovers as they hammered UCD at the Showgrounds to pick up their first win in five games.

The away side took the lead in this one through skipper Liam Scales but Sligo turned the match completely on its head courtesy of Coughlan’s heroics, along with strikes from Johnny Dunleavy and Romeo Parkes.

In search of their first points on the road this season, it was UCD who impressed early on.

Yoyo Mahdy had Ed McGinty at full stretch to keep out his powerful effort before the Students hit the lead.

Bristol Rovers-bound Scales showed his strength as he muscled his way to the front post to head home Richie O’Farrell’s corner.

Rovers slowly found their feet and worked their way back into this tie. Conor Kearns got a strong hand to Coughlan’s shot on eleven minutes, before Parkes saw his effort sail past the far post from close range on the quarter hour.

Liam Buckley’s charges deservedly levelled the tie when Dunleavy latched on to David Cawley’s corner, although it looked like UCD keeper Conor Kearns could have done better.

Sligo were ahead less than 60 seconds later. Cawley pushed the ball into the path of Coughlan, who tucked it beyond Kearns for his first of the night.

Rovers had their third before the break. Parkes held off his man, biding his time before supplying the oncoming Coughlan who was left with a simple finish.

Parkes added his name to the score-sheet five minutes into the second half, the Jamaican left to tap the ball in at the back post from Dunleavy’s square.

Coughlan then had his hat-trick moments later, after he lifted the ball over a despairing Kearns from inside the six-yard box.

Parkes missed two late chances to claim his brace but Kearns twice got down quick enough to get a hand to both efforts.

Sligo Rovers: Ed McGinty; Johnny Dunleavy (Niall Morahan 53), Kyle Callan-McFadden, Dante Leverock, Lewis Banks; Kris Twardek, John Russell (John Mahon 70), David Cawley, Romeo Parkes; Ronan Coughlan (Brian Morley 58), Ronan Murray.

UCD: Conor Kearns; Dan Tobin (Harry McEnvoy 86), Evan Farrell, Josh Collins (Luke Boore HT), Liam Scales; Paul Doyle, Mark Dignam; Jason McClelland, Richie O’Farrell, Yoyo Mahdy (Hugh Torfeldt 86); Danu Bishop.

Referee: Damien MacGraith

Tonights match programme is 44 pages and includes a free poster of Sligo Rovers great Gavin Dykes

Liam Buckley – his thoughts on tonight’s game

Conall Collier – Time to celebrate GAA success for Sligo and Leitrim

Lewis Banks signs for another year

Lucid outlook for an All-Island League

20 Questions with David Cawley

Colin Feehily – Sligo Rovers Chief Executive

Sligo Rovers International Players by Joe Molloy

Red Icon – Ray Gallagher

Stephen McLoughlin on tonight’s game

You Reds – some nice photos

Sligo Rovers meet UCD on Monday night in The Showgrounds in the SSE Airtricity Premier Division. 

In team news, Regan Donelon and Ronan Coughlan trained on Sunday and could feature. They will be assessed on matchday. 

Daryl Fordyce is doubtful with an Achilles injury and will also be tested pre-match.   

Sam Warde is ineligible as his permanent transfer can only go through on Monday and clearance will not arrive in time. 

Liam Buckley said: “It was very poor last Friday. We needed better drive, better dynamism, better work-rate. 

“If you don’t have those things in this league you will get turned over and we got turned over. Results elsewhere meant it was a defeat that hurt us in the table as well. 

“That’s our first task going into this game, that our previous levels of work-rate return. We have never had a lack of work-rate before with this team and on Monday there is the chance at least to show it was a bad night. I’m looking for a big improvement. 

“I’m expecting a hard game from UCD. I don’t know exactly what team we can put out, that’ll be looked at before the game but whichever team goes out there, they know that to win the game we need to be much better so we go into it looking to be.”

Finn Harps claimed their first win in six as they overcame Sligo Rovers at Finn Park.

Goals in either half from Nathan Boyle means the Ballybofey side take full advantage of UCD’s defeat to Pat’s, moving ahead of the Students although with three more games played.

Rovers produced their only shot on target of a poor opening half for Liam Buckley’s men, shortly after kick-off.

Harps net minder Mark McGinley keeping an eye on Sam Warde’s bending set-piece to push the ball to safety.

The home side went about their business with superior purpose and Boyle won’t be on the end of many better opportunities this season, as he was on seven minutes.  

Loose at the front post, he could only nod Raffaele Cretaro’s cross to the front post off the Sligo goal-frame with Ed McGinty well beaten.

The home side looked more likely to draw first blood and were just inches away from the lead on the quarter hour.

Cretaro picked Kyle Callan-McFadden’s pocket inside the Sligo half before sending a vicious shot towards goal which McGinty fumbled.

The Rovers goalkeeper recovering in time to keep the ball the safe side of his goal-line.

With just two wins to their name going into this tie, Ollie Horgan’s boys hit the lead on 28 and without much argument.

Boyle making no mistake this time as he placed Mark Russell’s cross from the left beyond McGinty at the first go.

Rovers did go close before the interval courtesy of Warde via a Kris Twardek lay-off.

While David Cawley could only watch on as his half-volley pulled wide of McGinley’s goal early in the second half.

Twardek’s leap then allowed him meet a Cawley corner mid-way through the second half, but the Canadian could only steer the ball over McGinley’s goal.

But Harps extinguished any potential comeback and effectively secured victory twelve minutes from time.

A mix up in the Rovers midfield allowing Cretaro break free.

The ex-Sligo attacker biding his time before squaring for Boyle who was left with a relatively simple finish.

Finn Harps: Mark McGinley; Daniel O’Reilly, Keith Cowan, Sam Todd; Jacob Borg, Mark Russell; Mark Coyle, Gareth Harkin; Raff Cretaro (Tony McNamee 83), Caolan McAleer (Harry Ascroft 74); Nathan Boyle (Mikey Place 89).   

Sligo Rovers: Ed McGinty; Johnny Dunleavy, John Mahon, Dante Leverock, Lewis Banks; Kyle Callan-McFadden (John Russell HT); Sam Warde; David Cawley (Jack Keaney 71), Kris Twardek; Ronan Murray, Romeo Parkes. 

Referee: Tomas Connolly.

Sligo Rovers take on Finn Harps on Friday night in Finn Park in the SSE Airtricity Premier Division.

Rovers go into the game in sixth position as the season resumes, with six wins so far in the league.

One of those wins came in Finn Park through a 2-1 success, while in the second match the Bit O’ Red needed a late Ronan Coughlan penalty to secure a point.

In injury news Dante Leverock returns from international duty with Bermuda in the Gold Cup, Johnny Dunleavy and Niall Morahan are fit after injury and John Mahon returns from suspension.

Regan Donelon (hamstring) is out and Daryl Fordyce (Achilles) is doubt and will undergo a late test prior to the game.

Liam Buckley said: “We gave the players a programme for the short time off, we are happy with how that went. The lads had a week off but on three of the days they had to do individual training which was monitored. It was a good balance to give that bit of rest but maintain what we have build up.

“They were back in on Monday then so we’ve had a good week together.

“I think the break was welcome, even just from a mental point of view as there has been a lot of training and a lot of games and sometimes you just need a refresh.

“We also were down a lot of players. You could see that as the Cork game ended that we were low on numbers and thankfully Dante has come back okay, Johnny Dunleavy has been training all week and Niall Morahan was with the Republic of Ireland Under-19s this week so he’s fine too.

“Regan still isn’t quite right and Daryl has a niggle which we’ll look at up there.

“The win we had in Ballybofey was very hard fought and in The Showgrounds it was almost the last kick of the game not to lose so we know what we’re facing.

“It’s going to be a real battle, and in Finn Park, every team, especially outside the top two, has it tough. From our point of view we have had a good preparation and we want to hit the ground running for the rest of the season.

“I think there is improvement in the group, they’ve worked extremely hard for the first part of the season and I have no doubt they will do that again. We want to kick on and see where it can take us.”

€50,000 has been generated so far in the Sligo Rovers Annual Draw.

Liam Buckley said: “It’s a fantastic achievement so far. Every fan that gets on board with us, gets behind us, it makes a difference, so keep on going.”

There is €5,000 to be won among a host of prizes. 6,400 tickets were sold last year in the most successful staging of the draw since it began.

Tickets are priced €10 and are available online here , home games and from members of our committee.

The prizes:

1st prize: €5,000

2nd prize: One Night B&B for two people at the 5 Star Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin

3rd prize: Two tickets for Rod Stewart for his 4th December Concert plus One Night B&B and Evening Meal in The Croke Park Hotel.

Buy tickets here

4th prize: One Night B&B and Evening Meal for two people at the Titanic Hotel in Belfast

5th prize: One Night B&B for two people in Hotel Westport, Co Mayo

6th prize: €200 voucher for 4 Star Old Ground Hotel, Ennis, Co Clare

7th prize: €150 Gift Voucher for The Cat and The Moon

8th prize: Sligo Rovers season ticket for 2020

9th prize: 2 Premier Level Tickets for the Republic of Ireland versus Switzerland on 5th September in Aviva Stadium Euro 2020 qualifer

10th prize: Signed Sligo Rovers jersey

The draw takes place on Monday 1st July

Two Sligo Rovers matches have been selected for coverage by Eir Sport in July and as a result, kick-off has been moved to 8pm.

Rovers take on Waterford on Saturday 13 July and Bohemians on 27 July in The Showgrounds. Kick-off is 8pm with the dates unchanged.

Our next home game is this Monday against UCD at 7:45pm.

€42,000 has been generated so far in the Sligo Rovers Annual Draw.

There is €5,000 to be won among a host of prizes. 6,400 tickets were sold last year in the most successful staging of the draw since it began.

Tickets are priced €10 and are available online here , home games and from members of our committee.

The prizes:

1st prize: €5,000

2nd prize: One Night B&B for two people at the 5 Star Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin

3rd prize: Two tickets for Rod Stewart for his 4th December Concert plus One Night B&B and Evening Meal in The Croke Park Hotel.

Buy tickets here

4th prize: One Night B&B and Evening Meal for two people at the Titanic Hotel in Belfast

5th prize: One Night B&B for two people in Hotel Westport, Co Mayo

6th prize: €200 voucher for 4 Star Old Ground Hotel, Ennis, Co Clare

7th prize: €150 Gift Voucher for The Cat and The Moon

8th prize: Sligo Rovers season ticket for 2020

9th prize: 2 Premier Level Tickets for the Republic of Ireland versus Switzerland on 5th September in Aviva Stadium Euro 2020 qualifer

10th prize: Signed Sligo Rovers jersey

The draw takes place on Monday 1st July

Sligo Rovers welcome UCD to The Showgrounds on Monday 1 July, kick-off 7:45pm.

The Bit O’ Red are away on Friday night against Finn Harps before taking on the Students.

Get your tickets below

€35,000 has been generated so far in the Sligo Rovers Annual Draw.

There is €5,000 to be won among a host of prizes. 6,400 tickets were sold last year in the most successful staging of the draw since it began.

Tickets are priced €10 and are available online here , home games and from members of our committee.

The prizes:

1st prize: €5,000

2nd prize: One Night B&B for two people at the 5 Star Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin

3rd prize: Two tickets for Rod Stewart for his 4th December Concert plus One Night B&B and Evening Meal in The Croke Park Hotel.

Buy tickets here

4th prize: One Night B&B and Evening Meal for two people at the Titanic Hotel in Belfast

5th prize: One Night B&B for two people in Hotel Westport, Co Mayo

6th prize: €200 voucher for 4 Star Old Ground Hotel, Ennis, Co Clare

7th prize: €150 Gift Voucher for The Cat and The Moon

8th prize: Sligo Rovers season ticket for 2020

9th prize: 2 Premier Level Tickets for the Republic of Ireland versus Switzerland on 5th September in Aviva Stadium Euro 2020 qualifer

10th prize: Signed Sligo Rovers jersey

The draw takes place on Monday 1st July