Sligo Rovers would like to thank both the Match Sponsor and Match ball Sponsor from last Saturdays home league game against Derry City.
The Match Sponsor on the night were the Vintage Reds, while the Match Ball Sponsor was Filans Centra Castle St in Sligo.
Our thanks to both the Vintage Reds and to Filans Centra Castle St Sligo for their generous sponsorship and continued support of the club as a whole.
A scoreless draw did little for either side as Sligo Rovers and Derry City played out a stalemate at The Showgrounds.
Both teams had their respective goalkeepers to thank as Rovers’ Ed McGinty and Candystripes’ Peter Cherrie pulled off vital saves in each half.
In a first period, which didn’t produce much in terms of quality, it was the away side who might have had the lead after less than two minutes.
Unmarked at the back post, the disorientated Eoin Toal was unable to direct his header the right side of the post after latching on to Barry McNamee’s free-kick.
Rovers had their only first half effort at goal six minutes later. Romeo Parkes pushing David Cawley’s ballooned cross back into the area where Dante Leverock’s headed effort was easy for Cherrie to deal with.
Declan Devine’s charges over ran Rovers in midfield at times in the opening period. Playmaker McNamee almost caught out McGinty when the young Scot had to scramble to push McNamee’s cross-come-shot onto his crossbar and behind for a corner.
Rovers had a penalty call dismissed shortly after the half hour. Centre half John Mahon looked as if he was impeded in his attempt to get to Regan Donelon’s corner. Referee Damien MacGraith showed little interest in Rovers’ calls.
An enthralling second half was six minutes old when again Derry spurned a great chance. Niall Morahan under-cooked his backpass towards McGinty to allow Ciaron Harkin through on goal. But McGinty emerged best in the one-on-one dual as he got a leg to Harkin’s low effort.
Rovers skipper Cawley turned a free header from Donelon’s set piece wide of Cherrie’s near post on 63.
Sligo were amongst the chances again on 70. Darren Cole’s misjudgement allowing Parkes’ flick on reach Ronan Coughlan, who turned his man before pulling a super save out of Cherrie.
While the Derry number one somehow kept out Coughlan again moments later. Cherrie somehow shifting his feet in time to sweep the Limerick native’s shot away, with Leverock going close on the follow up.
Sligo Rovers: Ed McGinty; Niall Morahan (Daryl Fordyce 89), Dante Leverock, John Mahon, Lewis Banks; Kris Twardek (Ronan Murray HT), David Cawley, Jack Keaney, Regan Donelon; Romeo Parkes, Ronan Coughlan.
Derry City: Peter Cherrie; Jamie McDonagh, Eoin Toal, Darren Cole, Ciaran Coll; Greg Sloggett, Barry McNamee (Aidy Delap 83), Ciaron Harkin; Eoghan Stokes (Gerardo Bruna 64), David Parkhouse, Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe.
Referee: Damien MacGraith.
Sligo Rovers are delighted to announce The Sligo Champion as the sponsor of our upcoming 2019 Summer Camps.
Both Sligo Rovers and The Sligo Champion have always enjoyed a strong partnership together, with the children’s summer camps enhancing our relationship even more as we aim to get more children active in sport through football.
The Sligo Champion have sponsored our Summer Camps for numerous years now, with the camps growing in participants’ year on year. Camp co-ordinator Shane Crossan spoke of his delight with The Sligo Champion coming on board yet again. He added:
“To have such a strong local brand supporting the camps here in The Showgrounds is invaluable. I would like to thank Lorraine and all of the staff in The Sligo Champion for their continued support and commitment towards the Sligo Rovers Summer Camps. We are very much looking forward to the camps kicking off in July.”
Lorraine Mc Donnell, General Manager of The Sligo Champion added:
“We are very proud to be once again sponsoring the ‘Sligo Rovers Summer Camps’. We’re delighted to be associated with Sligo Rovers, one of Sligo’s greatest brands. The success of the camps could not happen without the hard work and commitment of everyone involved in running these camps; so well done to all and here’s to another successful year”
This year’s Summer Camps will run for eight weeks in total, starting on July 1st and finishing on August 23rd.
With Sligo Rovers renowned for providing one of the most affordable children’s camps in the region, the cost remains unchanged yet again at €60 per child. Each child who participates will also receive an official Sligo Rovers training top (white), a free ticket to a Sligo Rovers home league game, a participation certificate and a picture with the Sligo Rovers first team.
Family discounts will apply yet again, with the cost of two children from the one family €100 per week (€20 saving) and €135 for three children from the one family per week (€45 saving).
The camp runs from 10.30am until 3pm daily. The optional Breakfast Club which sold out at the Easter Camps returns again, which opens from 8.30am each morning. The cost of the Breakfast Club is an additional €25 per child. Each child that attends is provided with a choice of cereals, toast and juice each morning which is then followed by fully supervised outdoor activities. Each participant is then walked down to the camp each morning by a coach. The Breakfast Club is limited to 25 children per week with pre booking strongly advised.
For more information or to make a booking, you can email shane@sligorovers.com or contact him on 071-9171212.
Alternatively, you can book your place online here: https://www.sligorovers.com/product-category/kids-camps/
Sligo Rovers are back in The Showgrounds on Saturday night as Derry City visit in the SSE Airtricity Premier Division
Rovers have lost just one game in the last eight, with a thrilling 3-3 draw with Waterford last time out.
In team news, Kyle Callan-McFadden returns from a hand injury. John Mahon is back from suspension.
Johnny Dunleavy is a slight doubt with a hamstring injury.
Liam Buckley said: “It was possibly an opportunity lost in Waterford. It wasn’t to be after an eventful second half. I was impressed with the lads and they dug in. In fairness Waterford were good as well so the draw was a fair result.
“We’ve been working hard. Derry have done fantastically well and are there on merit. We have improved since the defeat up there. I’ve said it about so many teams of not a lot being between them, and it’s the case here.
“Derry have some good players but we have some here as well and we are getting better. I’d like for us to show that on Saturday and bring an intensity from early on. We do realise they are six points ahead of us and on Saturday 10pm I’d like it to be three points.
“We’ve got a few performances now but we’re not finished. We want to grow this project together. I want the players to feel for the fans and the fans to feel for the players. We are doing our best to get this better. By the end of this season I want everyone to be contented partners and Saturday is a chance to take a step towards that.”
All at Sligo Rovers were saddened to hear of the recent passing of Ronnie Melly. Ronnie was a well-known figure in the sporting community in Sligo from his time playing junior football to his long spell as a referee.
He was also an important part of the Sligo Rovers family from supporting the club to working for it as he helped to run the club’s astro turf facility and indeed his son Gary also previously played for the club.
He managed the bookings and also helped the club to get its popular astro turf league off the ground. He was also an important part of the club’s coaching camps and helped with the club shop on match nights.
He will be missed by all involved with the club and our deepest sympathies go out to his wife Bernadette and his children Trevor, Gary and Sharon and all the rest of his family.
He will be remembered with a minute’s applause at our home game against Derry City in the Showgrounds Saturday night. May he Rest in Peace.
Three Sligo Rovers Under 17 women’s players have received international recognition.
Muireann Devaney, Kate O’Dowd and Emer O’Neill have all been selected for the upcoming Women’s Under 16 Development tournament in the Czech Republic.
The camp takes place from May 18th-25th.
Head-coach Darragh Healy congratulated his players: “It’s a great honour for any player to represent their country and I’m delighted to see the girls once again be selected in the squad.
“As a club we take great pride in seeing players playing at this level and it shows the great work that is being done by all coaches. We wish the girls the best of luck and hopefully they enjoy the experience.
“They have been fantastic since I have come in as head-coach this season and I’m not surprised that they have been called into the squad for this training camp.
“Let’s hope we have more girls going on to represent their country in the near future.”
The Bit O’Red girls are enjoying a fine season so far. With five games played they have picked up three victories (including a 5-3 defeat over Athlone on Saturday), one draw and one defeat.
Fureys Bus are running a supporters bus for our home game against Derry City this coming Saturday night May 18th in The Showgrounds.
It will be a double decker bus. Prices are €8 return per adult and €4 return for U12s. No booking is necessary.
The collection points are as follows:
O Grady’s Coolaney (6.10pm) , The Square Collooney (6.30pm) & The Salley Gardens Ballisadare (6.40pm).
The bus will then depart The Showgrounds 15 minutes after the game.
Waterford and Sligo Rovers added their contribution to a madcap week of football as they played out a pulsating 3-3 draw which saw both goalkeepers save second half penalties.
Both sides had the opportunity to move into the top half of the table but neither was able to hold onto any lead on the night ensuring that the pair shared the spoils in a match none of the spectators wanted to end.
After a sluggish opening 10 minutes good work out wide from Aaron Drinan earned him space for a shot but his 30-yard effort was always rising over the Sligo goal, while the home fans felt they should have had a penalty just after the quarter-hour mark as Izzy Akinade was felled having been neatly played in by Zack Elbouzedi.
Within a minute the visitors were ahead when Kris Twardek bundled in David Cawley’s cross after a fine run down the left from the Rovers’ captain but their lead lasted just two minutes.
As he did several times in the second half of last season, Cory Galvin picked up the ball in space centrally and his right footed, 20-yard effort snugly tucked inside the left hand side of the Mitchell Beeney’s’ goal.
The Blues were on the front foot as the half progressed and they took the lead they deserved 10 minutes from time when Elbouzedi reached the byline and lofted a pull-back to the onrushing Duggan, whose effort ricocheted off the crossbar and onto the arm of the keeper before rippling the net.F
Following the restart Drinan curled an effort at Beeney before Akinade nodded a hanging Aaron Simpson cross into the side-netting but the sides were level just before the hour mark. A short free kick set Cawley down the left again and he whipped in a devilish delivery across the goal which was steered in by Ronan Coughlan.
Waterford almost found the perfect response when Galvin again cut in onto his right foot but his curling effort bounced back into play off the crossbar and Liam Buckley’s men took the lead for a second time in the 64th minute when Parkes finished emphatically to the near post having been played in on Matt Connors’ goal by Cawley.
Shane Duggan had a penalty saved by the outstretched Beeney after Akinade was fouled by Leverock but the Blues equalised with 10 minutes remaining when the striker nipped onto a bouncing ball and lofted it over the keeper who went from hero to zero in seven short minutes.
Parkes and Duggan had chances from open play to put their sides ahead although neither could find the target and Coughlan followed their lead by spurning a spot-kick after Georgie Poynton’s handball, with Matt Connor saving to his left hand side.
Waterford FC: Matt Connor; Aaron Simpson (Chvedukas, 65), Rory Feely, Damien Delaney, Georgie Poynton; Cory Galvin (Twine, 76), JJ Lunney, Shane Duggan, Zack Elbouzedi (Hery, 65); Izzy Akinade, Aaron Drinan.
Sligo Rovers: Mitchell Beeney; Lewis Banks, Johnny Dunleavy, Dante Leverock, Regan Donelon; Daryl Fordyce (Morahan, 90), Jack Keaney (Warde, 45), David Cawley; Kris Twardek (Murray, 45); Ronan Coughlan, Romeo Parkes.
Referee: Anthony Buttimer
Sligo Rovers travel to Waterford on Saturday in the SSE Airtricity Premier Division.
The Bit O’ Red go into the game on the back of two wins – against UCD and Shamrock Rovers – and now visit the RSC.
John Mahon serves a one-game ban. Kyle Callan-McFadden is likely to miss out with a hand injury. The Donegal man is very close to full fitness.
Johnny Dunleavy will travel with the squad and should be fit – he picked up a leg injury against Shamrock Rovers which forced a first half substitution.
Liam Buckley: “Firstly it has been good to have an uninterrupted week – we head into a one game a week scenario now pretty much which will suit us a bit more given our squad size. We’ve been lifted by the two wins, we’ve had a good preparation this week and it has been easier to manage things.
“We’d like to build on what was gained last week. There was a great drive and spirit in us last Saturday. We’re trying to get the guys in positions to be effective, to keep better possession of the ball and win games. That’s the only way to climb the table because everyone is beating everyone in this league and the teams that put runs together make progress.
“One of our staff, Dave Campbell, was in Inchicore to watch Waterford last week and it was a really good win and they played well. Everyone knows the quality of player they have. But we are gradually improving and starting to show what kind of side we are. We go there in good spirit and looking to get another three points.”
Sligo Rovers would like congratulate Alan Jinks and Peter Kerins who are the final two players left standing in our Last Man Standing competition. After a brief consultation between the two players and the club, both players agreed to split the €1,000 prize money and collect €500 each.
Both Alan and Peter are Sligo based and will be presented with their winnings later this afternoon by competition co-ordinator Shane Crossan.
The club would like to put on record our thanks to everyone who entered the competition which began last February. The club would also like to thank Jevin O Toole from Letterkenny IT who assisted in the running of the competition during his work placement with the club.
Due to the popularity and success of the competition, plans have already commenced within the club to run another Last Man Standing competition which will kick off in conjunction with the new Premier League season in August.
