Match Sponsor: The Junction, Collooney.
Match Ball Sponsor: SealTec.
David Goulden at the Showgrounds
Sligo Rovers stretched our unbeaten home run to four games as the Bit O’Red picked up a much deserved point against St Patrick’s Athletic at the Showgrounds.
Kian Leavy hit a stunning opener early, while Rovers battled back to level the game before the break when Archie Meekison converted from the penalty spot.
This result extends Sligo’s run without defeat at the Showgrounds while Pat’s now sit three points off the lead having dropped points in both Galway and in this one.
Unbeaten at home in three, Rovers came into this game without seven match day regulars including defender Sean McHale who sat this one out due to the terms of his loan from the Saints. Boss John Russell made two changes to the side who were narrowly overcome by Drogheda on May Day. Alex Nolan and Shane Blaney, his first start in twelve games following a torn hamstring, replacing Daire Patton and the ineligible McHale respectively.
Seeking a return to the league summit, Stephen Kenny made two switches from the late drama in Galway on Friday with defenders Sean Hoare and Anto Breslin back in the starting eleven.
The visitors laid down a marker early on in this one and were ahead courtesy of the superb Leavy after just seven minutes.
The Ardee man found space by playing a neat one-two with skipper Joe Redmond, before peeling away from the pack and delivering a sublime left-footed finish from the edge of the Rovers area, which swerved around the reach of Sligo goalkeeper Sam Sargeant.
It was mostly one-way traffic in this opening period as Rovers struggled to get the ball forward early on.
Sargeant pulled off a wonderful reaction save to fist Jamie Lennon’s thunderous first time volley onto his own crossbar on 32 minutes after Sean Stewart cleared a James Brown corner only as far as the Pat’s midfielder. While the same player skied an effort from a similar position after Rovers struggled to clear their lines.
The hosts found themselves level five minutes before the break. Rovers midfielder Carl McHugh looked like he had crashed into Luke Turner as the Saints defender tried to clear the ball. However, having spotted an infrigment on Turner’s behalf, referee Marc Lynch awarded a penalty to Sligo.
Meekison didn’t allow the brief Pat’s protests to affect him as he slotted the ball beyond Joe Anang, sending the Ghanian the wrong way for his second goal in four outings.
The Dubliners were almost caught out by a Sligo counter on 55 when Meekison played the ball into the path of Cian Kavanagh who didn’t spot the run of the unmarked Alex Nolan to his right. Running out of options, Kavanagh could only fire the ball against a defender’s leg and the opportunity was gone.
Rovers’ James McManus’ effort at the first attempt from an Ollie Denham cross spun past Anang’s post mid-way through the second period as Rovers looked much more comfortable in this game.
Nolan might have done better with Rovers’ next chance twelve from time when Denham found the former Saint on his own at the edge of the area. But Nolan’s resulting effort lacked conviction.
The Inchicore men did have two late opportunities to take the points. Substitute Glory Nzingo fired over from the angle eight from time after skipping past the hard working McHugh. While Max Mata, who spent two terms in Sligo, blazed over on the volley in the fifth minute of added time.
Sligo Rovers: Sam Sargeant; Ollie Denham, Shane Blaney, Gareth McElroy; Will Fitzgerald, Sean Stewart (Kyle McDonagh 70); James McManus, Carl McHugh (Daire Patton 84), Archie Meekison; Alex Nolan; Cian Kavanagh.
St Patrick’s Athletic: Joe Anang; Luke Turner, Sean Hoare, Joe Redmond; James Brown (Zach Elbouzedi 63), Anto Breslin (Jason McClelland 78); Jamie Lennon (Darragh Nugent 63), Barry Baggley; Kian Leavy, Chris Forrester (Glory Nzingo 63); Ryan Edmondson (Max Mata 78).
Referee: Marc Lynch.
Attendance: 3,163.