League: Premier Division

Sligo Rovers vs Waterford

A dramatic 90th minute winner from Waterford’s Courtney Duffus at the Showgrounds gave the Blues a somewhat fortunate 2-1 win over Sligo Rovers at the Showgrounds.
Gavan Holohan’s second goal of the season eleven minutes from the break had give the away side the lead. But Sligo rallied during an entertaining second half and found a way back into the tie mid-way through the half courtesy of Adam Morgan.
Rovers dominated the second 45 but their hopes of taking anything from the game were dashed on 90 minutes when Duffus netted his maiden goal for the men from the south east.
Following an even if somewhat uneventful start to the first half, it was Waterford who fashioned the first chance of the game. Holohan blasting over from the edge of the area.
Rovers had to wait until the 19th minute to worry Waterford goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux. David Cawley and Caolan McAleer combined to force a corner before the same two players linked up from the resulting corner as Cawley shepherded the ball into the path of McAleer. The winger forcing an acrobatic save out of Vigouroux.
Sligo net minder Mitchell Beeney was comfortable dealing with Holohan’s drive from the edge of the area just past the half hour. While the Chelsea loanee was called into action seconds later to get behind Dean Walsh’s shot.
Alan Reynolds’ charges found a breakthrough on 34 minutes. Holohan powering home Rory Feely’s inviting cross from the right, past Beeney with a placed headed finish.
The home side began the second period with improved tempo and drive. Some decent one touch football ended with Vigouroux having to hold on to another McAleer chance.
While Pincelli had the net minder scrambling to push away a rocket from 35 yards on the hour.
The westerners were not be denied on 67 minutes. A goal mouth scramble ensued following a short corner on the right. Substitute Ali Roy’s initial effort was blocked away by a Waterford boot before the prowling Morgan blasted home for his third goal for the club.
McAleer should have better with his chance eleven minutes from time when instead of shooting, Greg Moorhouse elected to switch wide to the former Finn Harps man. A lack of composure letting the winger down as he could only find the side netting.
Moorhouse himself came close to picking out a winner seven minutes from time. His looping header landing on the roof of the Waterford net. While Vigouroux was alive once more three minutes from time to first deny Roy, then Lewis Morrison.
But cruelly and against the run of play, Duffus won the game at the death when after a neat turn, he placed the ball past the stranded Beeney,
Sligo Rovers: Mitchell Beeney; Raffaele Cretaro, Kyle Callan-McFadden, Patrick McClean, Calum Waters; Caolan McAleer (Liam Kerrigan 90), David Cawley, Eduardo Pinceli, Adam Wixted (Ali Roy 55); Greg Moorhouse; Adam Morgan (Lewis Morrison 78).
Waterford: Lawrence Vigouroux; Rory Feely, Kenny Browne, Dave Webster, Dylan Barnett; Stanley Aborah (Sander Puri 59), Paul Keegan, Bastien Hery (Gary Comerford 77); Gavan Holohan; Courtney Duffus, Dean Walsh (Derek Daly 63).
Referee: Neil Doyle.
vs

Dundalk vs Cork City

vs

Bohemians vs Derry City

vs

Dundalk vs Limerick

vs

Shamrock Rovers vs Bray Wanderers

vs

Sligo Rovers vs Cork City

Cork City maintained their perfect start to the season with a 4-1 win over Sligo Rovers at the Showgrounds.
An opening goal from hat-trick hero Graham Cummins was quickly followed up by a spot-kick from former Rovers man Kieran Sadlier as Cork raced into the lead.
Cummins grabbed his brace during the opening stages of the second half. Adam Morgan did give Ger Lyttle’s side hope just short of the hour mark when he found the net from twelve yards after Caolan McAleer was taken down by Alan Bennett in front of goal.
However there was little doubt of the result when John Caulfield’s charges made it 4-1 at the death as Cummins grabbed his third when he latched on to a cross from Shane Griffin.
Rovers finished the game with ten men. Rhys McCabe dismissed late on.
The champions moved into an early lead with just two minutes played. Karl Sheppard found himself in space inside the area before his cross found the alert Cummins who headed past Mitchell Beeney from close range for his second goal of the season.
Seamus Sharkey dragged Aaron Barry to the ground inside the area before Sadlier stood up  to blast home from twelve yards.
Beeney could only watch on as Gearoid Morrisey’s weighted effort from the angle slipped agonisingly wide of his far post.
Sligo’s only chance of the first 45 arrived in the final minute of the half. Rhys McCabe’s ball across the box picking out Caolan McAleer who landed his attempted lob on the roof of the onlooking Mark McNulty in the City nets.
Cummins made the most of a mix-up between Beeney and Kyle Callan-McFadden before he was left with a simple tap-in.
Rovers were offered a way back into the game just short of the hour when McAleer was upended by Alan Bennett inside the Cork box. Morgan’s turn arriving for him to convert from the spot for his second goal in as many games.
City left the Showgrounds in little doubt as to the final result on the stroke of full-time. Cummins completing his hat-trick as he slotted home Griffin’s squared ball from the left side.
Sligo Rovers: Mitchell Beeney; Gary Boylan, Kyle Callan-McFadden, Seamus Sharkey (Calum Waters HT), Partrick McClean; Caolan McAleer, David Cawley, Craig Roddan (Adam Wixted 65), Rhys McCabe, Alistair Roy (Greg Moorhouse 71); Adam Morgan.
Cork City: Mark McNulty; Steven Beattie (Colm Horgan 65), Alan Bennett, Aaron Barry, Shane Griffin; Conor McCormack, Gearoid Morrisey, Barry McNamee (Garry Buckley 80); Karl Sheppard, Graham Cummins, Kieran Sadlier (Jimmy Keohane 71).
Referee: Derek Tomney.
vs

Waterford vs St. Patrick’s Athletic

vs

Limerick vs Bohemians

vs

Shamrock Rovers vs Dundalk

vs

Sligo Rovers vs Derry City

Sligo Rovers picked up their first points of the season with a 2-1 victory over neighbours Derry City at The Showgrounds.

Second-half goals from Adam Morgan and Alistair Roy appeared to be enough to secure all three points for Rovers, before Ronan Curtis’ late goal made the hosts sweat.

With both sides suffering opening day defeats, this game would have been treated as a must win by managers Ger Lyttle and Kenny Shiels.

The hosts enjoyed the best of the early play, with Ben Doherty forced to be alert when Eduardo Pinceli’s quick free-kick fell to Adam Morgan and his ball into the box causing problems for the Derry defence.

Ally Roy was causing the visitors a host of problems early on, but his threatening ball was just inches away from meeting the feet of Caolan McAleer in front of goal.

Chelsea loanee Mitchell Beeney just joined Ger Lyttle’s troops two days ago, and making his debut for the club he certainly made an impact when he got his legs in the way of a Ronan Hale effort that looked destined for the back of the net after good work from Curtis and Ben Doherty.

Another debutant for the Bit o’Red was former Candystripe Patrick McClean, and he forced his former team-mate Ger Doherty into action when his left-footed volley looked troublesome for the visitors with the 36-year-old forcing the shot clear.

Both McAleer and Roy tried their luck after 20 minutes but neither but the Derry defence under enough pressure.

Beeney was again forced to be alert when Rory Hale was through on goal, the 22-year-old though, just got enough on it to force a corner.

In an end-to-end game, the hosts went on the attack almost immediately with Doherty keeping out McCabe’s low drive, before picking up a knock himself when he came well off his line to prevent Pincei’s ball over the top from getting to Morgan in time.

The Bit o’Red were playing with a bit more urgency after the re-start, with Gary Boylan doing well to beat Ben Doherty on the right before his cross was sent goalwards by Derry native McClean, he looked on in agony as the visitors got enough bodies in the way.

Boylan was beginning to make waves on the right side, the Mayo man ran 50 yards before being hacked down by Cole on the edge of the box, winning a free-kick in a dangerous position. Pinceli sent the resulting free straight into the arms of Doherty.

The momentum was with Rovers, and again Doherty was the hero for Kenny Shiels’ men when his fingertip save forced David Cawley’s outstanding strike just over the bar.

Ger Lyttle’s men continued to press and they were rewarded on 76 minutes when former Liverpool man Adam Morgan bundled the ball over the line after a goalmouth scramble.

Rovers kept the pressure on, and were well deserving of their 2-0 lead when Cawley’s ball split open the Derry defence, and the onrushing Roy calmly slotted the ball past Doherty to double the lead.

Curtis captalised on a lapse in the Rovers defence to lessen the deficit, but it proved to be little more than a consolation

Sligo Rovers: Mitchell Beeney; Gary Boylan, Kyle Callan-McFadden, Seamus Sharkey, Patrick McClean; Rhys McCabe, David Cawley, Eduardo Pinceli; Caolan McAleer (Craig Roddan 87), Adam Morgan (Greg Moorhouse 84), Ally Roy,

Derry City: Ger Doherty; Conor McDermott (Jamie McDonagh 61), Armin Aganovic, Darren Cole,  Ben Doherty; Nicky Low, Aaron McEneff; Ronan Curtis, Rory Hale (Eoin Toal 78), Ronan Hale; Rory Patterson.

Referee: Paul McLaughlin

vs