An exasperating visit for Sligo Rovers to Belfast for the Women’s All-Island Cup on Saturday where hosts Linfield registered a 5-0 win to seal a place in the last eight at the expense of Wexford on goal difference.

The statistics will show that first-half goals from Sophie McKnight and Megan Bell gave the Belfast side a 2-0 interval advantage. A 49^th minute red card for Sydney Stephens left the Bit O’Red with 10 players.

Further goals followed from Linfield through a 56^th minute Cora Chambers penalty and late strikes from McKnight and Rhianna McBreen in the closing minutes.

Sligo Rovers manager Gavin Hughes, who was the recipient of a 58^th minute red card, made one change from the side that defeated against Cork last week with Emma Duffy starting instead of Alana Doherty.

There was only four minutes on the clock when Emma Hansberry picked up a yellow card, apparently for dissent, but the referee was more lenient when it came to some of the challenges from the hosts.

That aspect aside, Sligo Rovers had the best of the early chances with Sydney Stephens denied by the crossbar on five minutes and Sabrina Hillyer’s effort parried to safety soon after by a relieved Lily Woods between the Linfield posts.

Sligo Rovers resumed the second-half smartly with Anna McDaniel denied by Woods before Stephens departed in the 49^th minute on a second yellow card and she was joined by her manager in the 59^th minute.

Despite that, Sligo Rovers pushed forward and had what looked like a reasonable claim for a penalty waved away in the 55^th minute, but 60 seconds later Linfield were awarded a spot kick that Chambers converted and that effectively finished the game as a contest with the late goals earning a quarter-final ticket.

Linfield – Lilie Woods; Sarah Jane McMaster, Abi Sweetlove, Zoe McGlynn, Cora Chambers, Grace McKimm, Megan Bell, Keri Loughrey, Sophie McKnight, Rhianna Breen, Rachel McLaren. Subs – Z Knox for McGlynn, E Reilly for McKimm.

Sligo Rovers – Bonnie McKiernan; Kelsey McQuillan, Leah Kelly, Sabrina Hillyer, Emma Duffy, Emma Hansberry, Cara Jordan, Manu Baptista Filipe, Sydney Stephens, Cara King, Anna McDaniel. Subs – Ella Karolack for Kelly half-time, Ava Hallinan for King 65 mins, Ivana McMahon for McKiernan 88m.

Referee- Mark Miskmmin.

Assistant-referees – Fabrice Dubois, Ken Ross

Fourth official – Reuben Laverty.

Match Day Sponsor:  Nathaniel Lacy and Partners Solicitors, Sligo. 

Match Ball Sponsor: Sligo Branch of the Liverpool Supporters Club.

Sligo Rovers go into the short summer break on the back of a disappointing defeat to Bohemians at the Showgrounds. 

Without a number of first team players due to injury and ineligibility, Rovers were second best to the Dubliners in this one and fell behind to a first half Douglas James-Taylor goal before Colm Whelan doubled the lead just before the 50th minute.

Rovers were already without Jad Hakiki, Archie Meekison, Seb Quirk, Conor Reynolds and Sean Stewart due to injury. While Bohs lonaee James McManus was ineligible due to the rules of his loan. Ciaron Harkin and new signing Kevin Zefi also missed out, with the latter’s transfer clearance yet to come through. 

There was always fight in the Bit O’Red and Ryan O’Kane emphasised this on 54 minutes with an excellent finish past Kacper Chorazka after he created space for the shot with a neatly executed dummy.

But sub Conor Parsons secured the points with seven to go when he tucked home the insurance goal for the Dubliners’ second win in Sligo this season.

Rovers’ next league game is at the RSC as we face Waterford on June 12th. 

Sligo Rovers: Sam Sargeant; Jeannot Esua, Ollie Denham (Alex Nolan 66), Gareth McElroy, Shane Blaney; Carl McHugh, Sean McHale; Will Fitzgerald (Kyle McDonagh 91), Daire Patton, Ryan O’Kane; Cian Kavanagh (Mai Traore HT). 

Bohemians: Kacper Chorazka; Sam Todd, Cian Byrne, Patrick Hickey; Darragh Power (Adam McDonnell 87), Dayle Rooney (Jordan Flores HT); Dawson Devoy, Sadou Diallo (Niall Morahan 77); Harry Vaughan (Conor Parsons 69), Douglas James-Taylor (Colm Whelan HT), Ross Tierney. 

Referee: Alan Patchell.

Attendance: 2,754. 

The Showgrounds hosts Sligo Rovers’ final Premier Division game before the short summer break as Bohemians visit Church Hill for the second time this season, this Friday evening, kick-off 7.45pm.

Match Day Sponsor for this huge fixture is Nathaniel Lacy and Partners Solicitors, Sligo. 

Match Ball Sponsor is the Sligo branch of the Liverpool Supporters’ Club.

Buoyed by last week’s late win at Tallaght Stadium, the Bit O’Red will look to go into the break on a positive note against a Bohs side who were unbeaten in their last five before their own late drama against Shamrock Rovers on Monday night. 

This will be the third meeting between Rovers and Bohs this year, with one win each for either side. The Dubliners trounced Rovers by four goals to nil back in February at the Showgrounds, while goals from captain Will Fitzgerald and Sean McHale inflicted on the Gypsies, their first defeat of the season last month. 

In team news and as of Thursday evening, Rovers will again be without Jad Hakiki who looks set to likely miss the remainder of the season after he underwent surgery on a foot injury this week.

Archie Meekison will miss approximately the next eight weeks with a knee injury. While Seb Quirk’s return date is set for mid-to late July following a hamstring tear. 

Defenders Conor Reynolds and Sean Stewart also miss out. As does midfielder James McManus who cannot play, owing to the terms of his loan deal from the Dalymount side. 

New signing Kevin Zefi will be in contention should his international transfer clearance come through in time.

“It’s looking like Seb and Archie have a bit to go yet and we wish Jad all the best in his recovery”, manager John Russell updates sligorovers.com.

“We know Jad will come back even stronger. He went for surgery Thursday. It’s a shame to have him out for so long as he is one of the stand-out players in the league on his day. But as always, it has given and will give our squad players the chance to show us what they can do.

“We’re not sure on Kevin but fingers crossed, the paper work will be through in time for him to play some part.”

Russell hopes his players can follow on from last Friday’s heroics against Shams and is looking to go into the break with a good result. 

“Last week was special because we showed a lot of character and determination to pull ourselves out of a situation and turn it into a positive”, he continues. 

“Shams hadn’t been beaten at home until then, we went behind, then we lose Ciaron Harkin having only brought him on. We had to make a few changes and switch things around and that tested us. 

“But the players were fearless and reacted so well to the situation. The game plan was carried out to perfection and that’s what you need to do in this league to be successful week in, week out. We kept going to the very last whistle.

“We’ll need to do it again on Friday. Bohs will sting from Monday night and we know they’ll come here looking for a reaction from themselves. They’ve a big squad, plenty of depth and they have some of the best players in the league. We saw it in Sligo at the start of the season, they will punish you if your guard is down.”

Hoping for a big attendance this evening, Russell signs off: “We can’t wait. The boys have had a good bounce off last week and we know we’re a match for anyone at the Showgrounds.

“It’s our last game for a few weeks here and we’re looking to sign off on the first half of the year on a high. Bohs always travel well and bring big numbers so hopefully there’ll be a proper big game atmosphere.” 

David Goulden 

Sligo Rovers are thrilled to confirm that Republic of Ireland underage international Kevin Zefi has joined the club on a deal which will run until the end of the current season.

The 21-year-old attacking midfielder has agreed a contract having spent the last few weeks training with John Russell’s first team squad.

It is hoped that the former Inter Milan and Roma player will be eligible in time for Friday’s Premier Division clash with Bohemians at the Showgrounds, but this is subject to international clearance.

The Clonsilla man has represented the Republic of Ireland all the way to under 21 level. He made his U21 debut in a friendly match with Sweden in 2024, replacing his new teammate Jad Hakiki in the second half of that game.

Making his breakthrough in 2020, Zefi, who can operate behind the striker or on both sides of the attack, made his League of Ireland debut at just 15 for Shamrock Rovers’ ‘B’ side and became the league’s youngest goal-scorer at the same age.

In August 2021, he made the move to Italy and to Inter where he scored twice and assisted in three goals on his U17s debut. After three years in Milan, he moved to Rome where he spent a year with Roma’s academy before moving on last summer.

He also qualifies for Albania through his family heritage and was called up to the Albanian U21 squad last year but withdrew due to injury.

Rovers fans will remember Zefi from his stand-out performance as a trialist in a mid-season friendly with Mansfield Town at the Showgrounds last July in which he found the net.

Zefi says both the homely feel of the Showgrounds and his ambition to make an impact at senior level, played a big part in his decision to choose Rovers.

“John gave me a huge opportunity to come up here and train with the team”, he tells sligorovers.com.

“This place feels like home straight away and I feel I’m settling in already. Once the offer was there, signing wasn’t really a question.

“The conversations I’ve had with the people at the club swayed me. The players, staff, volunteers. There was such a welcome for me from the first day and that was important both for myself and my family.

“The lads here have a huge hunger and the ambition here both on and off the pitch is huge. That was a big attraction for me and it’s a massive opportunity for me to make a difference.

“We work hard and we have some really top lads who can play football. I’m looking forward to adding to that in games. I’m hoping to bring a lot of creativity in the final third here and chip in with assists and goals.”

Kevin was hugely encouraged by Rovers latest outing, a dramatic late win over his former club Shamrock Rovers as Sligo became the first club this season to beat the Hoops on their own turf.

“I was at the game and it was a really good performance, particularly in the second half when we were calm and took our chances”, he says.

“The three points were hugely deserved. Taking three points from Shams in Tallaght is a big deal, nobody else has managed it this year. But looking forward, we’re taking it game by game. We have a great group here and we’re looking to push on now with the Bohs game and then we’ll look into the break and beyond. I’m working hard to get up to speed with things and hopefully get going against Bohs.”

The move was some time coming given that Russell has kept the Dubliner on his radar for almost a year. The Rovers boss is over the moon to get his man and says he feels Sligo is the ideal place for Zefi to get his career back on track following an extended period out of the game.

“Kevin has been with us for training recently which has allowed me to have some conversations with him about his next step”, Russell says.

“We both feel the Showgrounds and Sligo Rovers provides the ideal environment for him to progress his career.

“I’m always looking to add quality to what we have here, especially in the final third. Kevin is a player who would add creativity to any side so we’re delighted he’s opted to come in and be part of what we’re building in Sligo.”

David Goulden

It was a very positive week for all of our teams involved in cup action this weekend, with impressive performances across the board against strong opposition. Two of the three teams progressed to the next round of their respective competitions, while all of our sides can be pleased with their performances and the valuable experience gained in high-level cup matches. Hopefully, there will be many more big occasions to come for these lads in red in the future.

That concludes the first series of games for all Academy teams. A big thank you goes to the players, coaches, parents, and everyone working behind the scenes for their hard work, support, and dedication over the past few months.

U20 | Sligo Rovers 1 – 0 Bray Wanderers

A late goal from Corey Lavery McCay was enough to see the Rovers progress to the second round of the Enda McGuill Cup on Saturday. It was a cagey affair in Ray MacSharry Park against a strong Wanderers side, with chances few and far between throughout. As the game went on, it felt like either a mistake or a moment of magic would decide the outcome, and it was a moment of magic that done so. In the 86th minute, Lavery McCay produced the decisive finish to put the Rovers ahead. A strong defensive showing continued for the remaining minutes to hang on until the final whistle. The lads will now await the draw to discover their opponents for the next round.

U17 | Sligo Rovers 2 – 1 Galway

It was a strong performance in scorching conditions on Sunday as the U17s progressed to Round 3 of the Mark Farren Cup. An entertaining contest at the Showgrounds produced three goals, with the Rovers eventually coming out on top thanks to a late winner. Ryan Quinn opened the scoring in the 19th minute to give the lads the lead, but Galway responded with an equaliser around the half-hour mark. The sides remained level for much of the game before substitute Shane Filan struck the winner in the 82nd minute, just ten minutes after being introduced. The lads managed the closing stages well to secure their place in the next round.

U14 | Sligo Rovers 3-5 Waterford

A brilliant first-half display was not enough as the U14s exited the cup at the first-round stage on a sunny Sunday at the Showgrounds. Centre-half Luke O’Connor opened the scoring for the lads before Ryleigh Healy added a second. Just before the half-time whistle, substitute Walkowski combined well to set up number eight Maye, sending the boys in 3-1 ahead at the break. However, despite an excellent opening half, the lads were unable to hold on as a resilient second-half performance from Waterford saw them complete the comeback and run out 5-3 winners in the end.

Tom Lavery

BY CONALL COLLIER

Sligo Rovers made it three Women’s Premier Division wins-in-a-row at the Showgrounds on Saturday with a4-0 victory against Cork City to establish a four-game unbeaten run.

Cara Jordan and Manu Baptista Filipe were the driving forces as the Bit O’Red enjoyed a 4-0 interval advantage. 

The Bit O’Red did enough after the resumption for a thoroughly merited victory with ‘keeper Bonnie McKiernan a spectator until the 77^th minute when she saved smartly from Heidi Macken.

Manager Gavin Hughes sent out the same starting 11 that defeated Waterford seven days earlier while new Cork City manager Derek Coughlan made one change from the away draw against DLR Waves with Emma Hurley making her first senior start at the expense of Zoe Finnerty.

Sydney Stephens gave Sligo Rovers a 17^th minute lead after Cara Jordan created the opening following good advantage play from referee Eric Eaton.

Jordan was involved again five minutes later when she released Anna McDaniel who capitalised and Cara King applied the finish.

It got worse for Cork City 10 minutes from the half-time when McDaniel found the net from a Stephens cross and soon after Sabrina Hillyer’s excellent ball into the penalty was headed home by Stephens for that four-goal interval advantage.

Sligo Rovers dropped the tempo in the second-half and Cork City benefited in terms of possession.

However, apart from that Macken effort there was no serious threat to the Bit O’Red who went close when Stephens hit the crossbar on 66 minutes and missed a gilt-edged chance near the end.

Sligo Rovers – Bonnie McKiernan; Leah Kelly, Alana Doherty, Sabrina Hillyer, Kelsey McQuillan, Emma Hansberry, Cara Jordan, Manu Baptista Filipe, Sydney Stephens, Cara King, Anna McDaniel. 

Subs – Ella Karolak for Doherty 49 mins, Katie Melly for Hillyer, Mairead McIntyre for King and Alice Lillie for McQuillan all 69m, Paula McGrory for McDaniel 79m.

Cork City – Clodagh Fitzgerald; Shaunagh McCarthy, Heidi Macken, Ellie O’Brien, Holly O’Hagan, Eva Mangan, Lauren Homan, Fiona Doherty, Nadine Sweard, Ciara O’Driscoll, Emma Hurley. 

Subs – Sophia Redmond for O’Brien and Anna Cronin for Seward both half-time, Eva Loftus for Hurley 79 mins, Kate O’Donovan for Cronin 85m.

Referee – Eric Eaton.

Assistant-referees – Shane O’Donoghue, Oisin Walsh.

Fourth official – Richard Storey.

David Goulden

John Russell has lauded his players for showing ‘no fear’ at Tallaght Stadium following Sligo Rovers’ late winner in Dublin on Friday night.

Carl McHugh smacked a 97th minute winner past Shams goalkeeper Ed McGinty as Rovers became the first team this season to beat the Hoops on their own patch.

Last year’s league winners had led at the break courtesy of an Aaron Greene shot which took a deflection off two Rovers defenders on its way in, during a first half in which the Bit O’Red struggled to settle. 

However and having made changes at the break and during the second half, Russell masterminded Rovers’ plot back into this tie. Jeannot Esua stabbing a Cian Kavanagh knock-on from a Will Fitzgerald cross past McGinty on 66 minutes for his first goal for the club.

While midfielder McHugh made it a memorable night for the few hundred travelling fans when he rammed a well-placed drive from the edge of the area beyond the stunned McGinty following trojan effort from substitutes Mai Traore and Ryan O’Kane. This was also McHugh’s maiden goal in red. 

The results lifts Rovers to within two points of sixth place and opens up a gap of nine between ourselves and bottom side Waterford. 

 Speaking to LOITV post-win, a delighted Russell admired his players’ toil and praised their ability to recover from a chastening defeat in last week’s Connacht derby. 

“It’s a special moment to get a last minute winner like that”, he said. 

“Especially at such a tough venue, it’s a big task to play and win here. We’re always up against it. We brought Ciaron (Harkin) on and he had to come back off and the players were tiring against the calibre of players Shamrock Rovers have. But it’s a huge three points for us. 

“We were in a dark place for a while after the Galway game but we moved on quickly from it. Monday, we had a look at the game, used it as a reference for what we expect going forward and learned a lot from it.” 

“We were behind at the break but I thought we were still very good in the first half. We were brave when we had the ball, but maybe our passing let us down. 

“We were on the back foot going into the second half but to get ourselves back in the game like we did was superb. We defended really well when he had to and I don’t think Sam (Sargeant) has a huge amount to do.

“We showed no fear and you have to do that to win in Tallaght. The game-plan was carried out so well, even with all the changes we had to make.” 

Russell also acknowledged the input of his captain and April’s Player of the Month, Will Fitzgerald who was involved in Esua’s leveller and put in another tireless performance on the left side.

One of the highlights of a magnificent evening arrived minutes before McHugh’s winner when Fitzgerald executed an incredible late challenge on Shams’ John McGovern inside his own area. The Rovers skipper keeping McGovern’s powder dry just as the striker looked to pull the trigger for what likely would have been a winner had the strike beaten Sargeant. 

“That recovery tackle was incredible”, Russell says. 

“For me, he’s the best player in the league this year. It was such a captain’s performance. The tacke in the 92nd minute played a big part in us going and getting that winner. It’s an unbelievable finish from Carl to win it.” 

Rovers are back at the Showgrounds this Friday night as we host Bohs in Premier Divsion action for what will be our last game before the summer break, kick-off 7.45pm.

Shamrock Rovers: Ed McGinty; Oluwatunmise Sobowale, Adam Mathrews, Lee Grace ©; Jake Mulraney (Danny Grant 38) , Adam Brennan, Dylan Watts (Graham Burke 65) Matt Healy (John O’Sullivan 45), Jack Byrne; Aaron Geene (Victor Ozhianvuna 65); Michael Noonan (John McGovern 65)

Sligo Rovers: Sam Sargeant; Jeannot Esua, Shane Blaney, Gareth McElroy, Ollie Denham, Sean McHale; Will Fitzgerald ©; James McManus (Ciaran Hakin 52-Mai Traore 72), Alex Nolan (Ryan O’Kane 45), Daire Patton; Cian Kavanagh (Carl McHugh 81).

Referee: Paul Norton

Sligo Rovers return to the Showgrounds tomorrow evening as they host Cork City in Round 8 of the Women’s Premier Division, with kick-off scheduled for 17:00.

The Bit O’ Red come into the game in strong form following last weekend’s impressive 2-1 victory away to Waterford, where goals from Cara Jordan and Sydney Stephens secured all three points.

Rovers now sit eighth in the league on eight points, level with seventh-placed Peamount United but behind on goal difference, and will be aiming to head into the mid-season break unbeaten in four matches with another positive result on home soil.

There will also be confidence from Rovers’ last outing at the Showgrounds, when they recorded the biggest home win in the club’s history with a 5-1 victory over Bohemians, inspired by a Sydney Stephens hat-trick. The striker has continued that form into the current campaign and now has six goals in her last four appearances.

Preparations have gone well throughout the week according to manager Gavin Hughes, who says the squad are focused on maintaining their recent consistency heading into the break.

“Preparations have been going really well. The girls are in good form both on and off the pitch, so it’s about continuing that consistency in our performances,” Hughes said.

“We’re looking to go into the break unbeaten in four and in a good league position.”

While Cork currently sit bottom of the Women’s Premier Division with one point from their opening seven matches, recent performances suggest signs of improvement under new manager Derek Coughlan.

The Rebels followed up a scoreless draw against Treaty United in the All-Island Cup with another point away to DLR Waves in Dublin last weekend and now arrive in Sligo unbeaten in their last two matches.

Hughes is expecting another difficult challenge at the Showgrounds this weekend.

“Cork are coming into the game unbeaten in their last two games,” he said.

“Naturally, with a change in management, you often see a response from the group and they’ll be hoping to build on last week’s draw in Dublin.”

The last league meeting between the sides at the Showgrounds came on August 9th, 2025, when Rovers secured a 2-0 victory thanks to goals from Paula McGrory and Muireann Devaney. However, both squads have undergone significant changes since then heading into tomorrow’s encounter.

There was further positive news for Rovers this week with Ella Karolak returning to the squad ahead of tomorrow’s clash.

“We’re delighted to welcome Ella Karolak back into the squad,” Hughes confirmed.

“We’re carrying a couple of knocks as well, but the players have come through the week well.”

Defender Ava Hallinan will be unavailable this weekend as she links up with the Republic of Ireland WU16 squad for a UEFA Development Tournament in Finland.

Tickets for tomorrow’s clash are available online and at the gate, while supporters unable to attend can watch the game live on LOITV, with kick-off at 17:00 from the Showgrounds.

Match Officials

Referee: Eric Eaton

Assistant Referees: Shane O’Donoghue and Oisin Walsh

Fourth Official: Richard Storey

Referee Observer: John Duffy

Delegate: Danny Meenan

Michał Kuras

Tallaght Stadium hosts the second round of the Battle of the Rovers as the Bit O’Red head to the capital to take on Shamrock Rovers this evening, kick-off 8pm.

This will be our final away day before the season’s summer break in two weeks as Rovers head to the home of the champions for the first time since the concluding game of last season. 

John Russell’s side head to Dublin looking for a first win in five and certainly face a challenge against a Hoops team who have only dropped points on home ground once this year. Stephen Bradley’s charges were also the victors when these sides first met at the Showgrounds back in March. 

Rovers head up the N4 on Friday without the full quota of players. As of this morning, Seb Quirk, Conor Reynolds and Jad Hakiki are yet to recover from knocks. While Archie Meekison will miss out having been withdrawn against Galway. Winger Ryan O’Kane returned to action in that defeat to Galway last weekend and is expected to be part of the match-day squad once again on Friday. 

Trips to Tallaght Stadium over recent years haven’t been overly successful for Rovers bar the odd outing. Sligo have only won once at the Dublin 24 venue since 2021, that being the final game of last season.

Previewing the game, Russell is aware of the size of the task ahead for his players but wants his squad to embrace the challenge of facing the table toppers.

“We all know the performance against Galway just wasn’t good enough”, he reflects. 

“The dressing room was really hurt after it. We gift-wrapped the goals and our levels were nowhere near where they should have been. To lose to a local rival in that manner really stung but we’ve moved on. 

“We’re heading to Tallaght Friday and at the moment, there’s no harder place to go. But it’s also a great opportunity for us to make up, in some way, for what happened last weekend. To show what we can do. 

“It will be a huge test for us. They have the strongest squad in the league, some of the best young talent and some proven winners. So what better test for us? We’re looking forward to getting out there. 

“We won’t be going there as favourites, but it was the same at the end of last season. Circumstances are of course different this time around but I don’t think many outside of Sligo would have backed us to beat them on the last day of last season and we did. There was big pressure on the game and we came through it. We’ll see what happens this time around.”

David Goulden

Sligo Rovers are delighted to announce that the club has tied down the services of centre half Gareth McElroy for the next two-and-a-half-years.  

This new deal extends Gareth’s current contract with the Bit O’Red to the end of the 2028 season. 

The 21-year-old joined Rovers’ Abbvie Academy when he signed up with the club three years ago. A native of Burnfoot in County Donegal, McElroy made his first team debut in a win over Waterford at the Showgrounds in August 2024 and has since established himself as a valued member of John Russell’s squad. 

The powerful defender has to date made 41 senior appearances for Rovers, scoring twice. This is McElroy’s second senior professional contract. 

He signed his first one with Rovers at the end of the 2024 season having impressed at both first team and U20s level that year. 

A recipient of a scholarship as part of the link up between Sligo Rovers and ATU Sligo, McElroy has been involved in each of our 17 league games to date. He says he is looking forward to furthering his career at the Showgrounds and with the likes of Ollie Denham and Sean McHale competing with him for places, he’s thriving being kept on his toes.

“It’s been a huge pleasure representing the club and the Sligo area over the past three years”, Gareth tells sligorovers.com. 

“It was an easy decision when the club approached me about extending my stay. It’s a real buzz for me to get this settled.

“I feel a lot more established now. I feel as if I’ve grown a lot in such a short time. But I know I still have a long way to go and a lot more to learn from the players and coaches here. 

“It does feel like Rovers is the best place for me at this stage of my career.

“That’s because there’s huge competition for places. But it’s great because it pushes you on to improve further. It’s tough to get into this team and even harder to stay in it but the competitiveness is healthy.”

McElroy has been present for every minute of every game bar one since the beginning of the second series of Premier Division games, in which Rovers have won 12 points from eight games, the division’s third best record. 

Speaking about his ambitions for the rest of the year, McElroy is only looking up. He also focused in on the input of the current management team and is looking forward to pushing on with vital games against Shamrock Rovers and Bohs to come before the summer break. 

“We had a slow start but I feel as if in this section of the season, we’re showing the quality we have”, he continues. 

“The league is so tight, even one win and the three points can move you up a few positions. We definitely have a squad good enough to finish a lot higher up the table than where we are. 

“I just want to keep going and keep learning. I want to keep gaining experience here and a goal or two would be a boost. 

“John (Russell) and Ryan (Casey) have been so influential for me and the other young lads that are here. They gave me my chance to play senior football and they are so keen on seeing everyone improve and standards rising. 

“They squeeze everything they can out of themselves and the players. I love that. They have huge hunger and ambition and I want to be part of that.” 

Describing McElroy as ‘one of the best young defenders in the country’, first team boss Russell welcomed the former Derry youth’s decision to commit his future to Rovers.

“Gareth is still very young but has learned so much and developed so much in a short space of time”, he says.

“He has shown real leadership qualities, even during his first few games. It was very noticeable.

“For me it was very important that we got him signed and committed to Rovers for the near future as I believe he has massive potential to develop further.

“He’s nearly hitting 50 senior appearances and that bodes very well for a lad who hasn’t hit 22 yet. We’re looking forward to working with him over the next few years.”  

David Goulden