Bohemian FC Tickets go on sale

Tickets to our first SSE Airtricity League match against Bohemian FC go on sale this morning through our online ticketing platform in association with Future Ticketing.

It promises to be a bumper crowd at The Showgrounds for a game between two sides who have been evenly matched over the last number of season.

A large travelling support is expected and Bohemian FC will be dealing with the allocation of tickets provided to them by Sligo Rovers.

Tickets for home supporters only will be on general sale from today. No away supporters will be admitted into the home section with a home ticket due to strict segregation rules.

The last time the sides met was in the last game of the 2021 season, with the game ending in a 1-1 draw at The Showgrounds.

Home supporters are advised to purchase tickets online in advance as much as possible moving forward. It is a quick and easy way to access The Showgrounds and you can print your ticket out or have it scanned on your smartphone.

Tickets are available now here: https://srfcdirect.com/match-tickets/?ftredirect=1

Monaghan joins Sligo Rovers

Sligo Rovers are delighted to announce the signing of Ruth Monaghan. 

Monaghan grew up close to the Showgrounds and is now thrilled to get the opportunity to represent the club in the WNL.

Monaghan is currently a scholarship student at IT Sligo where she is studying Health Science and Physical Activity.

The 20-year-old has played for local clubs Calry Bohs (2015-2016) and Yeats United (2016-2019).

The centre-back also played for the Sligo/Leitrim representative side, and plays for the IT Sligo women’s side.

Monaghan was captain of The Ursuline College Senior football team that won the Connacht final in 2019.  

Monaghan said: “I’m delighted to be signing  for Rovers’ first ever senior WNL team, it’s great that I have been given the opportunity to play locally at this level.”

Lauren Boles, Leah Kelly, Erin Coyle and Monaghan join Emma Hansberry, Katie Melly and Amy Hyndman as confirmed signings for the season ahead.

Rovers will take on Galway WFC in a friendly on Saturday at IT Sligo in preparation for the season ahead.

The season gets underway on Saturday 5 March with an away trip to Peamount United.

RYPT become official Strength & Condition software provider

The Bit O’ Red have teamed up with Strength & Conditioning software providers RYPT to aid our Senior Men’s and Women’s teams in the upcoming 2022 SSE Airtricity League seasons.

RYPT will work alongside Strength & Conditioning coach Mark Howley to assist our players and help them individualize their training programmes.

Speaking this morning, Rovers’ coach Howley commented:

”We’re delighted with this new partnership which starts today. The players will find great benefit to having this software at their disposal and we think it will greatly improve all aspects of their training and performance levels. We are always looking for new ways to improve at the club and this certainly helps in that regard.”

A spokesperson for RYPT added: “We’re very happy to welcome Sligo Rovers Football Club on board for the upcoming season. The club has huge ambitions for the season ahead for the men’s team, after a very successful season last season, and for the newly formed women’s team. We’re excited to be working with them and helping them streamline their strength and conditioning and athlete monitoring across the entire organisation.”

The software is already being rolled out to the players at the club and Sligo Rovers and RYPT will continue to work together over the coming months with tailored programmes for all players.

Friendly on Tuesday night

Sligo Rovers will play a pre-season friendly at home on Tuesday night as Finn Harps visit The Showgrounds.

The match kicks-off at 7.30pm and will have reduced admission prices of €10 and €5.

All supporters welcome.

Leah Kelly signs for Sligo Rovers

Leah Kelly has joined Sligo Rovers ahead of the new season in March.

Templeboy native Kelly is the latest signing for the new WNL senior side.

As a youngster, Kelly loved attending the Bit O’Red summer camps, and now she gets the opportunity to don the red and white of Rovers.

The 22-year-old played for Strand Celtic until she was 16, before moving onto Ballina Town for two seasons.

The central midfielder has played for the University of Limerick’s team since 2018.

Kelly is also a talented GAA player and plays for St. Farnan’s and Sligo, alongside the UL team.

She previously went to the Gaynor Cup as part of the Sligo/Leitrim team from 2012-2016, and won the Under 14 Connacht Cup with Strand Celtic in 2012.

Kelly is in her final year in UL studying PE and Geography teaching.

She said: “I’m delighted to get the opportunity to play for Sligo Rovers. It’s great to have a team here and the support so far has been amazing. I remember when I was younger coming to the Showgrounds every summer for their camps so it’s mad to be coming back now to play.”

Coyle becomes latest Bit O’ Red recruit

Erin Coyle has signed for Sligo Rovers as manager Steve Feeney makes his latest signing.

Coyle puts pens to paper having impressed since joining up with the squad.

The Donegal native is currently a first year student in IT Sligo studying Health Science and Physical Activity.

The midfielder has previously played for Moville Celtic and Greencastle.

She played for the Inishowen girls academy from Under 12 until Under 16, representing the academy in the Gaynor Cup.Coyle was part of the Moville Community College side who were crowned 2018 and 2019 All Ireland champions, and she won the National Cup with Greencastle in 2019.

She said: “I’m delighted to have signed for Rovers and be apart of their first WNL team . 

“It’s a great opportunity training with the girls and working with the management has been brilliant, I’m really looking forward to the season ahead and getting more games in.”

Boles joins the Bit O’ Red

Central midfielder Lauren Boles has signed for Sligo Rovers for the club’s first season in the Women’s National League.

The 27-year-old has plenty of WNL experience having played in the inaugural season in 2011 with Castlebar Celtic.

The Ballintogher native spent two seasons with Celtic, before signing for DLR Waves in 2013, returning to Castlebar for a year in 2014.Boles was part of the Republic of Ireland Under 17s squad in 2011/12, where she played alongside players such as Katie McCabe.

At underage level, Boles played with Ballygawley Celtic Under 12s and Strand Celtic girls Under 16s and Under 18s.

She has also represented the region in the Gaynor Cup across all age groups.Boles is also a talented GAA player, and with no outlet previously to play football, she has focused on playing with her club St. Michael’s and the county side.

She recently completed a masters in agricultural innovation at NUIG and currently works for the HSE.

Boles said: “I’m delighted to have signed with Sligo Rovers and I’m really looking forward to the challenge ahead. It’s a brilliant opportunity to play WNL in Sligo and gives a pathway to aspiring young girls in the area. 

“It’s a credit to the work done at underage level within Sligo Rovers which has provided a foundation for the senior team. I’m delighted for these young girls who now have the opportunity to play at the highest level in Ireland.

“I am very proud to be part of the first Sligo Rovers to take part in the WNL. It’s exciting for me and my family and I can’t wait for the league to start.”

Boles is delighted to get the opportunity to play WNL locally in Sligo. 

“Steve is meticulous in his approach to training and he has formed a great management team. Training have been really enjoyable. 

“I started playing with Emma Hansberry while in Ursuline college, we played centre mid together there and also at Castlebar Celtic.

 “It’s great to see girls who may not have had the opportunity to play WNL otherwise, now get that opportunity with Sligo Rovers. The squad has been building over the last few weeks and there is a great mix of young and not so young!”

Season Ticket Update

With the kick-off to our 2022 season now just over three weeks away, we wish to update fans on our Season Tickets which are available to them.

Season Tickets have been available online, at The Showgrounds and at our various outlets around the region since the end of the 2021 season in November, with sales figures showing why our supporters are again renowned at one of the best in the country.

Season Tickets that were purchased up to and including Monday January 10th are now ready and available for collection from The Showgrounds office. Tickets purchased online up to and including Monday January 10th have been posted in the last 24 hours.

We now have a cut-off date for ordering tickets in time for the opening game of the season against Bohemian FC. In order to receive your Season Ticket in time for the new campaign, you must order on or before Friday February 4th at Midday. These orders will go to print and be ready for collection or delivery from February 14th.

We will hold a ticket collection day and evening at The Showgrounds that week, with details to follow. Office hours will be as normal from 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday. No tickets will be available for collection on Matchday, Saturday February 19th.

All online orders will be posted out while any physical sales will be held for collection.

The club announced recently that all 2022 season ticket holders will gain access to both Men’s senior and Women’s Senior matches at The Showgrounds this year meaning that supporters will now have over 30 live games on their season tickets.

Tickets can be bought online at https://srfcdirect.com/season-tickets-2022

Tickets are also available at The Showgrounds and through the following list of outlets. Please note, if purchased through an outlet, the cut off point will be Wednesday February 2nd.

  • Collery Menswear, Sligo
  • Barton Smiths, Sligo
  • Collerys, Beltra
  • Lavin’s Menswear, Ballymote
  • Gerry Kenny Sports, Ballina
  • John Gillespies Sports, Tubbercurry
  • Greenan Electrical, Boyle
  • Jim Gartlan, Carrick on Shannon
  • Michael Toolan, Achonry
  • Centra, Gurteen

Tickets purchased after February 4th will receive their season ticket before our next home fixture against Dundalk FC however will receive a match ticket for the Bohemian FC game to grant access to that.

AGM set to be held in early February

The 2022 Sligo Rovers Annual General Meeting will take place on Tuesday 8 February.

In planning for the event, the club was gearing for a virtual event via Zoom like in the 2021 season.

While circumstance have changed in the last number of days, we will continue with the initial plan and hold the event online.

The club also noted the format of last year’s online event saw increased attendance from members and participation.

The AGM will see the election of the 2022 management committee, a presentation of 12 months of club finances and the chairman and secretary’s report.

Notices are being posted to members, including nomination forms to join the committee, and details of how to attend the online meeting.

The meeting and nominations for the committee are only open to members.

The Annual Voluntary Member Contribution will be deferred this season as part of fundraising for a new project. We ask members to delay this contribution as a result. Details on this will be provided at a later date.

For more, email administrator@sligorovers.com

Keena signs for the Bit O’ Red

Sligo Rovers have completed the signing of striker Aidan Keena from Falkirk.

The 22-year-old moves from the Scottish side on a free transfer and becomes the fourth new signing.

He has signed for the 2022 season.

Keena began at his career at St Patrick’s Athletic as a teenager where his form earned a move to Hearts in the Scottish Premiership.

The former Republic of Ireland under-21 international also had loan spells with Queen’s Park, Dunfermline Athletic and Hartlepool.

Keena bagged five goals in half a season at Falkirk, has scored over 25 senior goals in his career, and now joins Rovers.

He said: “I’m very happy to be here and that the deal is done. I’m really looking forward to being out on the pitch now.

“When the interest came I had worked with Liam Buckley before at St Patrick’s Athletic and I saw it as a good opportunity to come back to a good league and a good club. Most of the lads I played with at Under-19 level before I left are playing in the league now so that’s good to come back and see that.

“I’m here to score goals, that’s why the club brought me in so I’ll try to score as many as I can and play well and try to get as high up in the table as we can.

“The lads are in pre-season but I like to think I’m fit enough now. I’m halfway through the season. I will look to hit the ground running. I did have a couple of other options in Ireland but they didn’t have European football with them. That was a difference.

“The other factor was I know how Liam Buckley sets up and plays football from working under him before. I like to think I’m good with the ball myself and so I’m looking forward to getting involved with that and linking the play. I can come short, run behind the defence, I don’t really mind and it depends how the team sets up. As long as I’m getting service in the box I’m hopeful I’ll do well.”

Keena would like to see Rovers continue their top four finishes from the last two seasons and wants his goals to help that.

“It’s third and fourth in the league the last two seasons so you don’t look down. You want to stay up there and go higher and try to challenge for it. We’re not far off it. I think a lot of clubs will be looking to have a go at it this season.

“I want to score goals, the more I can score the better the team will do. If I can do that the team will be up there.”

Manager Liam Buckley, who worked with Keena at St Pat’s, said: “Aidan will bring a lot to the group. As well as an ability to score goals he is an extremely hard worker and a good presence.

“He’s a smashing guy and comes to us at a very good time for both parties. He has been on short-term loans which are never easy and shown he can score and do well for a team. Defenders will find it difficult against him and we’ll give him the platform to show what he’s about.

“Since he left St Pat’s I watched his progress and he feels it’s a good time to come to Ireland and play. I’m delighted to bring him here.

“Aidan has been playing matches in Scotland as they are mid-season, he scored in back-to-back games over Christmas so we’ll do our best to make sure he settles in well and he’ll be available to us in the upcoming friendly matches.”

Buckley added: “Squads evolve over time and we will bring in more quality players to the club. I look at our group and I could reel off the top-class players we have here. Aidan joins that list now and we’re not finished in who we are bringing in. When we complete that it will leave us competitive, I feel.”