All six of our academy sides will be back in action this weekend beginning with the U14 side at home on Friday night. The rest of the fixtures will see our men and women heading out on the road on Saturday and Sunday.

Our youngest lads take on Finn Harps on Friday evening at the Showgrounds looking for their first win of the season (D1, L2) while also looking for revenge from the opening weekends corresponding fixture – a 3-0 win for the home side in Ballybofey. Scoring goals has been Rovers problem so far this season with just the one scored in our opening three matches, however, we do have the joint second best defence in the 5-team league.

Our U15 side play twice in four days starting with a victory over Derry City last night, the current league leaders. Rovers then make their way to Donegal to meet Finn Harps on Sunday afternoon, again with revenge in mind, after the latter were victorious by two goals to nil on the opening day of the season.

The U17 team will be in Athlone on Saturday at 3pm looking to make it three wins in a row. With the top sides, Drogheda and Dundalk, playing each other the same day, Rovers can end the weekend inside the top two. Confidence should be high in the camp after back-to-back wins and consecutive clean sheets have fired us up the league table.

Rovers’ U19 men go to Longford on Sunday afternoon hoping to keep their unbeaten run intact. A thrilling 3-2 win over Finn Harps last weekend moved us up to second, two points behind Shamrock Rovers. Longford sit second from bottom after a 3-0 home loss to the league leaders last weekend, their sixteen goals conceded being the worst in the league, whereas Rovers have scored ten times in our last three games and will expect to add to that on Sunday.

The first of our women’s fixtures this weekend sees the U17s travel to Dublin to take on Bohemians on Saturday. Both sides are level on three points in the league but Rovers have a game in hand on their capital rivals. Bohs picked up their first win of the season last weekend after losing 5-0 and 12-0 in their two prior games, Rovers will be hoping to record a first win since the opening weekend victory at home to Donegal.

Finally, on Sunday our U19 women travel north to take on Donegal hoping to make it two wins in a row. Rovers were terrific in the 1-0 win last weekend against Bray, Nola Eivers rocket sending us fourth and just three points off the top. Donegal sit one place and two points below us having played one game fewer but have failed to win since their opening day victory over Bohemians.

Richard Mullan

The draw for our monthly 500 Club prizes took place this week, with ten supporters being picked out to win some cash.

The winner of the top prize of €500 was Eileen Rossiter from Collooney. Eileen joined The 500 Club recently and is now the lucky winner of the top prize.

Donal Kearns, a Sligo native now living in New York won the second prize of €100 along with four other members, Barbara McLynn, Alan Tiernan, Martin Carr and Gary & Ita Morahan.

There were also four members that won €50. Tom McSharry, Patrick Conlon, Edward Carroll and Barry Rafter.

Full results:

€500 – Eileen Rossiter, Collooney, Sligo

€100 – Donal Kearns, East Elmhurst, New York

€100 – Barbara McLynn – Old Market Street, Sligo

€100 – Alan Tiernan, Cranmore, Sligo

€100 – Martin Carr, Ballina, Mayo

€100 – Gary & Ita Morahan, Kevinsfort Heath, Sligo

€50 – Tom McSharry, Teeling Street, Sligo

€50 – Patrick Conlon, Ballisodare, Sligo

€50 – Edward Carroll, Montenotte Rd, Cork

€50 – Barry Rafter, Castleroy, Limerick

Thanks for our 500 Club Committee who work tirelessly on behalf of the club every year.

To join the 500 Club for just €5 per week and be in with a chance to win the above prizes each month, click https://srfcdirect.com/fundraising/500-club/

The Cathaoirleach of Sligo County Council Councillor Paul Taylor has commended the volunteers from Sligo Rovers and their neighbours at the Nazareth House for their involvement in the ‘Common Goal’ project.

An initiative supported by SSE Airtricity and the FAI, the aim of the project is for clubs to promote and implement strategies in order to enhance their local environment.

According to Councillor Taylor ‘Common Goal’ is an “excellent community initiative. It is important that local institutions such as Sligo Rovers lead out on these projects, as this serves to promote their many benefits to the wider community”.

The club focused on the ‘community clean’ theme for this month, with club staff, volunteers and members of the underage conducting a litter pick on the grounds of Nazareth House. The club enjoy a strong partnership with our neighbours in Nazareth House and we were delighted to be able to assist them with a litter pick.

Shane Crossan, Marketing Officer, explained the background to the project: “There are a few strands to the scheme, each focused on environmental themes, with our ultimate aim of developing a new sustainability plan for the Club. We look forward to working with Sligo County Council to progress this plan over the coming months”.

Noel Scott, who coordinated Nazareth House involvement in the project, said “The first phase of the series is under the banner ‘Community Cleans’ which was carried out this week by members of Rovers under age teams, and already we can see the positive results of their efforts”.

The next element of the ‘Common Goal’ project will see the club undertaking initiatives in conjunction with water efficiency. 

The ‘Common Goal’ committee is made up of Shane Crossan, Noel Scott, Kevin Colreavy, Anthony Quinn and Conor O’ Grady.

Our 2021 Summer Camps have been extended by one week and will now finish up on August 27th.

Originally planned for eight weeks, the camps sold out extremely quick and left some of our younger supporters disappointed about not getting a place.

The extra week of the camp will take place in The Showgrounds from August 23rd – 27th.

Places will be capped to 70 participants and the bookings will be first come first served. Please note all bookings must be made online.

For more information you can email shane@sligorovers.com.

To book a place on the last week of the camp, click here.

This Sunday’s FAI Cup match between Sligo Rovers and Cork City will be broadcast on LOI TV from The Showgrounds, kick-off 5pm.

600 supporters will attend the game with ticket being offered to our season pack holders.

You can buy the live stream here.

Susan Fallon received the jackpot prize of €5,500 for her recent win in the Sligo Rovers Lotto.

Her selected numbers 1,7,17 and 27 finally came up. These are the same numbers Susan has entered from the very first Sligo Rovers lotto draw.

The staff in Maugheraboy Post Office, who sold the winning ticket, looks forward to Susans weekly visit and were delighted when her numbers came up.

Frank Beirne on behalf of Sligo Rovers thanked Susan for the long standing support and interest in the lotto over many years.

The club wishes to thank everyone who continues to support the weekly lotto draw.

All six of our academy sides were in action over a beautiful sunny weekend with Cavan/Monaghan providing the opposition for all three of the Men’s sides at U14, U15 and U17. The Men’s U19 would face Finn Harps at the Showgrounds, while the Women’s U17 hosted Galway on Saturday before their U19 counterparts played Bray at home on Sunday.

On Saturday, our U14 side travelled to Cootehill, Co. Cavan and were unlucky to be beaten by the odd goal in three, Bailey McBride’s strike proving to be a consolation for Rovers. However, there was better news for our U17 side against the same opponents as we ran out 2-0 winners, Niall Holohan and Conor Campbell getting the goals.

Later that day our Women’s U17 played very well against a strong Galway side, both sides had their chances, but unfortunately Rovers succumbed to a 2-0 home defeat.

At 2pm on Sunday our U15 side were in Ballisadare to play the final leg of the Cavan/Monaghan trilogy. It was an open end-to-end game that deserved more goals but somehow only had the one, and unfortunately for us, that one ended up in the Rovers net. Simultaneously, the Men’s U19 and Finn Harps served up a five-goal thriller back at the Showgrounds, Rovers edging it 3-2. Cillian Heaney scored twice for us with strong centre-back Eanna Clancy joining Cillian on the scoresheet.

The weekend ended on a happy note as the Women’s U19 side beat Bray 1-0 at home. Both sides played well in the searing heat that necessitated a drinks break in each half, Nola Eivers scoring the only goal of the game midway through the second half with a terrific left foot curler from distance.

As always, thanks to our sponsors for their support.

600 supporters will be permitted to attend the FAI Cup first round match with Cork City.

The game is scheduled for Sunday 25 July at 5pm in The Showgrounds.

Season pass holders will be contacted this week if successful in the ballot with details of how to acquire a ticket.

The match will also be broadcast on LOI TV for €5.

Our Under 19’s ran out 4-1 winners against Drogheda United at The Sean Fallon Centre on Sunday afternoon, two goals in quick succession midway through the second half helping secure the points for Declan Boyle’s men.

Rovers were on the front foot from the beginning with Kailin Barlow involved frequently, his crossing and dead ball delivery causing chaos and playing a part in each of the first three goals before deservedly getting on the scoresheet himself late on. Wingers Aidan McHale and Josh Mulrennan were dangerous every time they had possession in the final third and both players ended the game with a goal apiece while Sean McAteer was the glue holding it all together, his tackling and metronomic passing from central midfield ensuring Rovers were always in control.

The first half-chance fell to Eanna Clancy on 8 minutes after a short corner was eventually whipped in by Barlow, the centre back found space near the penalty spot but both his initial effort and subsequent follow up were blocked by an apprehensive looking defence. That would be the theme of the first half as Rovers forced another corner soon after, Bryan Lynch and McAteer linking well with Mulrennan down the left before Drogheda’s Charles Mutawe stepped in. The resulting corner was sent deep where Ciaran Jennings had broken away from his marker and he was left with a simple header at the back post to make it 1-0. Sligo nearly doubled the lead ten minutes later with almost a carbon copy of the opener, Barlow firing a corner deep to Jennings who again lost his marker but this time the ball was an inch too high for the centre back to make any meaningful contact.

Rovers sixth corner of the half actually led to Drogheda’s first as the away side broke quickly 5 minutes before half time but a tame header was gathered easily by James Robinson as he dirtied his gloves for the first time. Moments later, Drogheda earned another corner and when it wasn’t cleared properly Jamal Ibrahim crossed from the right and Michael Soyemi rose highest to head into the far corner. 1-1 completely against the run of play and Soyemi even had another header saved well, before the half, and Drogheda’s best spell, came to an end.

Drogheda left back Sere Ogiehor was spending most of his day as a winger and he had the first decent chance of a slow going second half, his weaving run to the edge of the box and shot with his weaker foot was gathered by Robinson at the second attempt. From there, Rovers broke down the left and Barlow crossed deep towards McHale when the retreating Ogiehor crashed into the Rovers winger in the area and a penalty was awarded. Drogheda goalkeeper and captain Aaron Davies failed to keep his mouth closed and talked himself into a yellow card before diving to his left as Mulrennan fired into the opposite corner to put Rovers back into the lead.

Both sides made two changes each as the game opened up and substitute Darragh Ellison earned Rovers their first corner of the half. Barlow’s cross again caused panic at the back post where Mulrennan headed across goal and McHale nodded in under pressure from a yard out. Jennings headed wide from yet another terrific cross minutes later and McHale had two shots blocked as Rovers went looking for a fourth. It duly arrived on 84 minutes when Drogheda’s Ibrahim Badru unfortunately lost his footing after some terrific skill in the centre circle allowing Rovers to break 3 v 2, Barlow was slid in on goal and he rolled his finish under Davies and into the bottom right corner to give the score line a more accurate reflection of what preceded it.

Next up for the lads is a home game with Finn Harps on Sunday afternoon.

Sponsors: ejmenswear.com

Buy the live stream for Thursday evening’s match with FH here

https://www.loitv.ie/en-int/playerpage/744832

The price is €10. You must register through LOI TV.