Sligo Rovers face a big game on Saturday night when Waterford FC visit The Showgrounds.
Rovers go in search of their first points of the season against Alan Reynolds’ side – who have lost their last two matches.
Kick-off is 7:45pm as we return to our usual Saturday night slot.
You can buy match tickets in advance.
Away fans can buy at the turnstiles.
View images from James Fallon at Monday night’s game with Bohemians
The Sligo Rovers Lotto jackpot was won on Monday night as Marcus Mulligan from Kinlough claimed the prize.
Congratulations to Marcus on winning €10,700. It ends a run of 29 weeks without being won.
Sligo Rovers have signed striker Ryan De Vries from Japanese side FC Gifu.
The 28-year-old will join Rovers subject to a work permit and international clearance.
The South African-born player has a prolific goalscoring record in New Zealand from early in his career with Waitakere United and Auckland City FC. He scored 61 goals in 121 games.
He helped Auckland reach the FIFA Club World Cup semi-final, scoring in the third-place game.
De Vries then played for Bentleigh Greens in Australia before spending the last two years in the second tier in Japan with Gifu.
He has played for the New Zealand international side.
Liam Buckley said: “The deal has been agreed for a few weeks, we were just awaiting final documentation from Japan to get his release.
“I’m delighted to get him in and we need him given our numbers up front. We hope he’ll be a major addition to us.
“He’s quick, strong, has a great physique with a good touch and I can see him scoring goals. I spoke to people in New Zealand and they think he’ll fit comfortably in our league and do really well.
“We had a report from the New Zealand international manager, we’ve done our homework on him so we hope he does bring a lot to us.
“We need to get the work permit done before he can play, that will be a small bit of time but we hope to have him involved as soon as possible.
“We are disappointed with our start in the league. But as I said to the boys last night, the passion and desire we showed against Bohemians will bring us results if we keep showing it.”
With Alex Cooper signing last week, Johnny Dunleavy likely to return this week, Danny Kane, Regan Donelon and Lewis Banks all hopefully set to return at points in March, Buckley said that will help his side in try to get the season going.
“I’m as desperate as the fans in relation to trying pick up a result.I did see us starting better. It is just unfortunate having all of these players out.
“We lost our back four and when you do that you’re up to your gills in it when trying to find cohesion.
“There are definitely better performances in this team. We’ve got to push on to Waterford and get something now.””
Sligo Rovers were unfortunate to go down to a 2-0 defeat to Bohemians in Dalymount Park on Monday night in the SSE Airtricity League.
Rovers gave a debut to new signing Alex Cooper at left-back while Jesse Devers replaced Ronan Murray in their attack.
An error sparked a tame game to life as Bohemians clinically punished their visitors to take a ninth minute lead.
Kyle Callan-McFadden missed heading Michael Barker’s ball down the line to safety.
Bohemians striker Glen McAuley galloped away to cross. And though the centre came back off fullback Niall Morahan, the inrushing Danny Mandroiu was calmness personified as his first time side-footer found the bottom corner of the net.
The pace and tenacity of McAuley, on his 20th birthday, continued to cause Sligo problems in the early exchanges.
The former Liverpool trainee shot wide before then working a good save with his feet from Ed McGinty after Mandroiu threaded him in on goal on 15 minutes.
It was 23 minutes before Rovers threatened, winger Devers running onto David Cawley’s long ball to hold off Dan Casey and get his shot away which Stephen McGuinness ably dealt with.
McGinty was off his line quickly back at the other end just past the half hour to smother the ball at the feet of Barker from Mandroiu’s audacious flicked through ball.
Sligo finally got their fans behind the goal at the school end of the ground off their seats minutes later when Ronan Coughlan’s flicked header from Cooper’s cross flew just over the crossbar and they enjoyed their best spell of the game.
Buckley’s side remained on the front foot into the second half. Devers cleverly put Cawley in on goal to bring a smart parry save from McGuinness seven minutes in.
But the Bit o’ Red needed some desperate defending to prevent Bohemians extending their lead on 57 minutes.
Luke Wade-Slater put Mandroiu in down the inside-right channel. McGinty was out quickly to deflect the shot across his goal.
The follow-up from McAuley was mis-hit into the ground and deflected over for a corner by McFadden.
McAuley was in on goal again seven minutes later from substitute Ross Tierney’s pass. McGinty made himself big at the angle with the shot hitting the post.
Sligo rallied late on with efforts from Garry Buckley, substitute Mark Byrne and Coughlan all failing to bring an equaliser.
After McFadden cleared off the line from substitute Danny Grant, Bohemians struck right on 90 minutes.
Wade-Slater’s cross picked out winger Twardek just inside the box to tee up a low drive that arrowed past McGinty into the bottom corner.
Bohemians: Stephen McGuinness; Michael Barker, Dan Casey, Ciaran Kelly, Paddy Kirk; Keith Buckley (Ross Tierney 60), Conor Levingston; Kris Twardek (Dawson Devoy 90+3), Danny Mandroiu, Luke Wade-Slater; Glen McAuley (Danny Grant 71).
Sligo Rovers: Ed McGinty; Niall Morahan, Kyle McFadden, Teemu Penninkangas, Alex Cooper; Will Seymore, Alan Cawley; Jesse Devers (Ronan Murray 72), Garry Buckley, Darragh Noone (Mark Byrne 86); Ronan Coughlan.
Referee: Ben Connolly (Dublin).
Sligo Rovers take on Bohemians on Monday night in Dalymount Park in the SSE Airtricity Premier Division.
Rovers are looking to bounce back from Friday’s 2-0 defeat to St Patrick’s Athletic
Rovers will have the same squad for the game with the possible addition of Alex Cooper who could be granted international clearance on Monday.
Danny Kane (foot), John Mahon (broken leg), Regan Donelon (shoulder) and Lewis Banks (groin) are out.
Liam Buckley said his side have to get fundamentals right to kickstart the season.
“We huffed and puffed on Friday night and the end result was we weren’t good enough at all. We didn’t do enough in the game to get anything from it.
“We didn’t look comfortable overall so that has to be looked at. There’s lots of ability in the group and we’re not seeing it yet and that is the frustrating part.
“We were in on Saturday and Sunday as usual, there’s no sympathy in this game and we have to improve.
“We will try to get it better immediately. We have to get ourselves up and running as soon as possible and we’re looking at the overall picture now and assessing our approach.
“Alex has come in and if we can get clearance for him on Monday morning that is another option.
“But regardless we have players within the group to be drastically better. I know what the players here can produce, I see it in training and we’ve got to start producing it.
“It’s a hard game going to Bohemians, you can see how tight games are in this league already and we’ve got to be ready for it on Monday.”
Sligo Rovers chairman Tommy Higgins made a presentation to Sligo Rovers new Honorary President Paddy Gilmartin and Vice-President Ray Gallagher at a ceremony before the first home game of the season.
Paddy Gilmartin’s first involvement with Sligo Rovers was in the 1960’s through the Supporters’ Club. Their main role was fundraising, and he recalls one of the many ventures they had was selling trinkets known as ‘Dowry Dolls’ which they sold all over the county and even ventured across the Donegal border to sell them in Bundoran.
Paddy became Secretary of Rovers, and probably his greatest signing was the legendary Johnny Brooks, and they remained great friends long after Johnny retired and emigrated to South Africa. Paddy sourced the U-18 England International through an English journalist (who admitted he never heard of Sligo!) and Brooks signed a contract for £30 a week. Paddy remembers ‘We had five forwards in the squad each costing around £30 a week, while the total wage bill for our defenders came to that amount – that’s the way it was in those days.’
He recalls travelling to Dublin Airport with Johnny Chadda and John Fallon to meet Tony Bartley to try and persuade him to become player-manager ‘We discovered on the journey to Sligo he was a golfing fanatic, so after a quick visit to the Showgrounds we showed him Rosses Point Club and he immediately said ‘Where do I sign?’ Paddy was involved in signing many players for the club; ‘As is always the case, some fared out better than others – Tony Cavanagh and Ben Hannigan made a great contribution and were very popular with the supporters.’
Our remote location in the northwest meant it was often hard to attract players. Jackie Quinn who used to travel from his home in Athlone to play for Rovers, and Paddy recalls telling him ‘If you could pass the ball, you would be a great player.’ Quinn’s reply ‘If I could pass the ball, I wouldn’t be with Sligo Rovers.’
Paddy was a trojan worker for Rovers all his life-time, and he has nothing but fond memories for the club he served so well.
Ray Gallagher has been associated with the club and especially the grounds over many years. Like Paddy, his first involvement with Rovers was through the Supporters Club, when in 1966 Albert Higgins persuaded him to come on board.
But arguably Ray’s greatest contribution was his work in securing the Showgrounds for the club. When in 1968 Ray discovered the Fowler estate lease on the Showgrounds was due to expire in two years, he travelled to Kilkenny with John Fallon (Rovers Chairman and Mayor of Sligo) and Brendan Byrne to meet with Solicitors James, Poe, Kiely Solicitors, who represented Kathleen Chadwick, sole beneficiary of the Estate. Their negotiations were successful and they acquired the Fowler estate for £2,500. The estate include the main playing pitch, the remainder of the ground was owned by the Campbell estate, and that was acquired shortly afterwards, also for €2,500.
For many years Ray soldiered to maintain the grounds, alongside his great friend Paddy Morahan. They worked tirelessly with no resources to look after the main playing pitch, and it is to their great credit that it was very rarely that a game was postponed because the pitch was unplayable.
Ray want on to come Chairman of the club and Chairman of the Development Committee. In the latter role he was instrumental in overseeing the transformation of the Showgrounds with an ambitious development programme that included the construction of the Treacy Avenue stand and the installation of the all weather facility.
Two first half goals saw St Patrick’s Athletic pick up their first points of the season against Sligo Rovers at the Showgrounds.
Ronan Hale handed Pat’s the advantage on 26 minutes, while Chris Forrester doubled the lead ten minutes later for a Saints side who finished the game with ten men. Oliver Younger dismissed for a second yellow card mid-way through the second period.
Sligo did cause the Saints one or two early moments of worry, but once Pat’s settled, they were in control.
Hale saw his improvised effort take a touch off a Rovers defender after he hooked the ball goalwards from the left. This heralded some stiff pressure from Stephen O’Donnell’s side who hit the lead on 26 minutes.
Darragh Noone’s loose pass was pounced upon by Hale who unleashed a stunning drive from 20 yards past Ed McGinty.
Forrester was off target with an audacious effort from a set piece from a similar range on the half hour.
He was involved again on 35 minutes.
The attacker muscling Niall Morahan off the ball before linking up with James Doona who was denied by McGinty. The goalkeeper grabbing the ball from the feet of Doona as he prepared to shoot.
The Dubliners doubled their advantage nine minutes from the break.
Recent recruits Robbie Benson and Billy King were involved on the left as the latter found Forrester, who seized the opportunity, picking out the bottom corner on the turn from ten yards.
Pat’s almost had their third four minutes into the second half. A lapse in concentration from Kyle Callan-McFadden allowed King the chance to finish from close range. McGinty sparing his team-mate’s blushes as he spread himself, getting a stud to King’s placed attempt.
Forrester was next to go close just before the hour. McGinty scrambling to keep hold of the former Aberdeen man’s attempted lob as Pat’s looked to put this game to bed early on.
The home support were offered a glimmer of hope when Pat’s were reduced to ten on 68. Younger shown his second yellow after he tangled with substitute Jesse Devers.
The numerical advantage didn’t pay off however as the Inchicore side saw out the remainder of the game without much fuss. There was a late chance for Devers, but the Mayo man couldn’t come up with the touch he needed to half the deficit.
St Patrick’s Athletic: Brendan Clarke; Rory Feely, Luke McNally, Oliver Younger, Ian Bermingham; Lee Desmond; Robbie Benson, Chris Forrester (Jamie Lennon 70); James Doona (Dean Clarke 58), Billy King; Ronan Hale (Martin Rennie 78).
Referee: Neil Doyle
Attendance: 2,145
Tonight’s SSE Airtricity Premier Division match will take place after passing an inspection at lunch time.
Kick-off is 7:45pm. See you all in The Showgrounds
Sligo Rovers are thrilled to confirm the signing of defender Alex Cooper subject to international clearance.
The 28-year-old signs from Fresno FC in the USL and joins the Bit O’ Red for the 2020 campaign.
The former Liverpool academy player played first-team football for a host of Scottish clubs including Ross County, Falkirk, St Mirren and Inverness.
He has enjoyed two good seasons at Fresno including a third place finish last year
Cooper can play numerous positions on the left side of defence as well as more ad advanced.
Fresno folded following the 2019 season with other US clubs were interested in his services.
Liam Buckley said: “We’re pleased to bring in Alex today. He is an experienced defender who plays a number of positions on the left side.
“Playing in England and Scotland is useful from our end and it won’t be too difficult for him to get to grips with the league. He’ll be involved as soon we can.
“He’s got a great left foot and he’ll bring a lot of quality. It’s a major boost to get this signing completed at this time.”
Alex Cooper said: “I’m really excited to play football in Ireland and with Sligo.
“I found out about the interest from Sligo and while I could have stayed in the US, it suited me to come back closer to home with my family at this stage.
“I spoke with some people I know in football they spoke highly of the league here. I’m able to play a few positions – I suppose predominately left-back now – but anywhere really on the left side.
“I’ve been keeping fit and I’ll be ready to play when the manager wants me to. I can’t wait to get involved with everything.”
Buckley added: “We will be signing one more player. It’s nearly over the line, it’s an international signing so it takes some time.
“I know we’ve been hit by injuries but when we get everyone fit we’ll have a very good squad. We’ll stick together and start on Friday night. Alex could be involved and we want The Showgrounds really behind us and we’ll look to get the performance to get the result.”
