Sligo Rovers are currently taking expressions of interest in becoming our main sponsor for the 2020 season and beyond.

It is the first time the sponsorship has been available since the end of 2011 following the hugely successful sponsorship by VW Connolly’s.

Becoming the main sponsor of Sligo Rovers offers national and local profile through means to TV, digital and matchday along with brand recognition of a growing football club at the heart of the community.

There is a proven track record of receiving value for sponsorship investment with Sligo Rovers.

For more e-mail colinfeehilysrfc@hotmail.com  

Neither side could produce a winner as both Rovers, Sligo and Shamrock played out an entertaining stalemate at the Showgrounds.

Neither of these sides had much to play for but produced an absorbing encounter in what was Sligo’s penultimate game in front of their own support this year.

Kris Twardek had Alan Mannus at full stretch seven minutes in, while Regan Donelon’s effort from distance flashed past the Hoops goal from the resulting corner.

Ed McGinty was untroubled with Shams’ first effort on goal courtesy of Aaron McEneff on 17 minutes.

There was another nervous moment for the visitors when Twardek sent his low effort fizzing across Mannus’ goal mouth.

Preparing for their first FAI cup final since they were beaten by Sligo nine years ago, the Hoops began to pose a threat through the likes of Aaron Greene, Jack Byrne and Aaron McEneff.

Greene was involved in their next chance. The winger finding Graham Cummins at the back post, but John Mahon did enough to force the ex-Cork striker to volley wide at the first attempt.

Mannus then spilled Danny Kane’s close range header before the danger was cleared by the Hoops rearguard. McGinty relying on Lewis Banks to do likewise at the other end moments later after he let Ethan Boyle’s shot between his arms.

Mannus pulled off a wonderful stop to deny David Cawley’s 35 yard free-kick which looked destined for the top corner. Sam Warde had the ball in the net from the resulting corner, but the midfielder’s joy was short lived when he caught in an offside position.

Even without a recognised striker in their match day squad, Sligo continued to create and should have been ahead just short of the hour.

Twardek released Banks down the right before the latter found man-of-the-match Niall Morahan. The Leitrim teen couldn’t add the required power to his shot from seven yards, with Mannus able to deal with the danger. 

It was then the visitor’s turn to turn up a goal scoring opportunity.

Mahon’s slip allowed Ronan Finn through on goal, but McGinty closed the angle in time to deny skipper Finn in the one-on-one.

Greene then came within a lick of paint of finding the opener.

Sligo might have had a penalty with twelve to go when Regan Donelon was sent flying by a robust challenge. And with the home supporters still protesting the decision not to award the spot kick, Greene then struck the outside of McGinty’s post on the counter with the keeper looking beat.

There were late chances at either end. Brandon Kavanagh fired narrowly wide on the volley while Boyle had to divert Cawley’s side-footer past Mannus’ post.

Sligo Rovers: Ed McGinty; Lewis Banks, Kyle McFadden, John Mahon, Danny Kane; Sam Warde (Johnny Dunleavy 92); Kris Twardek, David Cawley, Niall Morahan, Regan Donelon (Brian Morley 81); Daryl Fordyce.

Shamrock Rovers: Alan Mannus; Ethan Boyle, Roberto Lopes, Daniel Lafferty (Dylan Watts 81), Sean Kavanagh; Ronan Finn, Gary O’Neill, Aaron McEneff; Jack Byrne (Brandon Kavanagh 69); Aaron Greene, Graham Cummins (Graham Burke 63). 

Referee: Graham Kelly.

Attendance: 1,829.

Sligo Rovers face Shamrock Rovers on Saturday night in The Showgrounds in the SSE Airtricity Premier Division.

The Bit O’ Red have had a win, draw and defeat against the Hoops this year.

In team news, Romeo Parkes is out for the rest of the season with a medial ligament injury.

Ronan Murray begins a three-game ban. Ronan Coughlan will have a late injury test.

Dante Leverock returns from suspension.

Liam Buckley said: “I couldn’t fault the players last Sunday. They gave everything and all through this season they’ve worked extremely hard. It didn’t go our way but we still have four games left in our year and we want to consolidate our position. 

“We were back at it this week and we’d like to finish the season as competitively as we can. We’d have to go on a run to catch the teams above us but what I want is to finish with some performances befitting our best this season. 

“We will have to make some changes in coming games because of injuries and suspensions. That said we’ll still be putting out teams to try to win matches and that can win matches. 

“Shamrock Rovers is a tough game as we know, we’d like to maintain our home record and get a result.”

It’s hard to believe we are almost at the end of term one in the new school year already. With that, we are launching our ever popular camps this Halloween, beginning on Monday, October 28th.

Prices are unchanged from the summer, with 1 child costing €60 or two children from the one family costing just €100. Three kids in the one family costs €135 for the five day camp.

As ever, we are holding a breakfast club on site. This is proving to be a popular option for parents who want to send their children to the camp, but who start work before the usual 10.30am drop off.

We open from 8.30am every morning so you can pre-book your children on our breakfast club, where you can drop them off on your way to work.

You can even get an extra few minutes in bed in the morning as we will feed them for you, and clean up the rice krispies from the floor. (other brands are available).

The breakfast club costs just €5 per day.

To sign up online, click https://srfcdirect.com/kids-camps/

Sligo Rovers are delighted to announce details of our upcoming Halloween Camp, which will take place from October 28^th until November 1^st.

Following on from the success of the Summer Camps, prices remain unchanged with the cost of the camp €60 for one child, €100 for two children from the one family and €135 for three children from the one family.

The optional Breakfast Club which sold out for three weeks during the Summer returns, with the price remaining unchanged at €25 for the week or €10 per morning. The Breakfast Club is limited to 25 participants and must be booked in advance.

The Halloween Camp is open to both boys and girls aged 5 to 15, with each participant receiving a Sligo Rovers Official Training Top, a participation certificate and a photograph with the Sligo Rovers players.

For more information on the Halloween Camp or to make a booking, you can contact the club on 071-9171212 or email administrator@sligorovers.com.

Alternatively you can book online here

Regan Donelon has signed a new contract with Sligo Rovers to stay with the club for the 2020 season.

The 23-year-old made his debut in 2014 having previously been an academy player.

Liam Buckley: “Regan has done well, we’ve used him in a couple of roles this year.

“We rate him highly and being able to deploy him on the left side of a 4-3-3 midfield has been useful because he has a tremendous passing ability and a brilliant left foot.

“The set-piece ability is a major asset to him game as well so he is a valuable member of the squad.

“There is still more to come from him. For a 23-year-old he knows this league very well and we’re looking for him to have his best year yet next year.

“I think he will play a big part in our season next year and he has his best football ahead of him.

“We will be working off quite tight numbers again in 2020, so every player that we sign is going to be very important for us.”

Regan Donelon: “I’m delighted to be staying here for another season, Liam and John have been great throughout the season.

“Hopefully we can build on this season going forward for 2020.

“We’ve learned a lot as a team and a group all season and we’re all going to work even harder to push on to better things again for next season.

“We can be happy with progress, but this club can do a lot better than that still and that is what we are all thinking going into 2020.”

Sligo Rovers 2020 squad:

Goalkeepers:
Ed McGinty
Luke McNicholas (Signed for 2021)

Defenders:
John Mahon
Lewis Banks
Johnny Dunleavy
Regan Donelon

Midfielders:
David Cawley
Niall Morahan (Signed for 2021)

Strikers:
Romeo Parkes
Ronan Murray

The #bitored’s league game with Waterford scheduled for Friday 11 October will now be played next Tuesday 8 October at 7:45pm at the RSC.

The match has been moved because of the Tunnocks Caramel Wafer Cup tie for the Blues later in the week.

Sligo Rovers can confirm that our eight-year primary sponsorship relationship with Volkswagen Connolly’s will conclude at the end of the season.

The sponsorship agreement with VW Connolly’s has been recognised as one of the most successful and mutually beneficial sponsorships in the league in recent times.

Sligo Rovers chairman Martin Heraghty said: “Our relationship with VW Connolly’s began in 2012, a year that will be fondly remembered by us all.

“Since that season Connolly’s have made a large contribution to the progression of the club.  They were with us on our great days and loyal in more challenging times.

“Their legacy at the club also includes the redeveloped Railway End stand that the Volkswagen group made an investment towards during that building project. We saw last Sunday just how valuable that has been to us all.

“We are also proud of our role as Connolly’s continued to expand over this period and that the brand of Sligo Rovers was so beneficial to them. The number of fans who became customers of Connolly’s also showed how respected the partnership has been.

“We want to thank Neil Connolly, Kevin Connolly, Graham Lee and all the team at Connolly’s for their wonderful support. We know they will be fans of the club for life.”

The club is now open to hearing from interested parties who would like to avail of the opportunity to become the primary sponsor for next season and beyond as we aim to build on a very promising year at The Showgrounds.

Republic of Ireland will play two Under-19 matches against Denmark in The Showgrounds later this month.

Tom Mohan’s side – who qualified for the European Championships in the summer that featured on RTÉ television – will play two friendlies against the Danes as they prepare for a new qualification period.

The matches will take place on Friday 11 October at 7:45pm and the following Monday 14 October at 1pm.

Entry is  €5 with Under-18s and OAPs free.