Kevin Toner cancelled out Jack Keaney’s opener as Sligo Rovers and St Patrick’s Athletic played out a draw at the Showgrounds.

Keaney’s free-kick via a number of deflections gave the Bit O’Red the lead with ten minutes to go, but Toner’s volley barely one minute later claimed a point for Harry Kenny’s men.

Against a Sligo team without a number of key players due to injury, suspension and even international commitments, Pat’s had the better of the early play.

Dave Webster couldn’t hook his early opportunity over Ed McGinty’s head, while Toner’s cross bounced off the top of the Rovers goal shortly after.

Sligo took time to settle into this one and Ronan Coughlan had Saints goalkeeper Brendan Clarke on his toes 16 minutes in.

The Rovers attacker cutting inside but Clarke was alert to swipe the ball from Coughlan at the end line.

Pat’s raised their play once more and went close twice in quick succession through Ciaran Kelly and Gary Shaw.

Kelly wriggling free of the Sligo defence at a Mikey Drennan corner, but the centre half couldn’t steer his free header goalward.

While Shaw’s clever turn allowed him space to shoot from the edge of the area, but his rasper cracked the crossbar with McGinty beaten.

The home side had sight at goal late in the opening period through both Romeo Parkes and Daryl Fordyce. But neither were able to trouble Clarke as both efforts sailed wide.

Pat’s were able to scramble away a Lewis Banks header from a Cawley corner just after the restart.

The oncoming Clarke then did just enough to put off Parkes, after good work from both Fordyce and Ronan Murray in the build up.

Drennan should have had Pat’s in the lead on 62. But he somehow ballooned the ball over the crossbar from directly under it, after sustained pressure following a Saints corner.

Rovers skipper Kyle Callan-McFadden then spurned a great chance to open the evening’s scoring when he got his co-ordinates all wrong, heading over from Keaney’s clever set-piece.

Clarke spilled Parkes’ speculative drive on the next attack but recovered in time.

While both Murray and Dave Webster worked the respective opposition net minder mid-way through the half.

McGinty keeping hold of Webster’s powerful header, while Clarke went full stretch to keep out Murray’s long-ranger.

McGinty had to tip Shaw’s header over his goal with a quarter of an hour to go, as this game hung in the balance.

The game’s opener eventually arrived when Keaney’s free-kick from 30 yards, took a touch off a number of players before the ball finally making its way past a flat-footed Clarke.

The lead last less than a minute however.

Shaw’s initial header came back off McGinty’s far post, but the danger wasn’t cleared as the ball landed to the waiting Toner who fired an unstoppable volley to the Sligo net.

Sligo Rovers: Ed McGinty; Niall Morahan, Jack Keaney, Kyle Callan-McFadden, Lewis Banks; Sam Warde; David Cawley, Daryl Fordyce (Kris Twardek 86); Ronan Coughlan; Romeo Parkes, Ronan Murray. 

St Patrick’s Athletic: Brendan Clarke; Ciaran Kelly, Kevin Toner, David Webster; Simon Madden, Ian Bermingham; Darragh Markey (Chris Forrester 82), Rhys McCabe, Cian Coleman; Mikey Drennan, Gary Shaw (Jake Walker 93).

Referee: John McLoughlin.

Attendance: 2,336

This Saturday’s game with St Patrick’s Athletic will include a free match poster of Bit O’ Red legend Chris Rutherford

Also in the programme among 44 pages for €4

Liam Buckley – his thoughts on tonights game

Conall Collier – What do you think of that Joe Molloy?

Red All Over with Francis Keaveney
Chris Rutherford by Leo Gray

The Showgrounds Beer

20 Questions with Daryl Fordyce

Associate Sponsors 2019

Red Icon – Padraig Burke

Stephen McLoughlin on tonight’s game

You Reds – some nice photos

Sligo Rovers host St Patrick’s Athletic on Saturday night in The Showgrounds in the SSE Airtricity Premier Division.

Rovers have been beaten on two occasions this year by the Saints – 1-0 and 2-1.

In team news, Dante Leverock is away on international duty.

Regan Donelon and Johnny Dunleavy are recovering from muscle injuries and making quicker progress than anticipated. Both will have pre-match fitness tests with a view to featuring.

There are no other concerns

Liam Buckley said: “We felt the scoreline was harsh last week. That said, we have to respond now because it’s another game and we’re back at home. There’s six points between ourselves and Pat’s so it’s an important match.

“We’re missing Dante but Regan and Johnny are coming along so they may come into play. We have been utilising the entire squad recently and that’s going to continue. We have quality players within our ranks.

“It’s good to be back in The Showgrounds but it’s a hard game so have to be at. I don’t think there has been much between the sides this year so we’ll give it our all and see where it takes us. We want to show the progress we feel we are making.”

Sligo Rovers will play League 1 side Accrington Stanley in a mid-season friendly on Monday 8 July in The Showgrounds

John Coleman, Jimmy Bell and Seamus Connelly bring Stanley to Sligo for the game with more details to be confirmed shortly.

We look forward to the game.

Luke McNicholas has signed a new two and a half year contract to keep him at Sligo Rovers until the end of the 2021 season.

McNicholas has progressed from the Under-17 squad and is now number two goalkeeper at The Showgrounds.

He has been capped at Under-18 level for the Republic of Ireland. 

McNicholas made his senior debut in the EA Sports Cup game with Finn Harps this year.
He joined Rovers from Manulla and has been a full-time professional for the last 12 months.

Liam Buckley: “I had known about Luke from when he playing underage football and I knew he was good but having worked with him now and with our goalkeeping coach Leo, he is a real talent. He has a top career ahead of him.

“Ed McGinty and Luke are vying for that starting position now. They are both very good goalkeepers and from the first day of the year it has been a toss-up for that position.

“Luke signed a new contract last year and the target was to really break into the first-team set-up. He has done that and now it will be to start playing league games and no doubt that will come in this contract period.

“We’ve got five or six young players in the squad and looking to make a breakthrough. They are all making progress, I’m delighted with them and you’ll see them continue to grow as we go on.”

Sam Warde has agreed terms with Sligo Rovers to sign for the club until the end of the 2019 season following the conclusion of his loan from Colchester United.

The 21-year-old midfielder has made 11 appearances since joining on loan from the U’s and has begun to become a more regular feature in Liam Buckley’s side.

He said: “I’ve really enjoyed my time here, it’s a very good club. There is a great group of players who make you feel very welcome and there’s a great spirit among us.

“I’ve played 11 games I think and I don’t think I’ve really shown what I can do. I think there is a lot more to come and I really want to show that now.

“We have our ambition in the league and I want to play a part in that because we are capable of finishing the year very well.”

Liam Buckley said: “Sam has been patient bearing in mind Jack Keaney has been in the team in that defensive role.

“I’m delighted he has signed until the end of the season. The agreement I had with him when he came in from Colchester was we would review it in the summer. I’m delighted he is on board.

“I have found through experience that development league in England is exactly what it says on the box. It’s a development league. When you come here it’s a man’s league. It’s tough. There’s no two ways about it. 

“When you have ambitions to be at the top half of the table, there are very few matches that are easy.

“I think it’s been a breath of fresh air for him in relation to where he was because he was a big stagnant over there.

“He has come in, done well, trained well. He’s got some talents, we’re trying to get them into our game here. He can make a big impact now in these next few months.”

Sligo Rovers can confirm that Mitchell Beeney has today left the club by mutual consent.

We wish Mitchell well and thank him for his contribution in the two seasons.

The player of the month awards for March and April were presented last week, which were as always kindly sponsored by Richard Wehrly of Wehrly Bros Jewelers in Sligo.

Dante Leverock picked up the award for March, while Lewis Banks picked up the player of the month award for April.

Sligo Rovers would like to put on record our thanks to Richard Wehrly and his team in Wehrly Bros for their continued support and sponsorship of the club as a whole.

Voting for the player of the month award for June will be open to supporters in the coming days.

This year’s Sligo Rovers Summer Camps will run for eight weeks in total, starting on July 1^st and finishing on August 23^rd.

With Sligo Rovers renowned for providing one of the most affordable children’s camps in the region, the cost remains unchanged yet again at €60 per child.

Each child who participates will also receive an official Sligo Rovers training top (white), a free ticket to a Sligo Rovers home league game, a participation certificate and a picture with the Sligo Rovers first team.

Family discounts will apply yet again, with the cost of two children from the one family €100 per week (€20 saving) and €135 for three children from the one family per week (€45 saving).

The camp runs from 10.30am until 3pm daily. The optional Breakfast Club which sold out at the Easter Camps returns again, which opens from 8.30am each morning.

The cost of the Breakfast Club is an additional €25 per child. Each child that attends is provided with a choice of cereals, toast and juice each morning which is then followed by fully supervised outdoor activities.

Each participant is then walked down to the camp each morning by a coach. The Breakfast Club is limited to 25 children per week with pre booking strongly advised.

For more information or to make a booking, you can email shane@sligorovers.com or contact 071-9171212.

Alternatively, you can book your place online here: https://www.sligorovers.com/product-category/kids-camps/

The scoreline didn’t truly reflect the story of the game as Sligo Rovers were beaten by four goals to nil by Dundalk at Oriel Park.

A John Mountney hat-trick, supplemented by a Patrick Hoban spot-kick put an end to Rovers’ seven-game unbeaten run as the Lilywhites opened up a three point lead over the Hoops at the summit.

In search of their fifth league victory on the spin, Dundalk certainly helped matters when they hit the lead within the opening minute.

A quick throw-in from Dean Jarvis allowed Michael Duffy the time and space to whip a ball onto the head of Mountney, who finished with aplomb.

Buoyed by their early goal, the home side came at Rovers in waves, targeting their right side in particular.

Jordan Flores skimmed the side netting with an effort ten minutes in. While the same man saw his glancing header fly past Ed McGinty’s post from another Duffy cross.

Rovers had their first sight at goal on 25 minutes.

Daryl Fordyce and David Cawley combining in front of the Dundalk area as the latter slipped the ball through to Romeo Parkes.

The Jamaican’s effort from the angle cutting across the face of the goal and just beyond Gary Rogers’ back post.

Duffy was at it again just past the half hour when he ventured inside from his wide position.

McGinty needing to fist the winger’s shot away after Vinny Perth’s side burrowed their way through the Sligo defence.

Rovers then startled the champions somewhat, starting the second half on the front foot.

Rogers was almost caught out by a clever set piece from Cawley, but all of Sligo’s good work was undone on the hour.

Kyle Callan-McFadden somewhat unfortunate to concede the penalty when he dived in front of a Hoban shot.

Hoban missed a penalty on the opening night against the same goalkeeper, but he made no mistake this time as he sent McGinty the wrong way for goal number 11 of the year.

The league leaders made it three on 68 when Duffy delivered another super ball onto the head of Mountney, who placed the ball beyond McGinty for his brace.

Mountney had his hat-trick on 80.

Referee Rob Rogers adjudged McFadden to have upended a Hoban in the area. Mountney firing past McGinty from 12 yards.