Sligo Rovers are on the hunt for a first win in five games this Easter Monday as Derry City visit the Showgrounds for the first time this season. Supporters are reminded to note that this game kicks-off at 5pm.
Monday’s match sponsors the Sligo Branch of the Arsenal Supporters Club, while the match ball sponsor is AIB Sligo.
This game sees the second round of Premier Division games get underway as the Bit O’Red go in search of a second win of the season. The Candystripes already have one over John Russell’s side after they squeezed past Rovers at the Brandywell on the opening night of the season back in February.
Jad Hakiki had given Rovers the lead just past the half hour. But goals from Alex Bannon and Josh Thomas turned this game in Derry’s favour.
Sligo go into this game on the back of four consecutive defeats after Good Friday’s loss at Inchicore in which Russell was without several first team players.
As of Sunday morning, the Rovers boss will prepare for this vital tie with City again without his full complement.
Along with Hakiki, Ryan O’Kane, Conor Reynolds, Sean Stewart and Shane Blaney, Cian Kavanagh will also miss out after he picked up a knock in the lead up to Friday’s game. Russell is hopeful both Hakiki and Blaney will return to full training this week and will be available for Friday’s trip to Bohs.
Ciaron Harkin is also a doubt, although Sean McHale is expected to return to the fold having missed the game in Dublin 8 due to the terms of his loan deal. Daire Patton, a second half sub is also available having recovered from a bout of illness.
Derry themselves have been underwhelming in 2026 despite having one of the strongest squads in the division. Tiernan Lynch’s men find themselves just six points clear of bottom side Waterford following their recent run of five games without a win.
Regardless, Russell tells sligorovers.com that he’s expecting a hurt Derry to come to Sligo after their defeat to Galway.
“They’re certainly in a false position at the moment and are a lot better than they’ve been showing in recent weeks”, he says.
“We have to expect that they’ll come to the Showgrounds on Monday looking to turn things around.
“Both sides are looking for a win for really the same reason.
“We were beaten by a superior side in Pat’s on Friday. They’re challenging for trophies this season and they have to be given the talent they have in their reserves.
“We were encouraged by our first half but they just had too much for us in the end. It was always going to be tough for us given the numbers we’re missing. Our attention turned to this game on Monday night as soon as we got on the bus home.”
Russell is glad for home comforts and asked for supporters to get behind the team on Monday evening, for what he sees could be a turning point of sorts.
“We’ve lost a few games in a row now, so we’re desperate to break that run. Sometimes when you can just manage to pick up a result, it changes the whole picture. This is a huge game for us, in front of what we hope will be a big crowd. We know Derry will travel well too.
“Losing Friday was tough to take, but it’s ideal to have a game so quickly, a quick turnaround to focus and sharpen minds. We need points as the gap is opening up particularly with Galway and Dundalk doing well recently. Our focus is to pick up points now and try to bridge that gap.”
David Goulden