New documentary celebrates the day Sligo Rovers secured the title in 2012
A NEW documentary marking the 10th anniversary of Sligo Rovers’ last League of Ireland Premier Division title success has been uploaded to YouTube.
The documentary was created by Oisin and Michael Moran who previously collaborated on Shine, a 2020 documentary detailing the history of the club.
This new production features interviews with players and coaches of the 2012 team such as Raffaele Cretaro, Alan Keane, Mark Quigley, Gavin Peers, Iarfhlaith Davoren, Joseph Ndo and Gavin Dykes.
Shaun Dunne, Brenda Kearins, Brendan Fitzsimons, Chris Benson, Alanna Cunnane and Dermot Kelly painted a picture of what it was like to be a fan on the day.
Current Rovers boss Liam Buckley also offered his perspective as the manager of the St Patrick’s Athletic side who Rovers beat 3-2 to seal a third top tier title in their history.
Speaking about their decision to focus on this particular success of a trophy-laden five seasons between 2010 and 2014, Oisin said: “As Michael and I talked about a follow up to Shine, our first documentary on Rovers, it seemed glaringly obvious that this was the period of time that we should endeavor to cover.
“Gavin Dykes lifting the FAI Cup in 1994 was the end point for our last project which left us with plenty of scope for a follow up to Shine.
“After a lot of debate, we decided to focus our attention on the league winning day of October 13, 2012. In my eyes this was the real high for the club, league titles have not been a frequent visitor to the north-west.
“Our filming began with Alan Keane at Sligo Fire Station. This made a great backdrop for the interview with plenty of red on screen.
“Alan was one of my own favorite players to watch on the pitch. Always moving, always getting involved in the play.
“Alan got involved, enabling us to contact various players, moving the documentary along nicely for us. Building from the back if you will.”
Those contacts featured three significant individuals in the success – Joseph Ndo, whose arrival is regarded by many as the turning point that brought about Rovers’ golden era, and goalscorers on the day Raffaele Cretaro and Mark Quigley.
“Joseph Ndo was an artist on the pitch so we were delighted when The Model facilitated our interview with him in their gallery.
“Joey spoke to us for over an hour and it was truly a fascinating experience listening to a man that has played in two World Cups speak about life and football.
“In a way the day will be remembered for two players, Mark Quigley and Raffael Cretaro. One local and one from Dublin, both exceptionally talented forwards. “As Mark told us his story of growing up in Dublin city centre and Raff showed us around Tubbercurry, the common thread was a dedication to their craft, spending hours each day sharpening their skills.
“Both fulfilled the childhood dreams of many on the same day, helping Rovers lift the league title.”
All of the music, art and photography provided for the documentary were provided by locals and fans alike, with work by Barry Masterson, a prolific artist who specialises in the League of Ireland as the subject of his art, are also shown throughout. Oisin added: “Myself and Michael hope that fans enjoy the
Mark Quigley accepts the adulation of home supporters on that famous day at The Showgrounds.
documentary and that it brings back some amazing memories for everyone.
“We would like to thank everyone who participated in the production for their help without
which this documentary would not have been possible.”
The documentary is now live on YouTube and can be found by searching for ‘2012, A Sligo Rovers documentary’.