Sligo Rovers facing Waterford in 4th home game in a row
A hat-trick from Graham Cummins and a Kieran Sadlier penalty made it three wins from three for champions Cork City at The Showgrounds last Monday night, inflicting a second defeat of the season of Ger Lyttle’s side.
Adam Morgan’s penalty had no impact on the outcome of the game, while Rhys McCabe’s 89th minute red card further frustrated the home fans.
The Bit o’Red had recorded their first win of the season just three days prior to this game, beating a Derry City side who were somewhat of an unknown entity going into this game.
The Champions came to Sligo as the only side to win both of their first two games so far.
John Caulfield’s men were well on their way to winning three consecutive games when just three minutes had elapsed, the impressive Cummins got on the end of a Karl Sheppard cross, nodding in past Chelsea loanee Mitchell Beeney in the Sligo goal.
Sheppard came close to extending his side’s lead seconds later, but he could only direct his header wide of the target.
If the home side had any chance of getting back into the game when they were trailing 1-0, that was certainly gone when they were suddenly 2-0 down.
Referee Derek Tomney pointed to the spot when Seamus Sharkey was adjudged to have fouled Aaron Barry in the box. Sadlier duly converted the spotkick, inflicting more misery on his former employers.
John Caulfield’s men were making it uncomfortable for the Bit o’Red, and they continued their onslaught in search of a third.
Gearoid Morrissey missed the target, before the visitors really should have made it 3-0. A free-kick from the excellent Barry McNamee was nodded on by Morrissey, but Barry was unable to make a proper connection with the ball.
The champions refused to take the foot off the pedal, and they capitalised on a defensive error to take a 3-0 lead straight after the re-start.
Kyle Callan-McFadden’s poor ball to Beeney was easily intercepted by Cummins, whose cool finish had the Chelsea loanee beaten without much trouble.
Ger Lyttle’s men were not having much joy against a well organised City side, but they were given a lifeline on 59 minutes. Caolan McAleer was upended in the box and again Derek Tomney pointed to the spot.
Morgan sent Mark McNulty the wrong way to lessen the deficit, but that was as good as it would get for Sligo on a freezing cold night.
The champions never looked like giving up their lead, but they were slightly rattled following a succession of chances for Rovers as both Adam Wixted and David Cawley had McNulty on his toes with their long distance efforts.
It didn’t get any better, though, for Rovers as McCabe’s 89th minute dismissal for abusive language towards linesman Wayne McDonnell was followed by Cummins’ third of the evening, his fourth of the season in an impressive performance from City.
Rovers were due to meet St. Patrick’s Athletic in Inchicore last Friday night, but all league games were postponed due to the weather. They take on Waterford United at The Showgrounds this Friday evening.
Sligo Rovers: Mitchell Beeney, Gary Boylan, Kyle Callan-McFadden, Seamus Sharkey (Calum Waters, 46), Patrick McClean, Rhys McCabe, Craig Roddan (Adam Wixted, 65), David Cawley, Ally Roy (Greg Moorhouse, 71), Adam Morgan, Caolan McAleer.
Cork City: Mark McNulty, Steven Beattie (Colm Horgan, 65), Alan Bennett, Aaron Barry, Shane Griffin, Barry McNamee (Garry Buckley, 79), Conor McCormack, Gearoid Morrissey, Karl Sheppard, Kieran Sadlier (Jimmy Keohane, 71), Graham Cummins.
Referee: Derek Tomney