IT DOZEN SLIP NOW SHAMROCK RVS.
(below) (right)
AARON GREENE weighed in with a moment of magic as champions-elect Shamrock Rovers cruised into a 12-point lead at the top.
Defeat in Dundalk last week focused the minds and the Hoops responded with a show of strength to blow Sligo Rovers away.
Their 1-0 loss to the Bit O’Red here in May was chalked down by Stephen Bradley as his team’s worst performance of the season.
Little wonder then that his players spoke in the build-up of wanting to ‘settle scores’ against their third-placed rivals.
And they did just that with Danny Mandroiu opening the scoring before assisting Greene whose sublime, chipped goal had the Tallaght crowd on their feet.
Rory Gaffney, Roberto Lopes and Richie Towell all hit the woodwork in the dying stages.
This was Sligo’s seventh defeat in their last 11 league games; remarkably, they remain third and in the driving seat for a European spot.
Indeed, just 10 points separate them from second-bottom Waterford, but there’s no doubt about where Shamrock Rovers are heading.
Seeing the finishing line is one thing, getting over it is another.
Last week’s loss at
Oriel Park was a
When David Cawley lost the ball in the centre circle, the Ireland squad man pounced and set sail on a mazy run.
Covering
Cawley tried to catch him but when Mandroiu cut inside on the edge of the box, covering defender Garry Buckley ran straight into Rovers striker Aaron Greene.
That opened up the space for Mandroiu to shoot as John Mahon couldn’t get close enough and the low shot to the net was superbly executed.
Sligo’s cause wasn’t helped when Robbie McCourt had to go off with an injury after 19 minutes and the hosts kept piling on the punishment.
Lee Grace crashed a header off the bar from a Dylan Watts corner and Ed McGinty’s fingertip save to deny Ronan Finn was top class.
Sligo were struggling to make inroads and a Cawley drive aside, they carried no attacking threat and were soon two goals down.
After snuffing out a Sligo attack, Rovers broke at speed with Greene played through by Mandroiu.
The striker looked destined to score, although his decision to chip McGinty rather than apply a low, hard finish caught everyone by surprise.
But it was exquisite and had the Tallaght crowd on its feet in appreciation as the Hoops pressed home their dominance.
Sligo’s best chance was when Lewis Banks saw his close range shot deflect over after Alan Mannus fumbled Walter Figueira’s low cross — but it was scrappy at best.
Desperate for an imaginative spark to their play, the visitors brought on Johnny Kenny at half-time and then three more subs after the hour.
Kenny certainly livened up their attack but his best chance was a header that he planted straight at Mannus.
The Hoops also emptied their bench, but for a different reason with Ronan Finn, Gary O’Neill, Barry Cotter and Mandroiu all looked after with Bohs to come on Monday.
Gaffney, Lopes and Towell all hit the woodwork late on but this was already a done deal for quite some time.
DANNY MANDROIU
ROBBIE MCCOURT