This was a slog as leaders show mettle to get the job done
SLIGO Rovers may not have played with a panache to reflect their status as Premier Division leaders, but when winning 2-1 against Finn Harps they exuded a stubbornness that all teams at the top must show.
There were times last Friday evening in Ballybofey when this scrappy, gritty encounter was typical of the disorderly basement battles usually associated with these northwest rivals.
Rovers were a million miles from the side that was so effective when toppling the holders, Shamrock Rovers, earlier in the week.
And Harps were just being themselves, difficult to beat and constantly asking big questions of their opponents: Do you have the hunger to match ours? Do you have the heart to chase lost causes and make tackles? Do you have the appetite to hassle and harry? Well, do you?
Harps have some better players to back up their usual formula – for example striker Adam Foley, who starred at Newry City in Northern Ireland’s scene, and playmaker Barry McNamee, the ex-Derry City captain. Midfielder Will Seymore, once of Rovers, had a decent game against his former employers.
Even if this fixture didn’t appear so, this was a contest between two teams so far looking very comfortable in the top half of the table.
Rovers needed a win to maintain top spot going into the mid-season break. With Drogheda United losing at home to Derry on the same evening, Harps would have moved into the top four had they beaten Rovers. With Rovers unable to properly get going here – Greg Bolger, Niall Morahan and Robbie McCourt were among the few to really impress – they leaned on recent experience of having to grind out a result, the club’s first win here since February 2019.
Less than a month ago they battled for a win away to former champions Dundalk. In that game they had a lead to protect with 10 players following Garry Buckley’s red card. Against Harps there was an advantage to keep intact after a sending off for Romeo Parkes.
PREMIER DIVISION
P W D 14 9 4 14 9 3 14 7 4 14 6 4 14 6 2 14 5 3 14 4 5 14 4 5 14 4 14 0
Sligo Rovers Shamrock Rovers St Patrick’s Athletic Drogheda United Bohemians Finn Harps Dundalk Derry City Longford Town Waterford FC 2 12
F 20 21 20 27 23 12 18 14 9 6 30
Diff +12 +11 +6 +14 +8 -6 -1 -4 -16 -24
Goalkeeper Ed McGinty summoned a world-class save in the closing stages, as he did at Oriel Park (twice),
Pts 31 30 25 22 20 18 17 17 7 6 to keep Rovers’ rolling – including the walkover win against Waterford FC, this was their fifth consecutive victory.
Manager Liam Buckley would have