Rovers regain pride with a well-deserved second leg defeat of Norway’s Viking FK as their UEFA campaign concludes on a high at a thronged Showgrounds

UEFA Europa Conference Lge Third Qualifying Rd – 2nd Leg Sligo Rovers 1 Viking FK (Norway) 0

T

HIS was one of Sligo Rovers’ finest nights – and results – in Europe. And yet it was all in vain. The Bit O’Red’s defiant 1-0 home win over Viking FK last Thursday night, with The Showgrounds noisy, brimming and sweating (given the temperature), completed the club’s European odyssey for 2022.

This result, courtesy of winger Will Fitzgerald’s heavily deflected shot after 44 minutes, was Rovers showing what they were capable of and, in so many ways, making up for their 5-1 humbling in the Norwegian city of Stavanger a week before. A 2-0 result would have been a better reflection of Rovers’ diligent determination and it could have been so had Viking goalkeeper Patrik Gunnarsson not spoiled the party by saving Frank Liivak’s 74th minute penalty and Lewis Banks’ effort from the rebound. The defensive work from Rovers was also notable in this UEFA Europa Conference League third qualifying round tie, as was their

CHEERS FOLKS: Will Fitzgerald,

who scored what proved the winning goal last Thursday night against Norway’s

Viking FK, applauds the home support at full-time.