‘Disappointing’ night leaves Russell upset
NEXTUP
McNamee’s screamer. Harps’ second goal was even more painful – Ryan Rainey scoring with a header in a crowded goalmouth following a 36th minute corner by ex-Rovers player Gary Boylan. This goal, definitely preventable, came after Max Mata went close to an equaliser.
Shane Blaney was then required to clear the danger from another Harps attack as the hosts threatened through goalscorer McNamee and the busy Eric McWoods.
Against opponents who dug in and made this a scrap, Rovers found a way back two minutes after the restart. This was a well-constructed goal – Karl O’Sullivan’s through ball released Aidan Keena and he sped through before dinking the ball deliciously over James McKeown. Rovers, however, failed to build on this wonderful finish from Keena and, indeed, Luke McNicholas was called upon to parry a Ryan Rainey header from a Regan Donelon cross.
After going 3-1 down and a player up, Shane Blaney almost made it 3-2 from a fizzing free-kick. Rovers did make a go of it but the gap was too much and obdurate Harps held on as only they can for what was only their fourth win from 27 games.
Best for Rovers: Aidan Keena
Sligo Rovers: Luke McNicholas; Lewis Banks (Kailin Barlow 85), Shane Blaney, Nando Pijnaker, Paddy Kirk; Robbie Burton, Adam McDonnell (David Cawley 82); Karl O’Sullivan, Aidan Keena, Will Fitzgerald (Frank Liivak 72); Max Mata
Subs not used: Richard Brush (gk),
Cameron Evans, Greg Bolger, Niall
Morahan, Cillian Heaney, Eanna Clancy
Finn Harps: James McKeown; Gary Boylan, Ethan Boyle, Rob Slevin, Regan Donelon; Elie Gael Nzeyi; Ryan Rainey, Ryan
Connolly, Barry McNamee (Liam McGing 44); Filip Mihaljevic (Dylan Duncan 46);
Eric McWoods (Mark Timlin 90+5)
Subs not used: Gavin Mulreany (gk), Luke Rudden, Adam McCaffrey, Jose Carrillo, Harry Nicolson, Rob Jones
Referee: Rob Hennessy when we are trying to close the gap on the teams above us.
“We have to get back on the training ground, prepare well and win more matches.”
Rovers have an extra few days before their next fixture, Monday’s hosting of Dundalk, and Russell maintained that the players will appreciate this, given their recent hectic schedule. “The players need to recharge the batteries so to speak, we would have liked to be doing that on the back of two wins – or at least one win.
“It is important now we come back refreshed and really push on for the last 10 games. We know the Dundalk game will be a challenge – they’ve done really well this season.”
He added: “They have a core group of players who are good and also players who have won trophies. It will be a tough test but it is important that we bounce back.”
IT WASN’T the worst display by Sligo Rovers this season but, in the context of attempting to close the gap on fourth-placed St Patrick’s Athletic, it was the worst result.
Rovers boss John Russell was feeling the pain of the unexpected 3-2 outcome at Finn Park last Friday night, a result that began with a world-class finish by the home side’s talisman Barry McNamee.
He said: “It was a great strike by him [McNamee] and all of sudden we are 1-0 down. We responded well and I was thinking that we would get level.
“But to concede a second goal like we did – it was a free header from a corner. We work on set-plays, for and against, and a goal like that is inexcusable. It was a shocking goal to give away.”
Russell continued: “We already knew is was going to be a serious battle and that they were going to throw long balls in and make it a scrap.”
Rovers did bring it back to 2-1, via Aidan Keena’s adroit 47th minute finish, and that stemmed from the half-time advice from Russell and his
(HOME)
DUNDALK
SLIGO Rovers host second-placed Dundalk on Monday next at The Showgrounds (kick-off 7.45pm), with the visitors almost certain to finish in the European places even if they are unlikely to catch champions and leaders Shamrock Rovers.
Although beaten 3-0 by Shams last Sunday, this was only a fourth loss in 27 games for Dundalk, who have notched 13 wins and 10 draws.
Rovers and Dundalk drew 0-0 at
The Showgrounds on March 5, while the Louth club won 2-1 at Oriel Park in April. Tomorrow, Friday, Dundalk are away to Wexford FC in the second round of the Extra.ie FAI Men’s Cup – Wexford, of course, stunned Rovers by winning 2-1 after extra-time in the first round in Sligo.
assistant, Ryan Casey.
“We spoke to the players about moving the ball quicker and getting it into wider areas. I felt the players we had on the pitch for the start of the second-half were good enough to do that. “The disappointing thing was that for the next 15 or 20 minutes after Aidan’s goal was that it became a scrap again, we were going long [with the ball] and not playing out from the back.
“This played into their hands – they were slowing the game down, there were fouls, there was time wasting. They were frustrating us.”
Russell didn’t think that Finn Harps deserved their spot-kick. “For me, it didn’t look like a penalty at all. They scored and then we were 3-1 down. It was a huge task after that.
“We made a few changes [in personnel]. Frank [Liivak] won us another penalty and that brought it to 3-2. We were trying to get that third goal but I think we didn’t work the Finn Harps goalkeeper enough.
“It was a really disappointing night for us,” added Russell, who thought that Rovers ought to have had a spotkick awarded to them in the opening five minutes.