Efficient result away to Shels

Rovers aren’t brilliant at Tolka Park as they punish profligate home side

SSE Airtricity League Premier Division Shelbourne

Sligo Rovers

TEuropean dream.

This functional victory, never stylish, would have been a third successive win for Rovers but for one of

0

these results, the 2-0 home defeat of

2 Dundalk, being overturned by the FAI’s Disciplinary Control United because they deemed that Rovers fielded a suspended player (Adam McDonnell) in that game. Having lost two of their three previous meetings with Damien Duff’s Shelbourne, Rovers had reason to be apprehensive about this assignment at Tolka Park.

HE ONLY memorable thing about this game was the result. Sligo Rovers defeated Shelbourne 2-0 at Tolka Park last Friday night, as finishes from Frank Liivak and Aidan Keena, who netted his 18th goal for the Bit O’Red, kept alive the Bit O’Red’s returned to the defence in place of Cameron Evans, while Adam McDonnell was in for Will Fitzgerald. The home side, with injured left wing-back Conor Kane, created sufficient chances in the opening 20 minutes to win several games.

The onslaught began with Jack Moylan’s shot – from a Matty Smith cross – that Rovers Nando Pijnaker did well to deflect for a corner.

Shane Farrell’s attempt was narrowly wide – after an effor by Nando Pijnaker – and then Sean Boyd went even closer with a low shot across the face of goal that came off the far post. Rovers, who initially threatened from a free-kick in the second minute, one that Adam McDonnell blasted over, were struggling to sustain any sort of possession flow.

Shels kept coming. Jack Moylan ran at Rovers and got a shot off – Nando Pijnaker got in the way once more. Then Sean Boyd, Matty Smith and Aodh Dervin each had a pop at goal – these efforts varied from poor to over and well wide. Rovers were blessed. Then Aidan Keena began to get involved. Paddy Kirk’s work set up Adam McDonnell for a well-struck shot that curled wide.

With 23 minutes played the visitors hit the front. Nando Pijnaker played a long ball from the back and it released Frank Liivak, who outpaced Aaron O’Driscoll. The Estonian international, who was on the right side of the area, sent a low shot past Shels goalkeeper Brendan Clarke – once of Rovers – at his near post.

It was a composed finish from Liivak, whose performances have been improving of late, and it would have been his third goal in recent weeks but – don’t forget – one of these goals was expunged by the FAI Disciplinary Control Unit.

Two minutes after going a goal down, Shels almost scored. Sean Boyd’s flying header – from a John Ross Wilson cross – would have made for a spectacular equaliser but, much to Rovers’ relief, it was wide.

Rovers finished the first-half on the front foot.

Max Mata and Aidan Keena linked up and the latter sent a rocket just over. A 41st minute free-kick looked an ideal time for Shane Blaney to again don his Andrea Pirlo hat but Aidan Keena took it and the ball wafted narrowly off target.

The visitors made a defensive change at the break – Colm

Horgan came on for Nando Pijnaker. Horgan moved to full-back and Lewis Banks switched to centre-back. Within seven minutes of the restart Rovers almost doubled their lead. Frank Liivak sent Max Mata through but his dinked effort was partially blocked by Brendan Clarke and, as a result, the sting was taken out of the shot.

The game was drifting along and, although a goal up, Rovers were still vulnerable as was the case in the 58th minute when Jack Moylan went close again with a shot after enterprising play by Matty Smith and Shane Farrell.

Blocks, interceptions and last-gasp tackles were the order of the day for Rovers who finally made the game safe after 65 minutes.

Sloppy defensive play from Shels was exploited by Aidan Keena, who, after winning the ball back, stormed forward and lashed an unstoppable shot beyond Brendan Clarke. Goal number 18 of an outstanding season. John Russell freshened things up with the introduction of Will Fitzgerald, Kailin Barlow and Niall Morahan.

Still, Greg Bolger and Robbie Burton were quietly effective for the winners. Shels’ best moment to halve the deficit was a cross-cum-shot by Matty Smith that forced Luke Nicholas to tip over with 83 minutes on the clock. Rovers had two further chances of note – a scruffy shot by Aidan Keena, an effort that began with good close control, and a shot on target from Kailin Barlow, who was teed up by Paddy Kirk, whose mazy run on the left flank dissolved the Shels cover.

Sligo Rovers: