All-Island Cup begins
ROVERS’ SCORERS (Five goalscorers so far) Max Mata (4 PD); Ellis Chapman (2 PD), Fabrice Hartmann (2 PD); ONE GOAL: Reece Hutchinson (1 PD), Wilson Waweru (1 PD).
Morahan fed Fabrice Hartmann who skilfully released Ellis Chapman. A ball sent in from the right flank was devoured by Max Mata, who slid in and lashed a shot into the net.
Five minutes later it was 2-0 from almost a carbon copy of the first goal.
This time Simon Power and Connor Malley were to the fore, Fabrice Hartmann was again involved and it was a JR Wilson cross – from the right – that reached Mata, who finished adroitly.
Even a two-goal advantage wasn’t enough and Drogheda, once they pulled a goal back, had the guts to chase an equaliser.
Then Wilson Waweru, one of five second-half substitutes used by Rovers, provided one of the finest improvised goals ever at this famous venue.
Rein Smit’s ball reached Simon Power and his cross into the box came to Waweru, who, with his back to goal, controlled with one touch and then applied a second touch when backheeling the ball goalwards. This stunning goal sealed a welcome win.
Best for Rovers: Niall Morahan
Sligo Rovers: Ed McGinty; JR Wilson (Charlie Wiggett 76), Nando Pijnaker,
Ollie Denham, Reece Hutchinson; Niall Morahan (c), Connor Malley (Rein Smit 78); Fabrice Hartmann (Will Fitzgerald 64), Ellis Chapman (Kailin Barlow 64), Simon Power; Max Mata (Wilson Waweru 76)
Subs not used: Richard Brush (gk), Stefan Radosavljevic, Conor Reynolds, Owen Elding
Andrew Wogan; Andrew Quinn, Jack Keaney, Evan Weir, Conor Kane; Gary Deegan (c), Oisin Gallagher (Ryan Brennan 62); Darragh Markey; Steve Zishim Bawa (Killian Cailloce 62), Frantz Pierrot, Warren Davis (Aaron McNally 74)
Subs not used: Ryan Maher (gk), Jethren Barr (gk), David Webster, Emre Topcu, Anthony Moyo, James Byrne
Referee: Eoghan O’Shea
Attendance: 2,243
THE Sligo Rovers senior women’s team commence their All-Island Cup campaign this coming Saturday, March 23, with a home fixture against the holders Galway United (The Showgrounds, 7pm).
This is the second year of the AllIsland Cup, and 16 teams are taking part – 11 from the SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division and five from the Northern Ireland Football League.
Along with a Group ‘D’ opener against their Connacht rivals, the Tommy Hewitt-managed Rovers will be away to Sports Direct Women’s FAI Cup champions Athlone Town (Sunday, April 21, Athlone Town Stadium, 7pm) and at home to Belfast’s Glentoran (Saturday, May 18, The Showgrounds, 7pm).
The four group winners qualify for the All-Island Cup semi-finals. There are also four teams in the three others groups, ‘A’, ‘B’ and ‘C’.
Galway United won last year’s inaugural All-Island Cup with a
1-0 defeat of Cliftonville at The Showgrounds. Ex-Rovers player Gemma McGuinness netted the final’s only goal.