Maguire seals the points for Cork City
CORK CITY 2 SLIGO ROVERS 1
SLIGO Rovers’ difficult start to the new season continued on Monday week last with 2- 1 defeat to a strong Cork City side at Turner’s Cross.
City looked most likely to strike first during a busy opening half but were unable to crack a resilient Rovers’ defence. Kieran Sadlier then opened the scoring for a dogged Rovers just past the hour mark but Cork hit back instantly through former Showgrounds attacker Steven Beattie.
Another ex- Sligo man, Sean Maguire struck for the winner 13 minutes from time when he made the most of the space afforded to him by a stretched Rovers’ defence before firing past Shaun Patton for his sixth goal in six games.
Dave Robertson’s side were without both first choice goalkeeper Micheál Schlingermann and left back Regan Donelon due to injury and the situation got worse in the lead up to kick- off with centre half Kyle Callan- McFadden declared unfit in the warm- up. The forced reshuffle saw Gary Boylan moved to centre half alongside Mick Leahy while Liam Martin deputised at left back in a rearguard which was well tested throughout by a talented City side.
Rovers started brightly but relied on a strong hand from net minder Shaun Patton to keep Beattie’s volley out on 21 while a sea of Sligo legs diverted Maguire’s effort to safety shortly after.
City captain John Dunleavy misjudged his header in front of a gaping goalmouth just before Cork keeper Mark McNulty pushed over Rovers’ only real chance from the boot of Jonah Ayunga just before the break.
Sadlier forced McNulty into another stop straight from the restart. But the former Irish underage international wasn’t to be denied on 63. Sadlier pouncing on Dunleavy’s poor footwork outside his own area before placing the ball past McNulty for his second goal in as many games.
The celebrations of the 25 or so who had made the journey to Leeside from the north west were short lived however as Cork levelled straight from kick- off. Another former Rovers man, substitute Achille Campion this time involved as his knock- on from a Kevin O’Connor ball forward found the run of Beattie who blasted past Patton to restore instant parity.
Things got worse for Rovers 12 minutes later as their central defensive pairing failed to deal with Garry Buckley’s speculative long ball. Maguire breaking free of the last man and taking a touch before hammering the ball home for the winner.
CORK CITY: Mark McNulty; Conor McCormack, John Dunleavy, Ryan Delaney, Kevin O’Connor; Greg Bolger ( Achille Campion 52), Jimmy Keohane, Garry Buckley; Karl Sheppard ( Shane Griffin 84), Sean Maguire ( Connor Ellis 91), Steven Beattie.
SLIGO ROVERS: Shaun Patton, Tobi Adebayo- Rowling, Mick Leahy, Gary Boylan, Liam Martin; Kieran Sadlier, Craig Roddan, Chris Kenny ( Mikey Place 84), John Russell ( Daniel Kearns 92); Raffaele Cretaro, Jonah Ayunga ( Mathew Stevens 84).