Ten-man Rovers fight for crucial win over Shams
SLIGO ROVERS SHAMROCK ROVERS
THE ten men of Sligo Rovers sealed a crucial victory against Shamrock Rovers on Sunday evening in their battle to avoid the drop.
John Russell gave the hosts the lead with just four minutes on the clock, before he was later dismissed by referee Neil Doyle in the second half.
Gerard Lyttle’s men had not won a league game in almost two months, their 3-0 victory over Limerick on May 6th was their last win this season.
And with only three wins so far this season, Rovers knew that they would have to do something on Sunday evening if they were to finally start their move away from the danger zone.
And they got off to the perfect start. With just four minutes on the clock, in his last game for the club, Kieran Sadlier sent a stunning cross from the left which came to the unmarked Russell, who nestled his header into the top post, past Tomer Chencinski in the Hoops goal. It really should have been 2-0 to the Bit O’Red later in the first half.
Raffaele Cretaro’s dangerous cross from the right just needed the slightest touch to hit the back of the net, but Daniel Kearns could not connect properly.
Stephen Bradley’s men did have their chances in the first-half, but they were struggling to trouble Micheál Schlingermann in the Rovers goal.
Ronan Finn and Brandon Miele tried their luck, but it just wasn’t happening for the Dubliners on the night.
Gerard Lyttle’s side were looking a bit less energetic as the second-half started, with the visitors having more luck in possession.
John Russell was one of three Sligo players to be booked in the first-half, and Neil Doyle gave the Galway man his second of the evening on 58 minutes for a challenge on Simon Madden, his second red card of the season against the Tallaght side.
The Hoops did put Rovers under severe pressure at one stage, with former Rovers man Ryan Connolly forcing an excellent save from Schlingermann in goals, before Michael O’Connor could not beat the Kiltimagh man from just inches away.
Finn then hit the side netting with just minutes left, as the Hoops looked to be running out of ideas.
They thought they had found their answer in the dying minutes, but a goal-line clearance from Liam Martin prevented Roberto Lopes from earning the Dubliners a draw.
Tobi Adebayo-Rowling almost made it 2-0 though in extraordinary circumstances. The Hoops brought all 11 players forward for a last ditch corner, and Adebayo-Rowling did well to get in the way, dispossessing his Shamrock Rovers counterpart.
He spotted that Chencinski was off his line, but having been forced out wide on the right, he just sent his effort wide of the post from long range.
Despite being under the cosh for a long period in the second-half, the Bit O’Red managed to sustain the pressure, pulling off a crucial victory in front of a crowd of over 2,000.
They now move up to 8th place in the table. Rovers visit Buncrana next week as they take on Derry City, as they look to start a run of good form.
Sligo Rovers: Micheal Schlingermann, Tobi Ade- bayo-Rowling, Michael Leahy, Seamus Sharkey, Regan Donelon, Jonah Ayunga (Mikey Place, 73), Gary Boylan, John Russell, Daniel Kearns (Chris Kenny, 65), Kieran Sadlier, Raffaele Cretaro (Liam Martin, 82).
Shamrock Rovers: Tomer Chencinski, Simon Madden, David Webster, Roberto Lopes, Luke Byrne (Sean Boyd, 76), Brandon Miele, Sam Bone (Michael O’Connor, 65), Ronan Finn, Ryan Connolly, Trevor Clarke (James Doona, 56), Gary Shaw.
Referee: Neil Doyle