Sligo Rovers draw with Bohemians as St Patrick’s game delayed again
DAVID Cawley and Adam Morgan were on the scoresheet as Sligo Rovers twice came from behind to earn a 2-2 draw with Bohemian FC at Dalymount Park on Friday evening.
The Dubliners took the lead in the firsthalf thanks to a sweet strike from Eoghan Stokes, before Cawley made it one apiece before half-time.
Keith Long’s side went ahead again in the second-half courtesy of Ian Morris, but Rovers responded just two minutes later through Adam Morgan - his fourth goal in six games.
The hosts came into this game hoping to bounce back from their 1-0 defeat to Waterford earlier in the week, their third consecutive loss.
The visitors, on the other hand, were looking to make it two wins from two having defeated Bray Wanderers on Monday night.
The Bit o’Red have not had much luck at Dalymount Park in recent years, - you have to go back to 2014 for Rovers’ last victory in Phibsboro.
Ger Lyttle made one change to the side that won in the Carlisle Grounds on Monday, with Craig Roddan replacing Eduardo Pinceli.
Rovers had the best of the early chances with Caolan McAleer running on to a great ball from Gary Boylan, but his shot crawled across the face of goal. Cawley tried his luck from distance, but the Gypsies’ rearguard held up.
It was the Gypsies who took the lead just before the half hour mark.
Former Leeds United youth Stokes found himself with plenty of space on the right hand side, curling his effort around Micheál Schlingermann to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.
Less than ten minutes later, Ger Lyttle’s side were deservedly back level. Mayo man Cawley got on the end of Rhys McCabe’s corner, nodding past Shane Supple in goal.
Both sides knew the game was there for the taking, and it was the Dubliners who looked the most likely to score following the re-start.
Following a spell of pressure, the hosts took the lead again on the hour mark when Karl Moore’s corner evaded the Sligo defence, and Moore’s unchallenged diving header at the far post beating Micheál Schlingermann.
Bohs were well worth their lead, but they were pegged back by poor defending almost immediately when Liverpudlian Morgan made it 2-2.
The Gypsies failed to clear McCabe’s free-kick, which eventually made its way to Morgan, his volley flew through the defence and past Supple to level the scoring.
Bohs dug deep to try and find a winner, as Paddy Kavanagh went close with a shot from distance before Keith Ward’s dangerous looking ball was headed clear by Gary Boylan.
The Gypsies thought they had taken the lead for the third time, as Kavanagh’s shot hit the crossbar and the follow-up was sent wide by former Sligo man Dinny Corcoran just yards from goal, but the linesman’s flag had been raised for offside.
Rovers will play host to Dundalk this Saturday at The Showgrounds, after yesterday’s game against St. Patrick’s Athletic was postponed due to an unplayable pitch. No date has been set as of yet for that game.
Bohemian FC: Shane Supple; Derek Pender, Dan Casey, Rob Cornwall, Darragh Leahy; Keith Buckley, Paddy Kavanagh, Oscar Brennan, Ian Morris (Dinny Corcoran, 78), Karl Moore; Eoghan Stokes (Keith Ward, 80).
Sligo Rovers: Micheál Schlingermann; Gary Boylan, Kyle Callan-McFadden, Seamus Sharkey, Calum Waters; Caolan McAleer, Craig Roddan (Greg Moorhouse, 86), David Cawley, Rhys McCabe, Alistair Roy (Adam Wixted, 67); Adam Morgan (Lewis Morrison, 90+1).
Referee: Ray Matthews.