Under 11 sides to re-enact first ever competitive Rovers game

SLIGO Rovers will go back to their roots during this Saturday’s league game against St Patrick’s Athletic at the Showgrounds.

The half-time entertainment will re-enact the club’s first ever competitive game.

That came in a Connacht Cup tie against the then Ballyshannon Ernes in Ballyshannon on September 23rd, 1928.

At half-time, an under-11 team from Erne Wanderers, Ballyshannon, will travel to play a team from St Edward’s NS, Clarion Road, adjacent to the Forthilll area, long regarded as the spiritual home of Sligo soccer.

The game between the young teams is being organized by the members of the Sligo Rovers Heritage Group and Sligo Rovers as the club’s 90th anniversary celebrations continue.

Rovers were drawn to play Ballyshannon Ernes in Ballyshannon on September 23rd in their first ever competitive fixture and thus the journey to senior soccer began. Rovers won the game 9-1.

Ernes were without six regulars and made up the team from the spectators at the match.

There were no nets in the goals and the referee was a Mr P Fallon from Sligo.

The Rovers team was: Jock Callaghan, P Monaghan, Eddie Callaghan, J Flynn, Jimmy Shannon, Jack Kelly, Pa Rooney, Terry Rooney, James ‘Guy’ Callaghan Anthony ‘Gully’ McKenna and John McMorrow.

Among the goalscorers according to records were Callaghan who scored a hat-trick, McKenna who also netted three and a goal from McMorrow. Rovers went on to complete the 1928-1929 season by winning the Free State Of Ireland Junior Cup.