League Report: Sligo Rovers 1 - 1 Finn Harps

It remains to be seen if Sligo Rovers picked up their second home point of the season following the abandonment of their match with Finn Harps at the Showgrounds on Saturday evening.

Referee Padraigh Sutton called a halt due to floodlight failure with just under three minutes to play and the match poised to finish 1-1.

A 10^th minute opener from former Bray Wanderers attacker Chris Lyons had seen the home side lead the match for more than an hour of play.

However, Harps defender Damien McNulty’s finish seven minutes from the end of the 90 ensured Sligo will have to wait a little longer to get their first maximum league return of the season.

Sligo set the tone from the off with midfielder Kieran Sadlier firing a venomous shot off his left foot in the opening minute of the game. He was unlucky to see the shot tail wide.

The Bit O’ Red continued to apply pressure and it took a last gasp tackle from Harps’ left-back Ciaran Coll to deny Jimmy Keohane a clear path to goal.

Dave Robertson didn’t have to wait long to see his side take the lead though through Lyons. Sligo full-back Regan Donelan went on one of his trademark marauds down the left flank, and his perfectly weighted cross nestled on the head of Dubliner Lyons, who dispatched his effort past former Sligo goal keeper Richard Brush.

A highly entertaining game unfolded as the tie went on. Harps could have equalised only for Micheál Schlingermann and Gavin Peers to halt separate efforts from Ollie Horgan’s men, as the home faithful pleaded for a reaction.

Sadlier was having a very influential impact for Rovers in attack. He let fly three times over the middle period of the first half, while also sending many dangerous crosses from the wide right position into Brush’s ‘corridor of uncertainty’ across the six-yard area.

Keohane, Martin, Tim Clancy and Peers had efforts on Brush's goal before half-time. Sadlier was at the heart of everything that the Bit O’ Red were doing well. Indeed, many of those efforts stemmed directly from the play of Brimingham native Sadlier.

He drove another two efforts at the over-exercised Brush, all of which were stopped by Brush. The stats at half time read very comprehensively for the Sligo Rovers. 11 shots to two in their favour, while the most important stat also told that the Bit O’ Red were superior.

The second period began with Sligo right-full Tobi Adebayo-Rowling finding room high up the pitch but his driven cross was missed by all of those in red and cleared for a corner by Harps.

Ryan Curran saw his audacious overhead kick rise his over the bar, before Sadlier left fly again without success and as the game headed towards the hour mark, Sligo remained ahead.

A glut of changes arrived over the next twenty minutes as nothing of note was on show on the classy Showgrounds turf. However, Sligo became cautious as the game progressed and Harps’ dogged and determined style was getting them yards into the Sligo area.

Hanlon and McHugh both unleashed efforts at Schlingermann, before Damien McNulty nicked a point for the Ballybofey team. A throw-in deep inside the Rovers box was met superbly on the volley by McNulty, who drove it past the unassuming Schlingermann to send the away following into hysteria.

The major incident of a brilliant game, with an electric atmosphere and where both sides fused together as a team, happened three minutes from full-time when a partial floodlight failure caused referee Padraigh Sutton to abandon the game to the obvious dismay of all involved.

League officials will meet during the week to decide if the draw stands or whether a replay will be required.

Sligo Rovers: Micheál Schlingermann; Tobi Adebayo-Rowling, Gavin Peers, Tim Clancy, Regan Donelon; Jimmy Keohane, Criag Roddan, Jordon Richards, Kieran Sadlier; Chris Lyons, Liam Martin.

Subs not used: Ciaran Nugent (gk), Mick Leahy, Janaai Gordon, Raffaele Cretaro, Gary Boylan, Michael Place, John Russell.

Booked: Gavin Peers (75).

Finn Harps: Richard Brush; Damien McNulty, Keith Cowan, Packie Mailey, Ciaran Coll; Dave Scully (Liam Flatley 80), Tony McNamee, Gareth Harkin (Kevin McHugh 67), Ethan Boyle (Raymond Foy 76), Adam Hanlon; Ryan Curran.

Subs not used: Ciaran Gallagher, Ryan McConnell, Raymond Funston, Michael Crossan.

Booked: Gareth Harkin (23), Tony McNamee (56), Kevin McHugh )71), Dave Scully (74).

Referee: Padraigh Sutton.

Attendance: 2,238.

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Kieran Sadlier (Sligo Rovers).

You can see John Doyle's pictures from the game by clicking here.