League Report: Shamrock Rovers 2 - 0 Sligo Rovers

Macdara Ferris reports from Tallaght Stadium

Shamrock Rovers made another significant step to retaining their league title with a dominant 2-0 win over Sligo Rovers on Friday night.

The Hoops only need seven points from their remaining six matches to guarantee the title making a return to Tallaght. First half goals from Danny Mandriou and Aaron Greene earned them the win that leaves them 12 points clear of second placed St. Patrick’s Athletic.

It took just ten minutes for the Hoops to take the lead. The goal came from a couple of errors from Sligo as they couldn’t retain their own throw in. When David Cawley could have cleared Dylan Watts’ looping ball, he miscontrolled it allowing Mandroiu to race through unchallenged.

The Sligo defence stood off and, with Greene dragging defenders away with his diagonal run, Mandroiu was able to slot home his tenth goal of the league campaign.

The visitors had to re-jig their team when they lost Robbie McCourt to injury in the 19^th minute with Regan Donelon replacing him. A minute prior to that the Hoops had almost doubled their lead when Lee Grace headed a Dylan Watts corner won by Barry Cotter off the crossbar.

Ed McGinty was called into action several times in the opening half. His first save was off Hoops skipper Ronan Finn whose driven effort was pushed around the post.

At the other end on a rare break Cawley went close with a shot from distance that had Alan Mannus scrambling to his right hand post.

However Mannus’ team got their second goal of the game just after the half hour mark coming from another mistake from Sligo. Greene was able to dink the ball over McGinty after Garry Buckley allowed Mandroiu pick pocket the ball off him in centre midfield.

McGinty needed to pull off a couple of more saves before the break – first saving Mandriou’s low shot and then an effort from the lively Watts.

Three minutes from the half time whistle Mannus couldn’t hold onto a low drive cross but Finn was on hand for the Hoops to block Lewis Bank’s shot inside the six yard box. 

Liam Buckley brought on striker Johnny Kenny at half time in an effort to get back into the game but once again the Hoops dominated the ball in the second period. Richie Towell rippled the side netting from an acute angle seven minutes after the break.

Kenny did get a header on target off a Cawley cross but Mannus was able to save but when Walter Figueira fancied himself from distance he didn’t trouble the Hoops net minder.

Just after the hour mark both coaches made triple substitutions bringing fresh blood into the game but neither side could find the back of the net in the remaining time – with Mark Byrne going closest for the visitors only to send his close range header straight at Mannus.

For the home team three times late on the hit the frame of the goal.

Pico Lopes forced McGinty into a diving save and from the resulting corner his effort, on his return from World Cup qualifier duty with Cape Verde, hit the frame of the goal and five minutes from time substitute Rory Gaffney did likewise.

In injury time Neil Farrugia hit the crossbar with the  ball bouncing down and just out.

The Hoops welcome Bohemians to Tallaght Stadium on Monday night as they look to be very much on the countdown to their 19^th League of Ireland crown. For the Bit O’ Red they are in a real battle to remain in third place and claim the last automatic spot of European football next season as they are just a point clear of fourth placed Derry City.

Shamrock Rovers: Alan Mannus; Sean Gannon, Roberto Lopes, Lee Grace; Ronan Finn (Sean Hoare 64), Richie Towell, Gary O'Neill (Sean Kavanagh 72), Barry Cotter (Neil Farrugia 65); Dylan Watts (Chris McCann 64), Daniel Mandroiu (Rory Gaffney 77), Aaron Greene.

Booked: None. 

Sligo Rovers: Edward McGinty; Lewis Banks, Garry Buckley, John Mahon, Robbie McCourt; Adam McDonnell, David Cawley (c) (Colm Horgan 63), Seamas Keogh (Johnny Kenny 46); Walter Figueira, Andre Wright (Romeo Parkes 63),, Melvyn Lorenzen (Mark Byrne 63),. 
Subs not used: Richard Brush, Danny Kane, Ryan De Vries, Darren Collins. 
Booked: David Cawley (36) Garry Buckley (64). 

Referee: Rob Hennessy
Attendance: 3,500 (estimate)
extratime.com Player of the Match: Aaron Greene (Shamrock Rovers)

FULL-TIME

The game between Shamrock Rovers and Sligo Rovers has ended.

Final Score: Shamrock Rovers 2 - 0 Sligo Rovers

https://t.co/rRYJoftLNr#LeagueOfIreland via @ExtratimeNewspic.twitter.com/DNHHWzjrLf

— Extratime.com (@ExtratimeNews) October 15, 2021