Sligo Rovers 3 - 0 Derry City

It was third time lucky for Sligo Rovers as they recorded their first win in three games against second place Derry City at the Showgrounds.

In five action packed minutes after the break the game was turned on his head when Derry were reduced to nine men and Sligo took the lead through a penalty. It settled the home side and rattled the visitors.

Coming into the game both teams had been in contrasting form of late. The visitors hadn't been beaten since Sligo defeated them in the first game of the season while Sligo had lost their last two and had dropped eight points in their last three games.

It was the home side who started with a purpose and were bright during the opening exchanges. Matthew Blinkhorn had the first effort on goal but Derry keeper Ger Doherty was able to get down and gather. Derry’s first chance came after two minutes but Stephen McLaughlin’s low drive hit the side netting.

Although both sides had good possession neither keeper was forced into making any decent save of note in the opening half hour. It was an open game of football but as the half progressed Sligo began to get on top and Derry struggled to create anything going forward.

A combination of fine goalkeeping and defending helped keep Derry’s goal intact in the 35th minute. Kevin Deery fouled Richie Ryan in a very dangerous position. Ryan dusted himself down and took the free, it fell to Eoin Doyle but his shot was superbly saved by Doherty and Shane McEleney cleared the danger off the line.

Five minutes before the break and Blinkhorn missed a glorious opportunity to open the scoring. Joseph Ndo played a lovely ball across the goal, Raff Cretaro chested it down and laid it off to Blinkhorn who put it wide when it was easier to score. It was a real let-off for the visitors.

There was more action inside the first ten minutes of the second half than there was in the whole of the first half; three red cards and a penalty scored.

In the 48th minute Derry defender Eddie McCallion was shown a straight for professional foul after he hacked down Cretaro in the box. Doyle duly dispatched the spot-kick. One minute later and things got worse for Derry when they were reduced to nine men; Deery stupidly receiving a second yellow.

The red cards didn’t end there and in the 54th minute Sligo defender Gavin Peers was shown a second yellow and then a red by referee Alan Kelly. It actually wasn’t a very dirty game but the Cork official was handing cards out like it was Christmas. Though, he was applying the rules of the game.

Reduced to nine men it was always going to be hard for Stephen Kenny’s men but even before the red cards they had failed to really threaten. It was a poor performance from the Candystripes.

Sligo doubled their advantage in the 79th minute when they were awarded another penalty. Blinkhorn’s effort was prevented from going in by substitute David McDaid. He was lucky just to get a yellow for handling it. Doyle stepped up and beat Doherty again.

Five minutes from time and substitute Alan Kirby got on the score sheet with a low drive. It got worse for Derry right at the end when Emmet Friars picked up his second yellow of the game and he was shown a red. Kenny is going to have a selection headache on Friday for the visit of UCD with three players suspended.

Sligo Rovers: Brendan Clarke; Alan Keane, Gavin Peers , Jason McGuinness, Iarfhlaith Davoren; Danny Ventre (Alan Kirby 61), Richie Ryan, Joseph Ndo, Raffaele Cretaro (Aaron Greene 69); Eoin Doyle, Matthew Blinkhorn (John Russell 79).
Subs Not Used: Ciaran Kelly, John Dillon, Daryl Horgan, Derek Foran.

Bookings: Cretaro (19), Russell (88).

Sent Off: Peers (54).

Derry City: Ger Doherty; Eddie McCallion, Emmet Friars, Shane McEleney, Danny Lafferty; Kevin Deery, Patrick McEleney (Thomas McBride 52), James McClean, Ruaidhri Higgins; Stephen McLaughlin (David McDaid 46), Eamon Zayed (Michael McCrudden 82).
Subs Not Used: Eugene Ferry, Ryan McBride, Stephen Parkhouse, Thomas McGonagle.

Bookings: Deery (19), Doherty (41), Lafferty (44), Friars (60), McClean (70), McDaid (78), S McEleney (78). 

Sent Off: McCallion (48), Deery (50), Friars (90).

Referee: Alan Kelly.
Attendance: 2,035
ExtraTime.ie man of the match: Iarfhlaith Davoren (Sligo Rovers).