- Tom O'Connor
- Sun, Aug 30 2015
Shamrock Rovers arrived at the Showgrounds having only lost once in their previous five games, their hosts also shared that very same statistic of one loss in five.
With both teams in such form this was never going to be a classic but there were chances throughout the first half Blanchard and Miele having efforts which flew off target before Sligo's Estonian international Sander Puri struck in the 28th minute with his third goal for the Bit O' Red.
A delightful ball from Gary Boylan was swung over from the right and Puri powered it into the net beyond the reaches of Barry Murphy. A clash of heads a few minutes later, following another cross from Boylan, saw both Gavin Brennan and John Russell receiving treatment before the Shamrock Rovers midfielder picked up a yellow card for a foul on Gavin Peers just before half time.
During the break, new signing Jennison Myrie- Williams was introduced to the home crowd and he should be fit to make his debut next week at Dundalk.
The second half began with a flourish as both teams missed good opportunities to score – Danny North and John Russell the respective culprits. However it wasn't long before the Tallaght side recalibrated their radar as they equalised in the 58th minute courtesy of a superb free kick from Gary Mc Cabe which found the corner of Richard Brush's net.
Sligo didn't take this lying down and created a couple of chances for Dinny Corcoran which failed to trouble Murphy, while the netminder did well to snuff out the danger from a Gavin Peers header. Recent signing Anthony Elding came on in a double substitution with Morten Nielsen in the 71st minute while Damien Duff was taken off 78 minutes into his first league start. The Hoops closed out the game the stronger as an effort from Gary Mc Cabe flew wide while substitutes Mc Caffrey and Cregg were both denied by Richard Brush as the hosts held on for a precious point.
Sligo Rovers: Richard Brush, Gary Boylan, Alan Keane, Gavin Peers, Regan Donelon, David Cawley, Sander Puri, John Russell (Ward 87), Raffaele Cretaro (Elding 71) Jason Hughes, Dinny Corcoran (Nielsen 71).
Subs not used: Ryan Coulter, Jake Dykes, Ruairi Keating, Rob Lehane.
Booked: Peers (18), Russell (18), Cawley (68).
Shamrock Rovers: Barry Murphy, Simon Madden, Conor Kenna, David Webster, Luke Byrne, Gary McCabe, Maxime Blanchard (Cregg 58), Brandon Miele, Gavin Brennan, Damien Duff (Mc Caffrey 78), Danny North (Ryan Brennan 82).
Subs not used: Craig Hyland, David O'Connor, Cian Kavanagh, Dylan Kavanagh.
Booked: G. Brennan (42).
Referee: Derek Tomney.
Attendance: 2,178.
Extratime.ie Man of the Match: John Russell (Sligo Rovers).
