Sligo Rvs 2 Rovers 1

Rovers unlucky to leave Sligo empty handed...

Having taken the lead through a stunning strike from Eoin Doyle early in the second-half the Hoops left the Showgrounds with nothing as the home side staged a credible comeback in an absorbing second-half. However the visitors deserved at least a point from the game. Sligo started the game well with Cretaro causing problems on the left and Colemans run after 13 minutes took him into the area but his low cross was eventually cleared.

However Rovers came into the game gradually and on 20 minutes Treacy won possession for Doyle to cross to Amond and his close range header was just kept out by 'keeper Brush. Joseph Ndo was getting on the ball more and his inswinging free-kick on 25 minutes caused problems for the home defence. Cretaro found space on the left but fired his effort over the bar on 29 mins.

A great move started by Ndo after 30 mins saw the ball fall for Doyle and he found Amond again with his cross but this time a defender blocked his goalbound effort. Just four minutes later Treacy fed Ndo and his flick sent Amond in on goal but a defender did just enough to clear the danger. Boco fired over the bar from a tight angle for Sligo on 35 mins and a minute later Ger O'Brien failed to clear a high ball over the top and Murphy clashed with Feeney and the ball trickled towards goal but Danny O'Connor was on hand to clear.

On 39 minutes Ndo again split the home defence with a pass and Amond was in on goal but this time Brush advanced to save with his outstretched right leg. Right on half-time an Ndo free-kick saw Flynn just fail to connect with the ball in front of goal.

The second-half was just three minutes old when the ball fell to Doyle 20 yards out and he smashed a perfect left-foot shot past Brush to give Rovers a deserved lead. However the home side levelled just six minutes later when Ndo was harshly adjudged to have taken down Cretaro inside the area after a bout of Sligo pressure that saw Barry Murphy make a brilliant one-handed save from Almeida. Murphy dived the right way but couldn't keep out Doherty's spot-kick. A Sean O'Connor corner on 61 minutes was headed on by O'Brien but Sligo cleared at the back-post.

The game was end-to-end now and a Sligo corner was missed by Murphy but SO'Connor was on hand to clear. On 64 minutes Amond made space for himself but his shot was weak. Ndo then sent Amond in on goal again and from a tight angle the Hoops number nine saw his shot blocked by a defender.

Danny O'Connor was booked for arguing a harsh decision to penalise Barry Murphy as he advanced from his line to thwart a Sligo counter-attack. Sligo had a "goal" ruled out for offside on 70 minutes but three minutes later they made the breakthrough. A Boco cross was missed by Cretaro the first time but the ball was returned and he fired home past Murphy from close range.

Rovers pressed for an equaliser and good work from Ndo saw a big shout for a penalty as the ball was cleared by Almeida but Rice followed up to shoot for Brush to save at his near post. A great turn by Leech on 81 minutes saw the Hoops sub run into space and fire a shot past Brush only to be denied by the inside of the post. Creevy won a corner on 84 minutes and Ndo crossed for Amond to head narrowly wide. In the last minute Leech found Rice and his shot was blocked inside the box and again there was a big shout for a penalty but the Ref. waved play on. With seconds left on the clock Doyle tried his luck again from long range but this time Brush saved his effort.