Sligo Rovers (1) 1 - Doyle 22'
Rovers (0) 1 - Chambers 63' pen.
Airtricity League - Showgrounds - Saturday 6th March 2010  

16 Alan Mannus
13 Pat Flynn
10 Danny Murphy
22 Dan Murray (c)
5 Aiden Price
6 Stephen Rice
7 Stephen Bradley
8 James Chambers
17 Sean O’Connor
20 Billy Dennehy
14 Graham Barrett

Substitutes
3 Enda Stevens
11 Ollie Cahill for
Barrett 83'
15 Paddy Kavanagh
for Baker 65'
16 Robert Duggan
19 Dessie Baker
for Bradley 56'

The battle of the Rovers ended all square after a hard fought game in the Showgrounds. On a heavily sanded pitch on a calm and relatively fine evening it was the home side that started brightest with Mannus quick off his line to deny Doyle a chance on 5 mins.

Mannus then tipped over a Ryan free-kick and it wasn’t until the 16^th min that saw the Hoops first shot on goal but Brush comfortably saved Sean O’Connor’s low shot. The home side continued to threaten and Doyle slipped Blinkhorn in on the left but he fired over the bar.

Bradley played a fine pass into the path of Rice and his first touch saw him take the ball into the box but Brush advanced to snuff out the chance. Blinkhorn then side-footed wide after Flynn had miss-judged a ball over the Hoops defence but 2 mins later the Sligo reds took the lead.

A short corner saw Ryan whip in a cross to the back post and ex-Hoop Eoin Doyle stooped to head past Mannus much to the dismay of the Rovers defence. Chambers shot over the bar on 26 mins after good work by Dennehy and 4 mins later an O’Connor corner went right across the Sligo six-yard area.

Bradley almost played Chambers in just before the break but 10 minutes into the second-half Bradley was replaced by Dessie Baker and Rovers changed to a 4-4-2 formation.

The home side came within inches of extending their lead on 55 mins when Ryan struck a fine shot that Mannus tipped on to the cross-bar but the Hoops upped their game and went in search of the equaliser.

Dessie Baker turned well but was unceremoniously hacked down and had to leave the game injured. James Chambers struck his free-kick off the wall but Ref. Buttimer pointed to the spot as he adjudged that the ball was handled in the area. Chambers coolly shot past the Sligo ‘keeper to level the scores.

Rovers went in search of the winner and for the first time in the game had the Sligo defence in real trouble. Brush dived to save Barrett’s shot before Dennehy’s free-kick was deflected to Murray but his header went wide.

As the game entered the final 10 minutes the Hoops continued to attack and Murphy’s short free-kick was met by O’Connor and his shot deflected across goal but was eventually cleared. Kavanagh’s long throw fell to Dennehy but he dragged his shot wide.

O’Connor then saw his volley at the back post blocked but the Hoops almost lost the game when Murray and Flynn failed to deal with a through ball and Blinkhorn raced into the area and from a good angle on the left-hand side placed a curling shot on goal but thankfully Mannus dived to palm away a certain goal.

In a frantic finish in the four added on minutes, Rovers Captain Murray saw his shot blocked in front of goal before Blinkhorn saw his last gasp shot from the edge of the area just miss the Hoops goal.