Sligo Rovers  (0) 0  -  
Rovers (1) 1 - McCabe 6'

Airtricity League - Showgrounds - Saturday 12th March 2011 - ko 7.45pm

Hoops Line out
1 Alan Mannus
2 Pat Sullivan
3 Enda Stevens 
17 Ken Oman
5 Dan Murray (c)
18 Chris Turner
7 Gary McCabe
9 Gary Twigg
19 Gary O'Neill
21 Ronan Finn
20 Billy Dennehy

Substitutes:

6 Stephen Rice
for Twigg 85'
11 Ciaran Kilduff
for O'Neill 78'
13 Pat Flynn
for Oman ht
14 Dean Kelly
15 Paddy Kavanagh
16 Ryan Thompson
22 Conor McCormack

  Alan Mannus
 Three vital saves in the 1st half

Gary McCabe returned to haunt his old team mates as his early strike was enough for Rovers to continue their winning start to the season in a hard fought encounter at the Showgrounds.

On a wet night in Sligo the Hoops struck early when O'Neill pounced when Peers attempted headed clearance fell nicely for him . Sligo 'keeper Clarke advanced to block the shot but the ball fell nicely for McCabe to shoot past a defender into the net.

The home side gradually got into the game and on 12 minutes Mannus was called into the action to save from Blinkhorn after Keanes fine cross.

Good work from Oman denied Russell a run on goal on 19 minutes before Doyle ran at the Hops defence and he set up Blinhorn who turned well but Murray got back to make a great challenge.

In the 26th minute Russell was released into the area on the left but his shot went narrowly wide. Just before the half-hour Oman was harshly adjudged to have pulled Blinkhorn down on the edge of the area and a well worked free-kick saw Doyle free in the area to shoot on goal but Mannus again was sharp to make a one-handed save.

McCabe controlled Omans long ball on 34 minutes but Clarke comfortably saved his shot. The half ended with McCabes free-kick falling for Dennehy on the left but Clark saved his low cross and at the other end Mannus was again diving low to push away Keanes deflected shot.

The second-half was 7 minutes old when Ventre blocked O'Neills run into the box and from the resultant free-kick Turner shot straight at Clarke. A minute later Blinkhorn turned in the box but dragged his shot wide.

There was a big shout for a penalty when Twigg looked like he was bundled off the ball in the box but Ref. Tomney waved play on.

Dennehy's shot was deflected for a corner on 58 minutes and on 65 minutes O'Neills shot from 25 yards was on target but Clarke saved.

Sligo were finding it more difficult to get through the Hoops defence in the second-half but substitute Kirby's header across the Hoops goal did cause Mannus some problems.

O'Neills low cross was just behind Finn on 75 minutes but the Hoops had a chance to seal the game with 10 minutes remaining when McCabes free-kick caused panic in the home defence but substitute Kilduff shot over the bar.

Sligo turned up the pressure in the last 5 minutes and after a couple of dangerous crosses were cleared a Ryan corner caused some problems before Murray blocked Davoren's shot.

Peers then shot over the bar from inside the box from a corner before Mannus was forced to punch clear under pressure. In the 2nd minute of added-on time a Ryan free-kick landed in the Hoops box and an almighty scramble ensued in front of goal before the ball was just about cleared for a corner.

A good Flynn header and another save from Mannus was followed by the whistle as Rovers secured the points.