Shelbourne 2 Sligo Rovers 1
Jack Moylan and Sean Boyd bagged first-half goals at a rain-soaked Tolka Park last night as Shelbourne defeated Sligo Rovers to secure their maiden home win of this year’s SSE Airtricity League Premier Division.
Reds boss Damien Duff was absent from the dugout owing to a touchline ban, but the former Republic of Ireland winger will have been left delighted with both the result and performance produced by his side.
Following hesitancy from Sligo coming out of defence at the end of the first quarter, Moylan picked up possession on the edge of the penalty area and unleashed a superb curling strike to the top right-hand corner of the net.
Shels grew in stature as a consequence and a similar finish from the towering Boyd on 43 minutes ensured they were two goals in front at the break.
All the signs were pointing towards Sligo suffering a second reversal at the hands of the north Dubliners in the current campaign, but they received a lifeline in the shape of a magnificent goal from left-back Patrick Kirk in the 64th-minute.
This ramped up the pressure on Shels, but with Adam McDonnell heading marginally wide in the dying seconds, the visitors left the Drumcondra venue empty-handed.
Shelbourne: Clarke; O’Driscoll, Byrne, Griffin; Wilson, Lunney (Dervin, 62), Coyle, Kane; Farrell, Boyd, Moylan (Carr, 88).
Sligo Rovers: McGinty; Banks (Horgan, 77), Pijnaker, McCourt, Kirk; Bolger (Keogh, 77), Cawley; Fitzgerald (Mata, 46), McDonnell, Byrne (Hamilton, 46); Keena (Heaney, 77).
Referee: B Connolly (Dublin).