Shelbourne 0 Sligo Rovers 2
Goals in either half from Frank Liivak and Aidan Keena helped fifth-place Sligo Rovers to record a 2-0 victory against a wasteful Shelbourne at Tolka Park.
Shels enjoyed the brighter start to the contest with Jack Moylan, Shane Farrell and Seán Boyd all going close, but it was Sligo who ultimately opened the scoring on 23 minutes. After getting the better of Aaron O’Driscoll down the right flank, Liivak fired to the bottom corner of the Shels net from the tightest of angles.
Following news earlier in the week that the club had to concede a retrospective 3-0 defeat to Dundalk for fielding an ineligible player against the Lilywhites on August 29th – a game they had won 2-0 on the pitch – John Russell’s Bit O’Red were pleased to bring a one-goal cushion into the break at the Drumcondra venue.
The visitors were presented with a glorious opportunity to double their advantage after the restart, but Max Mata’s lofted effort was saved by former Sligo netminder Brendan Clarke. Moylan fired agonisingly wide just shy of the hour mark at the opposite end, but Rovers had further reason to rejoice in the 65th minute of the action.
Capitalising on defensive hesitancy, Keena raced free on goal and slotted coolly beyond the reach of Clarke for his side’s second goal of the night. Luke McNicholas did produce saves from John Ross Wilson and Matty Smith inside the final quarter, but Sligo eased towards their 11th win of the campaign.
SHELBOURNE: Clarke; O’Driscoll, Molloy, Griffin; Wilson (Giurgi, 83 mins), Farrell, Lunney (Coyle, 83 mins), Moylan (Hodgins, 73 mins), Dervin (McManus, 59 mins); Boyd (Carr, 73 mins), Smith.
SLIGO ROVERS: McNicholas; Banks, Blaney, Pijnaker (Horgan, 46 mins), Kirk; Liivak (Barlow, 78 mins), Bolger, Burton, McDonnell (Morahan, 80 mins); Keena, Mata (Fitzgerald, 63 mins).
Referee: J McLoughlin (Westmeath).