A crowd of 1,500 braved the driving wind and rain to witness the first game between these sides in the top flight since 1984.

But despite having some good moments, the game never really sprang to life as they played out a dour, scoreless draw.

The visitors started brightly with Bosnian import Fahrudin Kuduzovic going close to opening the scoring after just four minutes.

Longford took control of the first-half chances thereafter, but could not find a way through.

Davy Byrne had a couple of chances from long range, but the two best chances of the half fell to Alan Kirby.

The midfielder saw his 21st-minute volley well stopped by Sligo goalkeeper John O'Hara, and just 10 minutes later the Waterford native saw his glancing header tail just wide of O'Hara's left-hand post.

Kirby was again close to breaking the deadlock in the 53rd minute, but his shot from just outside the area was narrowly off target.

The main talking point of the second half centred around the sending off of the visitors' midfielder Chris Turner.

Turner collided heavily with Longford's Davy Byrne and referee Declan Hanney showed little hesitation in dismissing the Sligo man.

But Longford could not use the extra man to their advantage.

Andy Myler almost grabbed a winner for them in the 84th minute, but his header was just off target.

At the other end, Keith Foy had Sligo's only chance of the second half with an 86th-minute free kick.

However, the shot failed to trouble home goalkeeper Shay Kelly.

LONGFORD TOWN: Kelly; Murphy, O'Connor, Doherty, Paisley; J Martin (R Martin 90 mins), Kirby, Fitzgerald, Byrne (Myler 71 mins), Prunty; Baker.

SLIGO ROVERS: O'Hara; Peers, Burns, McKenzie, Foy; Hughes, O'Grady, Turner, Kuduzovic; McTiernan (Curran 76 mins), Mansaram.

Referee: D Hanney (Dublin)