Sport

Impressive Sligo's convincing win keeps their title challenge firmly on track

Sligo Rovers 3 UCD 0: GOALS BY Mark Quigley and Pascal Millien late in the first half and a cracking third by Romauld Boco in…

Tue Aug 21 2012 - 01:00

Sligo Rovers 3 UCD 0:GOALS BY Mark Quigley and Pascal Millien late in the first half and a cracking third by Romauld Boco in the 76th minute powered Sligo Rovers to a convincing win at the Showgrounds last night.

Edinburgh native Liam Buchanan made his home debut for Rovers, coming on in the 78th minute.

A promising move involving Pascal Millien and Séamus Conneely came to nothing when Romould Boco was unable to get a telling touch in front of the UCD goal three minutes after kick-off.

Millien had a shot cleared and a Ross Gaynor free kick was cleared as Rovers exerted a lot of early pressure.

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Daniel Ledwith had a chance for the visitors early on but he failed to find the target from the edge of the box.

The students stepped up the pace with some clever touches by Ciaran Nangle, David McMillan and Ledwith causing problems for the league leaders during the first quarter.

Sligo had the lions’ share of possession in the first half but their frontmen had difficulty getting shots on target with the hard -working Millien often muscled off the ball by the tough-tackling UCD defenders.

David McMillan forced Sligo keeper Gary Rogers into a smart save in the 28th minute after Ledwith set up the move.

Mark Quigley went close for the home side on the half hour mark and UCD skipper Michael Leahy wasn’t too far off target with a headed effort at the other end in the 37th minute following a Paul O’Connor corner conceded after Ledwith raced in on an open goal.

But Sligo’s pressure finally paid off in the 38th minute when Mark Quigley broke the deadlock with a sweet finish and the students were left with the proverbial mountain to climb when Millien doubled the Reds advantage a minute later.

SLIGO ROVERS: Rogers; Conneely, Peers, McGuinness, Gaynor, Cawley, Ndo, Lynch, Boco, Millien, Quigley. Subs: Cretaro for Millien (44mins), Buchanan for Boco (78 mins), Connolly for Cawley (83 mins).

UCD:, McGinley; Douglas, Nangle, D O’Connor, Leahy, P O’Connor, Corry, Benson, Ledwith, McMillen, Clarke. Subs: Russell for Ledwith (half-time), Burke for Clarke (64 mins, Boyle for Corry (88 mins).

Referee: P McLoughlin (Donegal).