Sport

O'Neill's Rovers put early pressure on Sligo

SETANTA SPORTS CUP SEMI-FINAL, FIRST LEG/Sligo Rovers 0 Shamrock Rovers 2: SHAMROCK ROVERS are now strong favourites to reach…

Tue Apr 12 2011 - 01:00

SETANTA SPORTS CUP SEMI-FINAL, FIRST LEG/Sligo Rovers 0 Shamrock Rovers 2:SHAMROCK ROVERS are now strong favourites to reach the competition's final following their victory at the Showgrounds last night.

Michael O’Neill’s side were anxious to get back to winning ways following their unexpected 1-0 defeat by Bray Wanderers last week.

Dean Kelly was sent in on goal after good build-up play by Karl Sheppard and Ronan Finn in the opening minutes, but the home goal survived.

At the other end, Hoops captain Dan Murray headed clear from a looping Iarlaith Davoren shot in the ninth minute.

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The visitors showed lots of enterprise early in the half, but a couple of misplaced passes let the home side off the hook.

But Shamrock Rovers went ahead in the 26th minute when Finn sent a blistering long-range shot to the back of Brendan Clarke’s net, giving the Sligo Rovers goalkeeper no chance.

After the break, Shamrock Rovers picked up where they left off and went for the second goal that would put them in the driving seat for a Setanta Sports Cup final spot.

It arrived in the 58th minute when Karl Sheppard doubled the visitors’ advantage by heading a Pat Sullivan cross past the goalkeeper to leave Sligo with a mountain to climb.

The home side’s best chance of the second half fell to Richie Ryan after 73 minutes, but his effort from a Joseph Ndo corner was gathered by Alan Mannus in the Hoops goal.

Sligo were reduced to 10 men in the 74th minute when substitute John Russell was shown a straight red card for his tackle on Sullivan.

SLIGO ROVERS: Clarke, Keane, Davoren, Peers, Foran, Greene (Dillon, 71), Kirby (Russell, 58), Doyle, Ryan, Ndo, Blinkhorn (Cretaro, 28).

SHAMROCK ROVERS: Mannus, Sullivan, Stevens, Murtray, Oman, Rice, Finn, Kelly (Deenehy, 66), McCormack, Sheppard (Kavanagh, 88), O Neill (Kilduff 74).

Referee: Alan Kelly (Cork).

Shamrock Rovers will host Sligo Rovers in the second leg this day week (April 19th) in Tallaght. In the other semi-final, Dundalk defeated Cliftonville 3-1 in Belfast last week and will meet again at Oriel Park next Monday evening (April 18th).