In-form Sligo Rovers had little difficulty in accounting for St Francis to book their place in the quarter-finals of the FAI Harp Lager Cup at the Showgrounds on Saturday night.
Unbeaten in their previous 10 games, Sligo began in a confident mood and twice went close to making the breakthrough within the first four minutes. Sligo's pressure finally paid off in the 28th minute. Stuart Corcoran could only parry a thunderbolt from Neil Ogden and teenage striker, Sean Flannery, reacted smartly to score from close range.
St Francis created few clearcut opportunities and Sligo moved further ahead a minute before the interval when Padraig Moran flicked the ball past the advancing Corcoran.
St Francis were dealt another blow 10 minutes into the second half when striker Colm Talbot was sent off. From there, it was all one-way traffic.
SLIGO ROVERS: Broujos, Morgan, Hutchison, O'Grady, Cobesson, Birks, Ogden, Moran, Flannery, Hallows, Rowlands. Subs: Kennedy for Ogden, 89 mins.
ST FRANCIS: Corcoran, Swift, Rickard, Duffy, McNally, O'Sullivan, Marshall, Patton, Talbot, Gormley, McKeever. Sub: Devlin for Gormley, 70 mins; Heffernan for McKeever, 82 mins
Referee: A O'Regan, Cork.
