Sligo - 3 Longford - 1: Darren Mansaram scored after two minutes of each half as Sligo Rovers swept to victory at the Showgrounds on Saturday night.

Mansaram drilled a long-range shot past Seamus Kelly for his first goal at the start of the first half. He beat Kelly again with a 47th minute header to put Rovers 2-0 ahead following the best move of the game.

Keith Foy put more daylight between the sides on 52 minutes, converting a penalty kick. Halftime substitute David Mooney gave the visitors a glimmer of hope with the superb long-range strike after 56 minutes.

The introduction of Mooney and Alan Kirby added more punch upfront for Longford in the second half and Sligo were hard pressed to hold on as Mooney, Robbie Martin and Danny O'Connell peppered Rovers goalkeeper John O'Hara's goal in the closing 15 minutes.

Dean Fitzgerald headed narrowly wide and in the 13th minute and it took a superb save by O'Hara to keep a Stephen Paisley effort out. The Longford goalkeeper denied Paul McTiernan in the 36th minute and Adam Hughes was unable to take advantage when Mansaram floated the ball across the face of the town goal, a minute before half-time.

SLIGO ROVERS: O'Hara, Foy, McNamara, Burns, O'Grady, Hughes, Kudozovic, McTiernan, Mansaram, Turner, McKenzie. Sub: Judge (for McTiernan, 84 mins).

LONGFORD TOWN: Kelly, Murphy, O'Connor, Paisley, Fitzgerald, Baker, Prunty, Doherty, Martin, Myler, Cronin. Subs: Mooney for Myler half-time, Gough for Fitzgerald. 57 mins, Kirby for Baker 57 mins.

Referee: H Whoriskey (Meath)