AS EVER between these two, it was rarely dull. That it was rarely brilliant either didn't matter too much, for the Showgrounds fairly tingled on Saturday night after an extraordinary, quadruple sending off on the half hour right up until Dave Tilson's last minute solo goal which stole a point for Shelbourne.

This then, was a game of half an hour and then an hour. The 11 a side version is almost a forgotten blur now, but Shelbourne were beginning to motor nicely, with Tony Sheridan pulling the strings until all hell broke loose.

Through on goal for the second time in three minutes, Mark Rutherford shot into the side netting under pressure from Sligo central defender Ian Lynch, whereupon the two men were wrestling on the ground. Cue for a Showgrounds free for all, where one for all, all for one is the motto.

Peace appeared to be restored, but then it started up again. The Sligo left back Mark Hutchinson Shelbourne midfielder John O'Rourke and then, most brazenly of all, Sligo keeper Nicky Broujos.

When order was restored Aidan O'Regan dismissed Broujos, Rutherford and Hutchinson. At a linesman's behest O'Rourke duly followed. Illogically, Lynch remained on the pitch. That was the only public gripe from the Shelbourne dressing room.

"What happened tonight shouldn't happen in professional football. The referee had no option," said Damien Richardson, his mood no doubt alleviated by Tilson's late reprieve. "All four deserved to go. My two lads will be fined for being sent off but the one who started it all got away Scot free."

Not quite true, for although Lynch remained on the pitch and will not incur any ensuing suspension (liable to be two game bans all round) Sligo manager Steve Cotterill will fine him as well as Broujos and Hutchinson. Beyond that, Cotterill wouldn't passjudgment. "Didn't see it, didn't see it", he said cryptically of the incident.

Cotterill was understandably more discernibly "disappointed" with the loss of two points and Rovers' 100 per cent record. It would have been quite a tactical coup for the young Sligo manager.

The distinct impression, from this game at any rate, is that he might have less to work with this restructured side than last year's third placed outfit. Yet they are a predictably hard working bunch, who reacted to the nine a side game better than Shelbourne.

Padraig Moran had breached the Shelbourne defence admittedly destabilised by Brian Flood's withdrawal 30 minutes before kick off which obliged Mick Neville to adapt to a mid field holding role with characteristic professionalism, while both wing backs subsequently hobbled off a couple of times and Dale Hawtin miscued an inviting 12 yard volley from a Moran cross.

But Shelbourne began getting Rutherford in behind Sligo as well as releasing an injured Pascal Vaudequin, Sheridan more often than not the instigator. A double nutmeg and a couple of shimmys to extricate himself from three would be Rovers' tacklers was one veritable gem.

Until the break, with Johnny Kenny gamely inheriting Broujos gloves, Rovers were more at sea than Shelbourne after the quadruple sending off. But Cotterill spent 10 minutes literally rewriting his devised formation as Chris Rutherford assumed the dug out responsibilities and outlined his strategy at half time on the blackboard.

James Mulligan dropped back to help midfield and broke from deep to provide a constant thorn in Shelbourne's defence. Sheridan became heavily marked and shackled, the over committed visitors suddenly forfeiting the ball in midfield and leaving themselves open to the break even before a stunning cross cum shot by Sligo's impressive Dutch substitute Daniel Moreno after 67 minutes opened the scoring.

A second home goal looked more feasible, and Shelbourne's best chance appeared to have gone when Dave Smith ended one of many long striding runs into the Sligo half by shooting wide from an angle. Cue Tilson cutting in from the left touchline, skipping past tiring legs and shooting low past Kenny.