Hughes pounces to fire high-flying Rovers past rudderless Bohs

SLIGO ROVERS climbed into fourth place in the eircom Premier Division as Adam Hughes fired their winner at the Showgrounds on Saturday night.

Paul McTiernan won a free-kick off Thomas Heary on the edge of the Bohemians box with five minutes to play.

Winger Harpal Singh, who had scored both goals in last week’s 2-0 win at Longford, fired a free kick which was parried by Bohs keeper Stephen O’Brien. Midfielder Hughes followed up to tap the ball into the net to give Rovers a third win of the season over managerless Bohs.

The victory saw Sligo leapfrog champions Cork City, who visit the Showgrounds on Tuesday night.

SLIGO ROVERS: O’Hara; Turner, Burns, McNamara, Foy; Kudozovic (Peers 58), Hughes, O’Grady, Singh; Mansaram, Cash (McTiernan 61).

BOHEMIANS: O’Brien; Rice, McGuinness, Ferguson, Powell (Fitzgerald 88); Kelly, Heary, Hunt, Harkin; O’Keeffe, Dunphy (Ward 52).

Referee: Hugo Whoriskey (Meath).

Shamrock Rovers 1 Limerick FC 1

A DEFENSIVE blunder cost Shamrock Rovers a return to the top of the eircom First Division against bogey side Limerick yesterday.

Limerick stunned Rovers by taking the lead on the hour mark. Colm Heffernan cleverly intercepted a poor throw out from keeper Barry Murphy to Ger O’Brien to race in and shoot home. Rovers hit back within four minutes when Gerard Rowe scored a terrific solo goal.

SHAMROCK ROVERS: Murphy; G. O’Brien, Kenny, Price, Clarke; Cassidy (McGill, 66 mins.), Shiels, M. O’Brien, O’Connor (Duffy, 55 mins.); Purcell, Rowe (Flood, 78 mins.).

LIMERICK FC: O’Neill; Molan, Wolfe, Purcell, Buckley; Sinnott, Cooney (Waters, 84 mins.), Lester, Heffernan; Kelleher (McCartney, 71 mins.), Barrett.

Referee: D Tomney (Dublin).

Finn Harps 1 Cobh Ramblers 2

COBH RAMBLERS are still in the First Division title race after recording a crucial away win over Finn Harps.

Harps went ahead in the 11th minute when Stephen O’Donnell shot past Packie Holden.

Alan Carey hit back with a 25-yard free to make it 1-1 on 56 minutes and Cobh’s winner came six minutes later through Darren Murphy’s fierce drive.

FINN HARPS: Gallagher, O’Connor, Minnock, Asokuh, Bradley, Funston, Curran, Bell, O’Donnell, Walsh, Crossan. Subs: Meenan for Crossan (70 mins)

COBH RAMBLERS: Holden, Carey, Colman, Falvey, Breen, Yelverton, O’Neill, Murphy, Bruton, Warren, O’Shea. Subs: Meade for Yelverton (83 mins), Cambridge for Warren (86 mins).

Referee: T Connolly (Dublin).