Brush ensures point for Shamrock Rovers

Richard Brush saved a penalty and made several other top stops to help earn Shamrock Rovers a scarcely deserved point from a 0-0 draw to utterly frustrate Sligo Rovers at the Showgrounds.

Ian Baraclough's Sligo showed no signs of a Champions League hangover as they dominated for much of the game. Frustratingly, though, for the champions they failed to take their chances as league leaders St. Patrick's Athletic were the real winners on the night as they're now six points ahead of third-placed Sligo and ten ahead of Shamrock Rovers who drew for the 12th time this season.

Ex-Sligo keeper Brush was first tested on seven minutes when Lee Lynch drilled in a shot that was straight at the Hoops' custodian.

Brush then had a bit more work to do on 24 minutes when initially spilling a Kieran Djilali shot before gathering the ball at the second attempt.

Shamrock Rovers worked their way into the game with Jason McGuinness having a header from a Sean O'Connor corner cleared off the line by Iarflaith Davoren in their only real chance of the first half seven minutes before the break.

In the main incident of the match two minutes into the second half,

Brush, one of several ex-Sligo players in the Hoops side, saved a David McMillan penalty after his brother Evan had been impeded at a corner.

Sligo continued to dominate and David McMillan got in behind onto a Raff Cretaro through ball on 57 minutes only to shoot against a post when he really should have scored.

Brush was then there again with another fine save on 69 minutes to tip over the bar from substitute Danny North's terrific effort from distance.