Rovers keep up momentum
Second half goals from Dylan Watts and Gary Shaw kept Shamrock Rovers on a roll as they had too much for 10-man Sligo at Tallaght Stadium.
A fifth win in six unbeaten league games, in which they’ve not conceded a goal, moves Rovers to within a point of third-placed Waterford who lost at Limerick.
That meant that this was a damaging defeat for Sligo as they are now just two points ahead of Limerick in the relegation play-off place.
Rovers almost paid for a sluggish start as the visitors who were inches from taking the lead with the first attack of note of the night on 16 minutes.
Right-back Jack Keaney got forward to cross for David Cawley whose first time shot came back off the crossbar.
Having finished the first half brightly, Rovers were close to taking the lead a minute into the second.
Skipper Ronan Finn whipped a free-kick in from the right flank which Aaron Greene just failed to connect with. Alan Mannus in the home goal was then called into action for the first time following a Sligo counter on 53 minutes.
Roberto Lopes was caught out of position after giving the ball away cheaply.
Sligo skipper Rhys McCabe piked out the run of Mikey Drennan who forced Mannus into a parry save at his right-hand post.
Good defender at the other end rescued Sligo on the hour as John Mahon bravely got his body in the way to deflect a shot from Finn out for a corner.
But Sligo just couldn’t clear their lines on 66 minutes as Rovers’ pressure told.
Beeney initially tipped away a Finn cross.
Joel Coustrain pulled the ball back across goal for Carr who couldn’t get his shot away.
The ball ran for Watts who took a touch before shooting to the net despite Beeney getting a touch.
Sligo lost central defender Seamus Sharkey to a second yellow card on 82 minutes for a foul on Aaron Bolger before Rovers added a second goal four minutes from time.
Beeney couldn’t hold a stinging drive from Finn.
Substitute Shaw anticipated the rebound well to pounce and side-foot home to score for the second week running.
SHAMROCK ROVERS:
Mannus; Bone, Lopes, Grace, Gilchrist; G. Bogler (A. Bolger, 79); Greene (Shaw, 76), Watts, Finn, Coustrain; Carr (B. Kavanagh, 70).
SLIGO ROVERS:
Beeney; Keaney, Mahon, Sharkey, Donelon; McCabe, Cawley; McAleer (Collins, 76), Lynch, Twardek (Kerrigan, 65); Drennan (McClean, 84).
Referee: Rob Rogers (Dublin).
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