Liam Burt edges Bohemians to victory at Sligo

Sligo Rovers winger Will Fitzgerald and Bohemians midfielder Ali Coote battle for possession.  Picture: Inpho/Evan Logan

SSE Airtricity League
Premier Division

Sligo Rovers 0 Bohemians 1

Liam Burt’s tidy first-half goal was the difference as a Promise Omochere-inspired Bohemians picked up a 1-0 win away to Sligo Rovers for only their second victory in eight games.

This was a second successive home loss for Sligo, who, had they won, would have moved up to second place behind leaders Derry City.

Sligo were without injured top scorer Aidan Keena, Player of the Month for March, for this re-fixture.

Only the sharp reflexes of Bohs goalkeeper James Talbot prevented Sligo from taking a 10th minute lead following a scramble when Greg Bolger delivered a corner.

Two minutes later, the crossbar denied Promise Omochere a spectacular and unexpected opener for the visitors.

Wonderful approach play from Omochere set up Liam Burt for a 26th minute goal that gave Bohs the lead.

Ten minutes later a surge from goalscorer Burt led to a stinging shot from Kris Twardek that Ed McGinty did well to parry.

Sligo’s best chance to level things in the first-half came from Nando Pijnaker’s pass from deep that released Max Mata — but the striker’s low effort was kept out by James Talbot in the 41st minute.

Mata went close again early in the second half, when he guided a header over from Greg Bolger’s free kick.

Bohs should have doubled their advantage in the 63rd minute but Ali Coote couldn’t find a way past Ed McGinty after yet another piece of inventive play from Promise Omochere.

Ed McGinty continued to frustrate Bohs — this time he blocked a close-range effort from Promise Omochere — but the visitors were solid enough to hold their lead.

SLIGO ROVERS: McGinty; Banks, Pijnaker, Buckley, McCourt (Blaney 88); Morahan (Keogh 79), Bolger; O’Sullivan (Hamilton 88), McDonnell, Fitzgerald (Kirk 79); Mata

BOHEMIANS: Talbot; Feely (Murphy 10), Horton, Kelly, Wilson; Flores (Devoy 69), Coote (Doherty 90+4), Levingston; Twardek, Omochere, Burt (Ogedi-Uzokwe 69)

Referee: David Dunne