Sligo Rovers' stalemate with Drogheda seals Cork City's place in promotion-relegation playoff

The sides played out a drab scoreless draw.

SAFETY: Sligo manager John Russell. Picture: INPHO/Ryan Byrne

Sligo Rovers 0  Drogheda United 0 

Sligo Rovers' status as a Premier Division club for 2024 was confirmed at the Showgrounds following a drab scoreless draw with Drogheda United.

The game was stopped for 10 minutes on the 20-minute mark when smoke from flares lit in the stands along with pyrotechnics thrown on to the pitch. This, the only real talking point of what was otherwise a poor evening of football.

Neither of these teams have particularly lit things up recently, both without wins in their last three outings. Rovers enjoying the better of things before this game was paused.

Fabrice Hartmann stinging the palms of Drogheda goalkeeper Andrew Wogan early on.

The game was then suspended by referee Alan Patchell for ten minutes when pyrotechnics were thrown from the Jinks' Avenue stand, on to the field of play.

The unscheduled break certainly affected the home side's momentum. Sloppy defending from the hosts twice allowing their opponents create chances.

John Mahon's mis-hap when he failed to control a ball forward from the Drogheda defence allowed Robinson and Adam Foley pull off a quick one-two. Mahon's mistake covered by the reactions of Brush who reacted quickly to keep out Foley's low drive.

While further careless Sligo defending allowed Dale Rooney sneak in from the left side, his thunderous shot cannoning back off Brush's crossbar.

Rovers full-back Hutchinson went close 11 minutes into the start of a second half again lacking spark. While Matthew O'Brien fired a speculative effort into Brush's arms on 72 minutes at the far end, before Drogs' skipper Gary Deegan blasted wide from 20 yards out on the next attack.

Drogheda's Rooney, who scored one of the goals of the season against St Pat's in September, almost had another one for the highlight reel 10 minutes from time. His arrowed effort from out wide rushing narrowly beyond the Sligo posts.

Sligo Rovers: Richard Brush; Johan Brannefalk, John Mahon (Nando Pijnaker 69), Garry Buckley, Reece Hutchinson; Niall Morahan (Pedro Martelo 60) , Greg Bolger; Karl O'Sullivan (Robbie Burton 60), Kailin Barlow (David Cawley 80), Fabrice Hartmann; Frank Liivak (Wil Fitzgerald HT).

Drogheda United: Andrew Wogan; Luke Heeney, Conor Keeley, Canor Kane, Evan Weir; Gary Deegan, Matthew O'Brien; Adam Foley, Darragh Markey (Warren Davis 54), Dale Rooney; Kyle Robinson (Darragh Noone 60).

Referee: Alan Patchell.

Attendance: 2,047