Sligo Rovers hold Shamrock Rovers in a thrilling clash

This outcome means that Shamrock Rovers remain second from the bottom while Sligo would have moved up to third in the standings had they won here.

THRILLER: Shamrock Rovers’ early season struggles continued as they were held by gritty Sligo Rovers in what was a thrilling but scoreless encounter at The Showgrounds. Pic: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

SSE Airtricity Premier Division 

Sligo Rovers 0 Shamrock Rovers 0 

SHAMROCK Rovers’ early season struggles continued as they were held by gritty Sligo Rovers in what was a thrilling but scoreless encounter at The Showgrounds.

This outcome means that Rovers remain second from the bottom, still winless after four games, while Sligo, who were full value for this draw, would have moved up to third in the standings had they won here.

Sligo were looking build on their 5-0 hammering of Dundalk at Oriel Park, a game in which on-loan striker Max Mata netted twice as did Ellis Chapman.

It was rare, too, that Sligo were ahead of Rovers in the standings, with the visitors, second from bottom in the table, looking for their first win of the campaign.

There was a blow for Rovers in the warm up when Gary O’Neill was ruled out – his capable replacement was Dylan Watts.

The hosts set the tone, winning two early corners, and smart defending from Roberto Lopes shut the door on a possible break by Max Mata.

Ex-Rovers man Simon Power swung in a free-kick from the left that Ollie Denham almost diverted past Leon Pohls.

Aaron Greene had Rovers’ first serious shot – an effort that Ed McGinty saved – and then Simon Power, twice, could have put Sligo in front. The second of these attempts was a cracking shot from a tight angle that came off the outside of the upright.

At the other end Daniel Cleary, celebrating his 28th birthday, guided a header goalwards from a Rovers corner and the defender was doing his job in the Rovers goalmouth when he made a fine tackle on Fabrice Hartmann.

Sligo, backed by another large home crowd, were forcing turnovers and turning up the heat but without asking Leon Pohls to produce any big saves.

Graham Burke was typically lively for Rovers and he lashed an shot into the side-netting at the back post following good work from Darragh Burns and Rory Gaffney.

A superb point-blank save from Leon Pohls denied Ellis Chapman and then Fabrice Hartmann pulled a shot narrowly wide as Sligo looked the more likely to break the deadlock before half-time.

Simon Power was the next Sligo player to go close in this end-to-end contest – he cut in and drilled a low shot goalwards that Leon Pohls held securely.

Rovers, winners of the last four Men’s Premier Division titles, weren’t controlling matters as they normally do but still were a threat in first-half stoppage time with a blocked shot from Graham Burke.

It was Burke who got the ball rolling for Rovers in the second-half and his whipped cross required Ed McGinty’s full attention.

Sligo should have taken the lead after 50 minutes but Ellis Chapman somehow saw his low effort cleared off the goal-line by Daniel Cleary after he was found by JR Wilson’s clever cross.

Then it was Rovers’ turn to threaten with a free-kick that led to a shot from Graham Burke that Sligo were glad to thwart.

Rovers brought on Sligo native and former Sligo player Johnny Kenny, with Rory Gaffney making way, but the home side remained strong thanks to sterling work from the likes of Nando Pijnaker.

Sligo counter-attacked brilliantly following a Rovers corner and Leon Pohls was booked after advancing from his station and colliding with Simon Power, who was leading the charge. Sligo, however, were wasteful from subsequent free-kick.

Rovers looked to release substitute Johnny Kenny who was foiled by Ollie Denham’s last-gasp challenge as neither side could make the final pass count.

Sligo goalkeeper Ed McGinty twice saved from Johnny Kenny in the closing stages.

Sligo Rovers: McGinty; Wilson, Pijnaker, O Denham, Hutchinson; Morahan (Barlow 88), Chapman; Hartmann (Fitzgerald 61), Chapman, Power; Mata (Waweru 77) 

Shamrock Rovers: Pohls; Honohan, Cleary, Grace, Lopez, Burns; Poom, Watts (Nugent 88); Gaffney (Kenny 63), Greene (Towell 76), Burke (Noonan 88) 

Referee: Rob Hennessy 

Attendance: 3,674