SLIGO ROVERS HAVE confirmed fifth place in the Premier Division thanks to a 5-0 victory over Wexford Youths at The Showgrounds.
Goals from Kieran Sadlier (2), Daniel Kearns, Jimmy Keohane and Mikey Place saw Sligo finish their season in style.
Integrity was the word of the week following Dave Robertson’s outburst at Dundalk on Twitter, and he ensured his side wouldn’t face any questions regarding their integrity as they met with relegation-threatened Wexford Youths.
Sligo Rovers knew they would need three points from this fixture if they were to seal fifth spot in the table, as St Patrick’s Athletic were sitting just one point behind the Bit o’Red in sixth.
Youths did have the small matter of Monday’s promotion/relegation play-off game on their minds, so one would forgive Shane Keegan’s side for not being at their best for a game that would not have any effect on their final league standing.
Rovers were dominant from the off, and took a well-deserved lead on 17 minutes, when Kieran Sadlier’s half volley from a Phil Roberts ball had the beating of Graham Doyle in goal.
Dave Robertson’s side doubled their lead on 24 minutes when the impressive Sadlier was played in by Tobi Adebayo-Rowling, and his headed effort looped over Doyle in the Youths goal.
The former Peterborough man could very well have made it 3-0 minutes later. A strong shot from Roberts on the right was palmed into the path of the 22-year-old, who just couldn’t direct it over Doyle, whose presence was a huge factor in keeping the scoreline down.
But matters weren’t going to get any easier for Youths, whose manager Shane Keegan was in Drogheda, as they were to suffer an onslaught from the Bit o’Red in the second half.
Jimmy Keohane played in Kearns, whose shot looked to have been cleared by the Youths defence, but the former Dundalk man managed to get on the end of the loose ball, slotting it into the net to make it 3-0.
And it was soon four as Kearns and Keohane reversed their roles. Kearns’ cross was controlled well by Keohane, whose composed finish beat Chambers in goal.
Substitute Mikey Place rounded off a torrid day for Youths with his first senior goal for Sligo Rovers in injury time, making it 5-0 to the hosts.
Sligo now finish fifth, while Youths’ focus is firmly placed on their promotion/relegation game on Monday.
Sligo Rovers: Ciaran Nugent, Tobi Adebayo-Rowling, Gavin Peers, Michael Leahy, Gary Boylan (Mark Hannon, 86), Kieran Sadlier, Craig Roddan, Pat McCann, Daniel Kearns (Mikey Place, 86), Jimmy Keohane, Phil Roberts.
Subs not used: Micheal Schlingermann, Regan Donelon, Jason Hunt, Paul Doyle.
Wexford Youths: Graham Doyle (Corry Chambers, 46), Aiden Friel, Gary Delaney Owen McCormack, 78), Conor Sutton, Paul Brennan, Vinny Quinlan, Shane Dunne, Shane Dempsey (Chris Kenny, 30), Peter Higgins, Dean George. Eoin Porter.
Subs not used: Craig McCabe, Conor Whittle.
Referee: David Keeler
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