Sligo Rovers 0
Limerick 0
Jessica Farry reports from the Showgrounds
TEN MAN SLIGO Rovers held on to earn a point in a scoreless draw with Limerick at the Showgrounds.
The hosts were reduced to ten men late in the second-half when local John Mahon was dismissed for a second yellow card in a game that really lacked any excitement.
This game was billed as being a must-win game for both sides before kick-off.
Just goal difference separated the two sides earlier on Friday evening, with Sligo’s superior goal difference seeing them sit in eighth place, while the Blues were in ninth.
The hosts were without five players for this vital game, while Tommy Barrett’s men were worse off — missing nine players.
A dull opening half an hour passed by, before the last ten minutes of the first half produced some of the kind of entertainment that fans would expect.
Cian Coleman’s looping header after 34 minutes smacked the crossbar, before Daniel Kearns’ free-kick also crashed against the crossbar just seconds later.
The hosts went on the attack and forced a save from former player Brendan Clarke when Seamus Sharkey’s cross was dummied by Adam Wixted before trickling into the path of Lewis Morrison.
The 19-year-old’s tame effort was easily gathered by the Dubliner in goal.
Clarke did well again just on the stroke of half-time when he got in the way of Rhys McCabe’s volley, which was on target.
Two former Bit O’Red players in Daniel Kearns and Eoin Wearen combined in the second-half as Kearns’ corner was nodded wide by the latter after the re-start.
Ger Lyttle’s men were reduced to ten with just nine minutes left when youngster Mahon was given a second yellow card following a tackle on Mark O’Sullivan.
But for an excellent last ditch tackle from Kilmarnock loanee Calum Waters, Limerick would certainly have snatched a later winner with Mark O’Sullivan inches away from goal.
The home fans were on their feet in the 90th minute when David Cawley’s shot hit the back of the net, but the linesman’s flag had been raised for offside.
Cian Coleman and Mark O’Sullivan forced saves from Beeney in the dying minutes, but the Chelsea loanee was never really troubled.
That result does little for each side, as they are both fully immersed in a relegation battle, with Sligo remaining above Friday’s opponents on goal difference alone.
SLIGO ROVERS: Mitchell Beeney; Seamus Sharkey, Kyle Callan-McFadden, John Mahon, Calum Waters; Caolan McAleer (Ally Roy, 61), Jack Keaney, David Cawley, Rhys McCabe (Eduardo Pinceli, 90+2), Adam Wixted; Lewis Morrison (Raffaele Cretaro, 61).
LIMERICK: Brendan Clarke; Shaun Kelly, Eoin Wearen, Tony Whitehead, Billy Dennehy (Colm Walsh-O’Loughlin, 63); Karl O’Sullivan (Will Fitzgerald, 60), Shane Duggan, Cian Coleman, Kilian Cantwell, Daniel Kearns; Mark O’Sullivan.
Referee: Anthony Buttimer
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