Sligo finally reach the promised land
A HOLLYWOOD WRITER could hardly have have scripted a more fitting finale as Sligo Rovers sealed a league title 35 years in the making with a last-gasp penalty.
The Bit O’Red have been the outstanding club in the Airtricity League this season and few right-minded observers would deny them their moment. That it came against their nearest rivals, St Patrick’s Athletic, with the winner coming courtesy of the man whose goals have carried them through the latter part of the season, Mark Quigley, made Saturday afternoon in the Showgrounds all the more perfect.
By any measure Sligo earned this title. They wrapped up the title two games early; nobody has scored more goals or conceded fewer; and their only loss of the season came in a 1-0 defeat against UCD in May.
What’s more they did it with a squad full of young talent, a manager who seems to really get both the club and the League of Ireland, and without the services of star striker Danny North for the second half of the season. A repeat performance next year is by no means out of the question.
Baraclough an argument for shopping around
Eight months ago, few on these shores had ever heard of Ian Baraclough, never mind considered him as a potential Premier Division manager. Now the former lower-league journeyman has written himself into Sligo Rovers history by guiding the club to the league title at his first attempt.
After so many years of progress and the steady accumulation of silverware, Paul Cook’s decision to quit the Showgrounds and return to Accrington Stanley seemed to be a kick in the teeth. Its timing, coming weeks before the start of a new season and leaving Sligo with little time to find a replacement, was even worse.
Although Baraclough has put his own stamp on business out west, he will be the first to tip his hat to Cook and credit him with laying the foundations of the title success. The Bit O’Red board have been rewarded for looking outside the usual domestic merry-go-round and taking a risk on a young, relatively unknown manager anxious to cut his teeth.
The man who won the two league titles previous to that, former Shamrock Rovers boss Michael O’Neill, was recruited in similar circumstances and ultimately left to manage Northern Ireland. If English and Scottish clubs are eager to snap up good young playing talent from the league at low prices, those who can afford it shouldn’t be afraid to do the same if they spot a possible managerial gem across the water.
Pat’s, Drogs near European endgame
With the title race decided and Dundalk already condemned to the relegation play-off, all that is left to shout about in the last two rounds of games in the allocation of the places for the Europa League. Needing one point and two respectively from their final games, St Patrick’s Athletic and Drogheda are in the driving seat to guarantee themselves European football next summer.
Finally stripped of their league title on Saturday, Shamrock Rovers rolled over in a 3-1 defeat against Derry City which leaves them needing two wins and a minor mathematical miracle if they are to squeeze into the top three. If other results don’t go their way, Rovers will need their rivals from Inchicore to do them a favour and win the FAI Cup final, allowing the Hoops to sneak into the Europa League first round as the fourth-placed team.
Timely boost for Dundalk
Since UCD hit a recent purple patch of form to take them clear of trouble, Darius Kierans has been resigned to the fact that Dundalk will face a promotion/relegation play-off to ensure their survival in the top flight. Speaking before the FAI Cup semi against Derry, the Lilywhites boss said that he would happily choose survival over a place in the cup final and one senses that much of the work around Oriel Park these last few weeks is done with one eye on either Waterford United or Longford Town.
Kierans will have been delighted with Friday night’s 2-2 draw at home to Bohemians, not only because it ends a morale-sapping run of seven straight defeats in the league but because it is the perfect shot in the arm ahead of the two most important games in the club’s season. Dundalk travel to Cork this weekend before hosting Bray on the last day of the season and another point or two, however meaningless in the grand scheme of things, will be invaluable to their play-off preparations.
Longford need change in fortune
Waterford and Longford, the First Division’s two promotion hopefuls, drew a line under their seasons last weekend but in very different fashion. A 3-2 win away to Athlone ensured that Waterford bounced back from the previous week’s blip against Mervue, finishing their league season with five wins from their last six games.
On the other hand, Tony Cousins’s Longford find themselves stuck in a rut with only one win since September and four straight defeats in their final four games. Form won’t determine a thing when the two sides meet in Flancare this Saturday for the first leg of the promotion play-off but the momentum is very much with Paul O’Brien and the Blues.
