SLIGO ROVERS ARE staring relegation in the face after a 3-1 defeat to Galway United leaves the Bit O’Red 11 points adrift at the bottom of the Premier Division table.
Jimmy Keohane scored two penalties as Galway United came from a goal down to inflict another defeat on struggling Sligo Rovers.
The writing looks to be on the wall, with Drogheda United’s win over Shelbourne moving Kevin Doherty’s men that bit further ahead of Rovers at the bottom.
Galway, on the other hand, moved to sixth place in the table with the victory.
Manager Darren Purse made wholesale changes from Friday night’s defeat to Drogheda United, with goalkeeper Liam Hughes and teenagers Aidan Gabbidon and Reuben Gillespie making their first starts.
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The Rovers boss came into this game still looking for a first league win as manager, with the club failing to score a goal in their previous three outings.
They put that statistic to an end after eight minutes on Monday night, when Cian Kavanagh fired in through a crowded Galway box after a nice interchange involving Archie Meekison and James McManus.
While John Caulfield will have been frustrated by his side’s start, he will have been pleased by their response.
The visitors turned the game around before half-time, going in 2-1 ahead at the break.
First, Jimmy Keohane sent goalkeeper Hughes the wrong way with a penalty after Kris Twardek was taken down inside the box by McManus.
And six minutes before half-time, the visitors went ahead as Walsh’s brilliant header perfectly met the equally impressive cross by Twardek from the left.
Rovers pushed hard in the second half, but didn’t create enough clear-cut chances to find an equaliser.
Jack Shorrock hit the post, while down the other end Carl McHugh saved Liam Hughes’ blushes after the goalkeeper came off his line to try to halt Twardek’s run, before the Canadian squared it to Keohane.
The former Sligo man was perfectly positioned, but McHugh got a vital block in to deny Galway.
The visitors’ third did arrive late on through another penalty.
This time, goalkeeper Hughes came well off his line as Dylan Connolly burst forward, but he got the man and none of the ball, so Rob Harvey pointed to the spot again.
And Keohane again made no mistake, ensuring all three points for Galway.
Sligo Rovers: Liam Hughes, Aidan Gabbidon (Luke Pearce, 71), Gareth McElroy, Carl McHugh, Sean Stewart, James McManus, Luke Young, Reuben Gillespie (Kaiyne Woolery, 54), Jack Shorrock, Archie Meekison, Cian Kavanagh.
Galway United: Hugo Cunha, Gianfranco Facchineri, Anthony O’Connor, Wasiri Williams, Conor Barratt (Frantz Pierrot, 51), Aaron Bolger, David Hurley (Junior Thiam, 92), Lee Devitt, Jimmy Keohane, Kris Twardek (Dylan Connolly, 76), Stephen Walsh (Francely Lomoboto, 51).
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Sligo Rovers on the brink of relegation after Galway loss
Premier Division:
Sligo Rovers 1
Galway United 3
Jessica Farry reports from The Showgrounds
SLIGO ROVERS ARE staring relegation in the face after a 3-1 defeat to Galway United leaves the Bit O’Red 11 points adrift at the bottom of the Premier Division table.
Jimmy Keohane scored two penalties as Galway United came from a goal down to inflict another defeat on struggling Sligo Rovers.
The writing looks to be on the wall, with Drogheda United’s win over Shelbourne moving Kevin Doherty’s men that bit further ahead of Rovers at the bottom.
Galway, on the other hand, moved to sixth place in the table with the victory.
Manager Darren Purse made wholesale changes from Friday night’s defeat to Drogheda United, with goalkeeper Liam Hughes and teenagers Aidan Gabbidon and Reuben Gillespie making their first starts.
The Rovers boss came into this game still looking for a first league win as manager, with the club failing to score a goal in their previous three outings.
They put that statistic to an end after eight minutes on Monday night, when Cian Kavanagh fired in through a crowded Galway box after a nice interchange involving Archie Meekison and James McManus.
While John Caulfield will have been frustrated by his side’s start, he will have been pleased by their response.
The visitors turned the game around before half-time, going in 2-1 ahead at the break.
First, Jimmy Keohane sent goalkeeper Hughes the wrong way with a penalty after Kris Twardek was taken down inside the box by McManus.
And six minutes before half-time, the visitors went ahead as Walsh’s brilliant header perfectly met the equally impressive cross by Twardek from the left.
Rovers pushed hard in the second half, but didn’t create enough clear-cut chances to find an equaliser.
Jack Shorrock hit the post, while down the other end Carl McHugh saved Liam Hughes’ blushes after the goalkeeper came off his line to try to halt Twardek’s run, before the Canadian squared it to Keohane.
The former Sligo man was perfectly positioned, but McHugh got a vital block in to deny Galway.
The visitors’ third did arrive late on through another penalty.
This time, goalkeeper Hughes came well off his line as Dylan Connolly burst forward, but he got the man and none of the ball, so Rob Harvey pointed to the spot again.
And Keohane again made no mistake, ensuring all three points for Galway.
Sligo Rovers: Liam Hughes, Aidan Gabbidon (Luke Pearce, 71), Gareth McElroy, Carl McHugh, Sean Stewart, James McManus, Luke Young, Reuben Gillespie (Kaiyne Woolery, 54), Jack Shorrock, Archie Meekison, Cian Kavanagh.
Galway United: Hugo Cunha, Gianfranco Facchineri, Anthony O’Connor, Wasiri Williams, Conor Barratt (Frantz Pierrot, 51), Aaron Bolger, David Hurley (Junior Thiam, 92), Lee Devitt, Jimmy Keohane, Kris Twardek (Dylan Connolly, 76), Stephen Walsh (Francely Lomoboto, 51).
Referee: Rob Harvey.
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