Sligo Rovers 1
Shamrock Rovers 1
SLIGO ROVERS CAME from behind to deny Shamrock Rovers a sixth consecutive victory, earning a 1-1 draw at The Showgrounds.
Andy Lyons fired the Dubliners ahead after 23 minutes, with Jordan Hamilton’s 70th-minute header bringing the sides level.
Bit O’Red manager Liam Buckley made four changes to his side following last weekend’s dramatic 3-2 win over Drogheda United.
Nando Pijnaker, Lewis Banks, Adam McDonnell and Jordan Hamilton came into the starting 11 with Niall Morahan, Paddy Kirk, Mark Byrne and Will Fitzgerald dropped to the bench.
The Dubliners made just one change to the side that defeated their rivals Bohemian last weekend, with Richie Towell having to make do with a place on the bench with Dylan Watts taking his place in the starting team.
The Hoops came into this fixture in Sligo on the back of a superb run of form, winning their last five consecutive games, sitting just one point behind league leaders Derry City.
The hosts recovered from a five game win-less streak in recent weeks, beating both Finn Harps and Drogheda United, to bring them within one point of St Patrick’s Athletic in third.
The visitors were patient in their build up, and after what was an even opening few moments, Stephen Bradley’s side were first to test the opposition goalkeeper, with Danny Mandriou’s shot saved well by McGinty in the Rovers goals, forcing a corner.
And from that corner, the Tallaght side went ahead. Jack Byrne’s corner was met with precision by the head of Andy Lyons, who fired past McGinty to put his side ahead with his fifth goal of the season.
In truth, it was a first half that really lacked goalmouth action – although it was a tightly contested encounter.
McGinty had to be alert after the restart to deny Shamrock Rovers a second – as both Mandriou and Dylan Watts saw their efforts from range kept out by the Bit O’Red goalkeeper.
A superb intervention by Nando Pijnaker in the 69th minute blocked Rory Gaffney’s travelling effort, before the hosts were back in the game.
The hosts were starting to feed off the vocal home support as they desperately urged their side on to try and find an equaliser.
And it arrived on 70 minutes, as substitute Cillian Heaney picked out captain David Cawley with a superb ball. The Ballina native’s cross was fired past Mannus to level the scoring.
The momentum was with the hosts after they equalised, but the Hoops weren’t giving up on getting all three points as they put pressure on the Bit O’Red rearguard.
As the visitors did just that, Garry Buckley was adjudged to have tripped Richie Towell on the edge of the box, earning the Cork native a second yellow card and reducing the hosts to 10 for the final five minutes.
The Hoops threw everything at it in the dying minutes, but the Bit O’Red defended impressively to earn a point.
Sligo Rovers: Ed McGinty, Lewis Banks, Garry Buckley, Nando Pijnaker, Shane Blaney (Robbie McCourt, 57), Greg Bolger, Colm Horgan, Adam McDonnell, David Cawley, Jordan Hamilton (Paddy Kirk, 86), Aidan Keena (Cillian Heaney, 66).
Shamrock Rovers: Alan Mannus, Sean Hoare, Roberto Lopes, Lee Grace, Ronan Finn (Neil Farrugia, 83), Dylan Watts, Gary O’Neill (Graham Burke, 87), Andy Lyons, Jack Byrne, Danny Mandroiu (Aidamo Emakhu, 83), Rory Gaffney (Aaron Greene, 83).
Referee: Rob Harvey.