Sligo climbs to third place after beating nine harps

by



[ad_1]

Sligo Rovers continued their impressive post-block form despite not being in their prime as they spotted nine-man Finn Harps at the Showgrounds.

Mark Russell responded to Ryan De Vries’ first half, but a super strike from substitute Ronan Murray and a late penalty from Ronan Coughlan sealed the victory for the Rovers who moved to third.

After five wins out of their last six, Sligo Rovers were looking for a reverse result of their opening night loss to the Donegal team.

And despite a slow start, it was Liam Buckley’s players who attacked first in the seventh minute.

David Cawley’s free-kick down the right flank released Lewis Banks. The former Stoke City man was linked to Jesse Devers, whose cross was initially misjudged by Coughlan.

However, the forward’s blushes were saved when attacking partner De Vries arrived to pass deviant Mark McGinley who had already committed.

Cawley was not far from doubling the Rovers’ lead in just the last quarter hour. His inclined free throw from close range found its way past Harps’s wall, but jumped just past the bottom of McGinley’s right post.

Sligo net keeper Ed McGinty recently won his first call to the Irish Under-21 team. The Scottish keeper showed why, when he pulled off a superb save reaction from an Alexander Kogler header after Ryan Connolly had chosen the Austrian shooter in the 19th minute.

Harps will look to their considerable experience to try and keep them in top-notch soccer for 2021.

The center of their hopes is Barry McNamee, who was not far behind with a 20-minute effort that nearly slipped inside the far post after a work on the left by Connolly.

Russell volleyed over McGinty’s crossbar before the break, while the second period had seven minutes when Kolger screwed Russell’s cross past the post as the visitors looked to make their mark.

Harps’ hard work finally paid off shortly before the time Shane McEleney’s long shot caused panic in the Sligo penalty area. Russell available to top McGinty at the top after the Rovers failed to clear their lines.

Harps then lost Mark Coyle for a second yellow card before Chief Horgan was sent to the stands.

Sligo introduced Murray in the 66th minute and the Mayo native scored his first goal of the season seven minutes later.

Both Junior and De Vries had shots blocked by a tenacious backline from Harps. Murray couldn’t refuse, however, as he stepped forward to make a delicious effort to get past McGinley from the edge of the area.

Rovers put the game beyond Harps’ reach with five minutes remaining when Coughlan coldly dispatched the penalty that he himself won as Harps dropped to nine with Kosavar Sadiki booked for the second time.

Sligo Rovers: Ed McGinty; Lewis Banks, Kyle McFadden, Teemu Penninkangas, Regan Donelon; David Cawley, Niall Morahan; Ryan De Vries (Darragh Noone 75), Junior, Jesse Devers (Ronan Murray 66); Ronan Coughlan.

Find harps: Mark McGinley; David Webster (Karl O’Sullivan 74), Kosavar Sadiki, Stephen Folan (Gareth Harkin 81); Adrian Delap (Shane McEleney HT), Sam Todd; Ryan Connolly (Adam Foley 81), Mark Coyle, Barry McNamee; Alexander Kogler (Raff Cretaro 75), Mark Russell.



[ad_2]