Sligo Rovers vs Shamrock Rovers

Sligo Rovers: Richard Brush; Colm Horgan, Shane Blaney, Nando Pijnaker, Paddy Kirk; Adam McDonnell (Kailan Barlow 63), David Cawley (Robbie Burton HT), Greg ...

A Hoops third was inevitable and it arrived on 70 minutes when Sligo allowed Rory Gaffney’s ball all the way through to Burke, who was left with a simple tap in at the back stick. Well in charge throughout, the Hoops made their dominance count on the quarter hour when Cleary nodded home Sean Kavanagh’s cross. The visitors owed their second to some Jack Byrne brilliance on 38 minutes.

Cleary, Watts and Burke all on target for Shams as cushion is again stretched to five with five games remaining.

Burke and Gaffney continued to impress and Lee Grace went close with an audacious overhead kick following a corner. The visitors’ first sight of goal was an off-target shot from Burke. Sligo were last in action two weeks previously – an away loss to Derry – and they were looking for a win to reignite their faint hopes of finishing in the top-four.

Daniel Cleary leads the celebrations. Image: Ryan Byrne/INPHO. SHAMROCK ROVERS RESTORED their five point lead at the top of the SSE Airtricity League Premier ...

And on 75 minutes they brought the game back to 3-1 as Nando Pijnaker poked in Kailin Barlow’s excellent free-kick. It was nothing more than a consolation goal, with the Hoops holding out for a well deserved victory that sees them in control at the top of the table. Jack Byrne picked out the run of Rory Gaffney on the right hand side, with the Galway man squaring it for Burke who tapped it past Brush. A cross from Jack Byrne on 16 minutes wasn’t dealt with by the Bit O’Red defence, with Sean Kavanagh crossing for Cleary to nod past Brush to give his sde the lead. They may be in the midst of a hectic schedule, but there were no signs of wear and tear on the Hoops team as they dazzled in the first half. Dan Cleary and Dylan Watts netted in the first-half to give the Dubliners a 2-0 lead at the half way point, before Graham Burke made it 3-0.

The day's first Premier League game of the day is underway. It remains goalless in the north London derby between Arsenal and Tottenham at the Emirates.

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