Sligo Rovers’ hopes of breaking into the top four of the Eircom League Premier Division were dented as they were held to a scoreless draw by bottom club Waterford United at The Showgrounds.
The FAI Cup semi-finalists endured a frustrating night in front of a sizeable home crowd with a total of 13 offsides indicative of their failure to break down Gareth Cronin’s hard-working side.
Sligo were without captain Michael McNamara, as well as strikers Matthew Judge, Brian Cash and Sean Flannery, but welcomed back top scorer Darren Mansaram.
Waterford were missing John Hayes, but Alan Reynolds was passed as fit and captained the side from midfield.
Former Leeds United youth player Alan Cawley, playing in his home town, had the first effort on goal when he tried to catch out Rovers keeper John O’Hara from a Waterford free in the opening minutes, but the home side got on top after this.
Fahrudin Kudozovic and Harpal Singh combined skilfully on the right but the former’s ball into the area was smothered by Waterford netminder Ben Spicer.
Mansaram went close with a stinging effort from distance soon after, although he was wayward with a left-foot effort in the 11th minute.
Cawley remained Waterford’s chief threat and a mistake from Conor O’Grady, his former Summerhill College team-mate, afforded him a shooting chance on 19 minutes, but O’Hara made the save.
Kudozovic picked out the run of Mansaram into the box on 29 minutes, but the striker was adjudged to have used his hand and his effort was wide in any case.
Mansaram almost got clear on goal from a Keith Foy pass just after the half-hour, but former Dublin City centre-back Alan Keely made a superb last ditch tackle to avert the danger.
Mansaram continued to cause Waterford all sorts of problems and he was awarded a free-kick at the edge of the area after a foul by Kenny Browne, but Harpal Singh’s effort floated over the crossbar.
Waterford’s Paul McCarthy tried to put Robert Brosnan through at the other end, but his pass was overhit.
Mansaram had a great chance to claim the breakthrough goal with the last action of the half, but Spicer saved with his legs and the sides entered the interval scoreless.
The Blues started the second-half brightly and a good cross from Cawley caused havoc in the Rovers box. Reynolds and Brosnan both had shooting efforts blocked but the ball eventually dropped to James Chambers outside the area and his effort was palmed over by O’Hara.
Rovers had plenty of possession but strikers Mansaram and Paul McTiernan strayed offside on too many occasions – four times in the opening ten minutes of the second-half – as Waterford held the line impressively.
Kenny Browne picked up the game’s first booking for a foul on Mansaram, but he was joined in the referee’s book by Kudozovic less than a minute later for kicking the ball away.
Rovers sent young striker John Bellew, who scored his first senior goal for the club in the 4-3 FAI Cup replay defeat of Killester United last time out, on for McTiernan to try and force a breakthrough.
But it was Waterford who had the next chance, with Browne meeting Cawley’s cross and forcing a save from O’Hara.
A controversial offside decision against Mansaram angered the home crowd and the striker was booked for kicking the ball into the net as Rover’ frustration grew.
James Chambers and Keith Foy both forced saves out of the respective goalkeepers as the clock ticked down but neither side could force a winner as Gareth Cronin’s side took a point back to Waterford.
Sligo Rovers: John O’Hara, Chris Turner, Gavin Peers, Liam Burns, Keith Foy, Adam Hughes, Conor O’Grady, Fahrudin Kudozovic, Harpal Singh, Darren Mansaram, Paul McTiernan (John Bellew 65).
Subs not used: Richard Brush, Seamus Coleman, Choice Aisien, Gary Curran.
Waterford United: Ben Spicer, Kenny Browne, Robbie Hedderman, Alan Keely, Patrick Flynn, Robert Brosnan, Alan Reynolds, James Chambers, Paul McCarthy (Stephen Grant 82), Alan Cawley, Ger McCarthy (Daryl Kavanagh 70).
Subs not used: Mitchell Casey, Conor McDonald, Shane Dunphy.
Referee: Tom Connolly.
