Sligo Rovers shocked champions Bohemians with a 1-0 win at The Showgrounds on Tuesday night.
Alan Keane’s 16th-minute penalty, after Raffaele Cretaro was fouled by Jason McGuinness, earned Rovers a valuable and surprise three points in their bid to stave off relegation.
Bohs dominated possession for long periods, but Rovers created the better chances on the night, although Keane was relieved to see a clearance that hit off Romuald Boco bounce back off his own crossbar.
The tempo was high from the start, with the home side keen to put pressure on the league-leaders.
Rovers created an early chance when Matthew Blinkhorn flashed a header over the top from Eoin Doyle’s cross, and they continued to shade the opening exchanges, and got the breakthrough on 16 minutes.
Top-scorer Cretaro was involved, as he picked up possession on the left-hand side of the penalty area and was bundled over by Jason McGuinness.
The central defender has not had the best of experiences against Rovers this year, and missed six games following an incident involving Rovers’ Benin international Romuald Boco earlier in the year.
And referee Thomas Connolly had no hesitation in pointing to the penalty spot, enabling Alan Keane to send Brian Murphy the wrong way to open the scoring.
Rovers created a couple of other chances as well with the lively Conor O’Grady twice going close with the headers. The first was deflected off a Bohs defender for a corner, while the second was straight at Murphy.
But the visitors were on top by the end of the half, with Killian Brennan’s free-kick forcing a decent save from Richard Brush.
The champions created a succession of corners in the final five minutes, and Brush was forced to block from Joseph Ndo after he had fumbled Anto Murphy’s long throw.
Mark Rossiter also had an effort on goal when the ball dropped invitingly for him just inside the area, but the Sligo native was unable to keep his shot down.
Rovers were glad to hear the half-time whistle, but were looking lively again at the start of the second half, with Matthew Blinkhorn’s low shot forcing Murphy into an early save.
Blinkhorn then tried to turn provider, but his pass into the path of an unmarked O’Grady carried too much pace.
Bohs had plenty of possession but only created half-chances through Glen Crowe and Paul Keegan, as Rovers introduced Richie Ryan and dropped Cretaro back as a fifth midfielder.
Doyle went close with a low shot after a blistering run through the middle, but Rovers had a lucky escape on 65 minutes, when Keane’s attempted clearance rebounded off Boco and hit the crossbar.
Bohs were back in the ascendancy at this stage, and Brush was forced to pull off a fine double save to stop Rossiter’s stinging shot from outside the box, and Jason Byrne’s follow-up just six yards out.
Pat Fenlon brought Gary Deegan, Neale Fenn and Patrick Madden on to try and force an equaliser, but they found Gavin Peers – back in the starting 11 for the first time in 15 games – to be in inspirational form at the centre of the Rovers defence.
Bohs were given four minutes of injury-time to try and steal a point, but it was Rovers that had the best chance when Boco picked out substitute Rob Turner, but the striker’s touch let him down.
Nevertheless, Rovers held on for a win that takes them up to eighth.
Sligo Rovers: 1 Richard Brush; 2 Romuald Boco, 4 Gavin Peers, 5 Alan Keane, 3 Joe Kendrick; 7 Brian Cash (14 Richie Ryan 61), 6 Conor O’Grady (captain), 8 Danny Ventre, 11 Eoin Doyle; 9 Matthew Blinkhorn (12 Rob Turner 78), 10 Raffaele Cretaro.
Substitutes not used: 13 Dean Marshall, 15 Martin Camano, 17 Ciaran Kelly.
Booked: Ventre (45).
Bohemians: 1 Brian Murphy; 2 Mark Rossiter, 6 Brian Shelley (captain), 5 Jason McGuinness, 3 Conor Powell; 7 Anto Murphy (15 Neale Fenn 79), 4 Paul Keegan, 8 Joseph Ndo, 11 Killian Brennan (16 Gary Deegan 61); 10 Jason Byrne, 9 Glen Crowe (12 Patrick Madden 76).
Substitutes not used: 14 Glenn Cronin, 25 Matt Gregg.
Booked: McGuinness (60), Brennan (60).
Referee: Thomas Connolly (Dublin).
