Sligo Rovers maintained their advantage at the top of the Airtricity League Premier Division following a comfortable 3-1 victory over Shelbourne at Tolka Park on Friday evening.
A second minute goal from Jason McGuinness set the Bit O’ Red on the way and they doubled their lead in the 16th minute as Gavin Peers enjoyed acres of space to slot home beyond Chris Bennion.
Mark Quigley’s penalty clinched the three points for Sligo who conceded the goal of the game to Shelbourne’s substitute Paddy Kavanagh in the 83rd minute.
The visitors were handed a dream start inside two minutes as some sloppy Shelbourne defending allowed Sligo a corner-kick and from Ross Gaynor’s outswinging delivery, McGuinness rose highest to flick unchallenged beyond Chris Bennion from six yards.
With a point garnered on their trip to Tallaght on Monday night, the visitors seemed content to pry on an increasingly erratic defensive display from Shelbourne and they doubled their lead in the 16th minute after further calamitous defending.
An innocuous-looking free-kick by Gaynor was allowed to drift into the path of McGuinness’ central defensive partner Gavin Peers who made a decisive connection from twelve yards despite the best efforts of Bennion on his goal line.
The procession towards the home goal continued with Pascal Millien denied by last-ditch clearance by Gareth Matthews in the 21st minute as Shelbourne struggled to compete against their vastly superior opponents.
Seamus Conneely should have extended his side’s advantage in the 31st minute as he headed over from a glorious Gaynor delivery and four minutes later the same player was denied by Brian Shortall’s acrobatic header.
Sligo continued to dominate upon the restart with the lively Millien desperately unfortunate to see his back-post header land narrowly wide in the 51st minute as Rovers looked to translate their supremacy on the scoreboard.
On the hour mark, Alan Keane escaped down the right-flank and his inviting cross eventually fell to David Cawley, whose volleyed attempt from ten yards was parried to safety by a badly exposed Bennion.
Chances ensued for both Mark Quigley and Millien as the half progressed before the former effectively settled the contest in the 77th minute when calmly converting from the penalty spot after Shortall’s clumsy challenge on substitute Liam Buchanan.
Within six minutes, a consolation goal arrived for the hosts with Paddy Kavanagh make an immediate impact upon his introduction as he struck a sublime cross-shot beyond the despairing dive of Rogers from 20 yards.
Shelbourne: Bennion; Matthews, Boyle, Shortall, Fitzgerald; Hurley (Gorman, 56), Cronin, Cassidy (Kavanagh, 80), Dawson, Byrne (Clancy, 70); Hughes.
Sligo Rovers: Rogers; Keane, Peers, McGuinness, Gaynor; Conneely (Lynch, 79), Cawley, Ventre (Buchanan, 69), Boco; Quigley, Millien.
Referee: Paul Tuite (Dublin)
