Longford Town 1-1 Sligo Rovers
A last-minute eqauliser from Anthony Elding gave 10-man Sligo Rovers no more than they deserved at the City Calling Stadium.
Despite playing for over an hour against ten men, Longford struggled before taking the lead on 82 minutes when Kaleem Simon shot home Philip Gannon’s cross.
But Sligo hit back right on 90 minutes, Elding - who bounced a header wide minutes earlier - punishing a mistake by Longford keeper Paul Skinner to flick a header over him to the net from Jason Hughes‘ cross.
The result lifts Sligo back over Drogheda United out of the relegation play-off place.
Sligo, with one change from their defeat at Galway last week, had the game’s first chance on four minutes.
Though Jennison Myrie-Williams’ cross was headed clear, Rovers’ defender Alan Keane beat Ayman Ben Mohamed to the loose ball to see his volley dip just over Skinner’s crossbar.
Skinner made a comfortable save from a David Cawley shot before Longford had a let-off on nine minutes as Sligo dominated the early exchanges.
Rovers’ left-back Regan Donelan got free to whip over a terrific, deep cross. Raff Cretaro, on his 500th competitive appearance, saw his goal-bound shot blocked by Conor Powell.
Town skipper Powell was well-positioned again to cut out the danger on 21 minutes, nicking the ball off the toe of Dinny Corcoran at the back post following Myrie-Williams’ low cross from the left.
The main incident of the first half then arrived on 25 minutes when Sligo were reduced to ten men.
Central defender Tim Clancy initially fouled Town’s striker Gary Shaw before then being sent off in a fracas that followed. Shaw receiving only a yellow card incensed Sligo.
Undaunted, Sligo remained the better side with skipper Gavin Peer’s having his header from Myrie-Williams corner cleared off the Longford line by Gannon.
The home side finally threatened for the first time on 32 minutes. Noel Haverty got forward from right-back to cross with Shaw’s flick hooked over the bar by Sligo defender Alan Keane.
But Longford were rescued by the woodwork two minutes later when Cretaro latched onto Corcoran’s knock down to volley against the outside of a post.
Longford’s only real decent passage of football in the first half didn’t come until the 44th minute. Dean Kelly linked with Shaw to set up Ben Mohamed who curled his shot over the bar.
Despite their numerical, Sligo remained the better side into the second half with Cretaro dipping in from the right to shoot wide when the should have hit the target five minutes in.
Gradually coming more into it, Longford didn't work Brush in the Sligo goal until the 69 minute when Shaw turned well to shoot from distance.
Longford Town: Paul Skinner; Noel Haverty (Jamie Mulhall 38), Rhys Gorman, Pat Sullivan, Conor Powell; Lorcan Shannon, Philip Gannon (Kaleem Simon 62), Kevin O’Connor, Ayman Ben Mohamed; Gary Shaw (David O'Sullivan 79), Dean Kelly.
Sligo Rovers: Richard Brush; Alan Keane, Gavin Peers, Tim Clancy, Regan Donelon; Raffaele Cretaro (Anthony Elding 78), David Cawley, Gary Boylan, Jennison Murie-Williams; Dinny Corcoran (Jason Hughes 71), Morten Nielsen (Danny Ledwith 79).
Referee: Sean Grant (Wexford).
