Shamrock Rovers 3-0 Sligo Rovers
Shamrock Rovers picked up their third SSE Airtricity League Premier Division win on the spin as they beat a disappointing Sligo Rovers 3-0 at a rain soaked Tallaght Stadium.
Gary McCabe bagged a goal in each half while Gary Shaw netted his first for the Dubliners just before the break, as Pat Fenlon's side recorded their eighth league win of the campaign.
The result sees the Hoops move into third position by virtue of a better goal difference over Derry City following Finn Harps' late draw with the Candystripes.
Sligo came into this game on the back of three straight wins but did themselves few favours in their attempts to stretch that run when they conceded a seventh minute penalty.
Captain Craig Roddan was adjudged to have pushed Gavin Brennan to the ground as both men jostled in the air inside the penalty area. Referee Graham Kelly pointing straight to the spot.
Shamrock Rovers skipper McCabe stepped forward to blast home from twelve yards, his fourth league goal of the season.
Dave Robertson's Sligo charges struggled to bring their impressive recent form into this tie. The closest the Connacht men came to breaching the Hoops rearguard was just short of the half hour.
Jimmy Keohane forced John Russell's wayward corner back towards Craig Hyland's front post, from where Liam Martin could only drag his shot on the turn into the side netting.
The home side extended their lead three minutes from the break. Full back Simon Madden did well to bring the ball inside, beating Regan Donelon before squaring for the alert Shaw who, from five yards, tucked the ball between Micheál Schlingermann and the post for his first goal for the club.
Two became three on 57 as the torrential rain continued to batter the Dublin 24 venue.
Gavin Brennan won possession just inside the Sligo half with a clattering challenge on Jordan Richards before he released Dean Clarke down the Shamrock Rovers left.
Clarke in turn delivered a superb ball into the path of McCabe who was left with a simple finish as he netted his brace, tapping past Schlingermann at the first attempt.
Danny North played an instrumental part in the Bit O'Red's last league win at Tallaght, back in October 2013.
The Grimsby man, who was a 61st minute Shamrock Rovers substitute set up McCabe for what should have been his hat-trick four minutes later.
North had meant to spray a ball out to the right to the feet of Miele. However the ball was unintentionally blocked by McCabe who did well to avoid the attention of Mick Leahy but could only flash his effort across the Sligo goal.
North was offered a decent opportunity to bag the Hoops' fourth nineteen minutes from time. Schlingermann did well to parry away McCabe's dipping header from a Miele cross, only to push the ball into the path of the prowling North who hit the side netting from close range.
Kieran Sadlier injected some life into Sligo who looked a beaten team when he was introduced on 67. The Republic of Ireland underage international showed neat trickery to nutmeg Stephen McPhail on the end line. Hyland was however equal to Sadlier's resulting effort from the angle on 77 which stung the palms of the 25-year-old shot stopper.
Shamrock Rovers: Craig Hyland; Simon Madden, David Webster, Robert Cornwall, Gavin Brennan; Killian Brennan (Sean Boyd 83), Pat Cregg, Brandon Miele, Gary McCabe; Dean Clarke (Stephen McPhail 74), Gary Shaw (Danny North 61).
Sligo Rovers: Micheál Schlingermann; Tobi Adebayo-Rowling, Mick Leahy, Gary Boylan, Regan Donelon; Jimmy Keohane, Craig Roddan, John Russell, Jordan Richards (Phil Roberts 73); Liam Martin (Kieran Sadlier 67); Raffaele Cretaro (Jaanai Gordon 83).
Referee: Graham Kelly.
