Aidan Keena scored on his Sligo Rovers debut while Colm Horgan netted his first goal for the club as the Bit O'Red got their league campaign off to a winning start with a nervy victory over St Patrick's Athletic at Richmond Park.
Saints substitute Tunde Owolabi replied for the hosts shortly after Keena had doubled Sligo’s lead. But the visitors held on to record a victory on their first night out.
Saints boss Tim Clancy kept faith with the same starting eleven that overcame Shelbourne one week previously. While Sligo, on their first outing out of the new season after their game against Bohemians last Saturday was postponed, handed debuts to four new signings.
Starting slowly before gaining a hold on this first half, the visitors carved out two great chances to hit the lead early on.
Recent acquisition and former Saint, Keena saw his deft chip bounce back off the Pat’s crossbar nine minutes in. While Karl O’Sullivan and Will Fitzgerald, also winter arrivals at the Showgrounds, both failed to convert from close range in the same move two minutes later.
Sligo, under the guidance of manager Liam Buckley for the 101st time, again went close on 26 minutes, but Joseph Anang held on to Kenna’s volley at his front post after Rovers skipper Greg Bolger had hooked the ball towards the Mullingar striker.
The visitors returned again five minutes from the interval and were rewarded this time.
Horgan provided the improvised finish with the outside of his left boot, after it looked like had had over-ran Adam McDonnell’s diagonal ball into the area from 35 yards out.
Fitzgerald could only fire straight at Anang moments into the second period after some hesitancy in the Pat’s back four.
Eoin Doyle, who holds Sligo’s record for the most league goals scored in one season, made it easy for Ed McGinty to grasp his weak effort after Chris Forrester and Billy King combined to set up the former Hibs man at the opposite end.
McGinty was almost caught out by a swerving King drive from dead centre on 57 minutes as Pat’s pressed for a leveller.
Anang was at full stretch to keep out Fitzgerald following a zippy Rovers counter on 68 minutes. The West Ham loanee was relieved moments later to see Keena’s glancing header creep past his post while Anang got a strong hand to Keena’s next effort 20 minutes from time.
Keena wasn’t to be denied a debut goal however, as he made his mark 12 minutes from time. The 22-year-old feigned his way past a Saints defender before his shot looped over Anang, courtesy of a cruel deflection off another Pat’s man.
Substitute Owolabi made a game of it on 82 minutes when he sent the ball crashing to the roof of McGinty’s net.
This heralded an onslaught from Pat’s, who went within inches of a dramatic equaliser in added time when Jack Scott nodded Darragh Burns’ header on to the Rovers crossbar.
St Patrick's Athletic: Joseph Anang; Jack Scott, Joe Redmond, Jamie Abankwah, Anto Breslin; Jamie Lennon (Tunde Owolabi 72), Chris Forrester; Billy King (Adam Murphy 85), Darragh Burns; Mark Doyle, Eoin Doyle.
Sligo Rovers: Ed McGinty; Colm Horgan, Nando Pijanker, Garry Buckley, Robbie McCourt; Niall Morahan (David Cawley 72), Greg Bolger, Adam McDonnell; Karl O’Sullivan (Mark Byrne 79), Will Fitzgerald; Aidan Keena (Max Mata 88).
Referee: Ben Connolly.
