Shelbourne rounded off what has been a very positive week for the club with their first win at Tolka Park this season.
The Reds followed up reports that their Drumcondra base is not to be considered for residential rezoning with their second win over Sligo Rovers this term.
Jack Moylan and Sean Boyd struck almost identical goals in the first half for the Dubliners. And while Sligo did fight their way back into this tie courtesy of a Paddy Kirk strike, last year's First Division champions held on for a priceless victory.
Searching for what had been an elusive first win on home soil, Shels were well on top in an opening 45 in which Rovers struggled to create much int terms of meaningful opportunities.
Winger Mark Byrne had more time on his hands than he thought when he scuffed an effort well wide of Brendan Clarke's goal early on after John Wilson’s slip.
The visitors had taken two wins from their last five games on the road, but Shels put a spanner in the works on 23 minutes in this one, when Moylan hit a superb opener.
Adam McDonnell was dispossessed at the edge of the Sligo area before the ball fell to Moylan, who picked out the corner of Ed McGinty’s net with a sumptuous finish with the inside of his right boot from 20 yards.
There were half chances for Rovers’ New Zealand international Nando Pijnaker and striker Aidan Keena before the break. But Shels, led from the bench by Joey O’Brien in the absence of the suspended Damien Duff, remained on top until half-time.
Luke Byrne’s volley from Wilson’s cross after the full back had rounded Sligo skipper David Cawley, was held by McGinty. But the Rovers stopper could do nothing about Boyd’s goal two minutes from the whistle, an almost carbon copy of Moylan’s opener.
Again McDonnell failed to get a grip on proceedings as the ball evaded his control, Boyd doing what Moylan had done 20 minutes earlier by firing another crisp effort from the same range past the stretching McGinty.
Liam Buckley changed tack at the interval with the introduction of attackers Jordan Hamilton and Max Mata.
But Rovers almost found themselves further behind in the opening exchanges of the second period. McGinty getting across to push aside Moylan's powerful header after an inviting cross from Conor Kane.
Robbie McCourt had to clear the Sligo lines on 58 minutes when Lewis Banks conceded possession on the Sligo right. McCourt doing just enough to get to Kane’s driven cross with both Boyd and Moylan in close proximity.
McGinty had to be alert shortly after as he spread himself well to deny Moylan after Kane’s through ball following more sloppy play from Sligo, who halved the deficit in the next phase of play.
Kirk skipping past two challenges before unleashing an impressive shot from the angle past Brendan Clarke.
The ex-Sligo goalkeeper pulled off a smart stop to deny substitute Max Mata’s long range drive minutes later. Meanwhile McGinty pulled off two wonderful reaction saves in quick succession at the far end to somehow keep Boyd out with 20 minutes to go.
Byrne wasn’t too far off a settler when he arrived late to a set piece from the far side with six minutes left, while McDonnell could only head wide at the death as the tie slipped away from an inconsistent Sligo.
Shelbourne: Brendan Clarke; Aaron O’Driscoll, Luke Byrne, Shane Griffin; John Wilson, Conor Kane; Mark Coyle, JJ Lunney (Aodh Dervin 62); Jack Moylan (Dan Carr 87), Shane Farrell; Sean Boyd.
Sligo Rovers: Ed McGinty; Lewis Banks (Colm Horgan 78), Robbie McCourt, Nando Pijnaker, Paddy Kirk; Adam McDonnell, Greg Bolger (Seamas Keogh 78); Will Fitzgerald (Jordan Hamilton HT), Mark Byrne (Max Mata 45); David Cawley; Aidan Keena (Cillian Heaney 78).
Referee: Ben Connolly.
