Sligo Rovers secured their Premier Division status for 2024 after a low-key scoreless draw with Drogheda United at the Showgrounds.
The point gained means the Bit O'Red cannot be caught by Cork City, with the Rebels' place in the promotion/relegation play-off confirmed.
The game was stopped for ten minutes on the twenty minute mark when smoke from flares lit in the stands along with pyrotechnics thrown on to the pitch, brought the game to a halt for ten minutes. This the only real talking point of what was a poor evening of football.
Neither of these teams have particularly lit things up recently, both without wins in their last three outings. Rovers, who were beaten in their last three outings had the better of the opportunities before this game was paused.
United goalkeeper Andrew Wogan's blushes were spared by a team-mate when he spilled Johan Brannefalk's early cross onto his own goal line, the ball cleared to safety before a Sligo attacker could profit. While Wogan recovered in time to keep out Fabrice Hartmann's rasping close-range volley after he was picked out by Reece Hutchinson 60 seconds later.
The game was then suspended by referee Alan Patchell for ten minutes when pyrotechnics were thrown from the Jinks' Avenue stand, on to the field of play.
The unscheduled break certainly affected the home side's momentum, however the visitors seemed to profit from the pause in play.
Kyle Robinson's shot from the angle was held by Richard Brush in the Rovers goal. While sloppy defending from the hosts twice allowed their opponents create chances.
John Mahon's mis-hap when he failed to control a ball forward from the Drogheda defence allowed Robinson and Adam Foley pull off a quick one-two. Mahon's mistake covered by the reactions of Brush who reacted quickly to keep out Foley's low drive.
While further careless Sligo defending allowed Dale Rooney sneak in from the left side, his thunderous shot cannoning back off Brush's crossbar. Darragh Markey then saw his goal-bound follow-up smothered by a defender.
Rovers full-back Hutchinson went close eleven minutes into the start of a second half lacking spark, when his placed effort from the edge of the box whistled over Wogan's goal on 56 minutes. While Matthew O'Brien fired a specualtive effort into the arms of Brush on 72 minutes at the far end, before Drogs' skipper Gary Deegan blasted wide from 20 yards out on the next attack.
Drogheda's Rooney, who scored one of the goals of the season against St Pat's in September, almost had another one for the highlight reel ten minutes from time. His arrowed effort from out wide rushing narrowly beyond the Sligo posts.
Sligo Rovers: Richard Brush; Johan Brannefalk, John Mahon (Nando Pijnaker 69), Garry Buckley, Reece Hutchinson; Niall Morahan (Pedro Martelo 60) , Greg Bolger; Karl O'Sullivan (Robbie Burton 60), Kailin Barlow (David Cawley 80), Fabrice Hartmann; Frank Liivak (Wil Fitzgerald HT).
Drogheda United: Andrew Wogan; Luke Heeney, Conor Keeley, Canor Kane, Evan Weir; Gary Deegan, Matthew O'Brien; Adam Foley, Darragh Markey (Warren Davis 54), Dale Rooney; Kyle Robinson (Darragh Noone 60).
Referee: Alan Patchell.
