Details

Date Time League Season
15 July 2023 7:45 pm LOI Men's Premier Division 2023

Match Report

Sligo breeze past Cork City at home

Sligo Rovers put on a show at The Showgrounds as they comprehensively beat Cork City 3-0 in blustery conditions this evening.

Goals from Max Mata and Stefan Radosavljevic and an own goal by John O’Donovan mean that John Russell’s men go six points clear of Cork City who sit in ninth place.

Sligo Rovers put on a show at The Showgrounds as they comprehensively beat Cork City 3-0 in blustery conditions this evening. 

Goals from Max Mata and Stefan Radosavljevic and an unfortunate own goal by John O’Donovan mean that John Russell’s men go six points clear of Cork City who sit in ninth place.

The Bit O' Red made one change to the team that narrowly lost to Derry City at the Brandywell last Friday. Kailin Barlow came back from suspension and into the starting lineup in place of Frank Liivak.

Cork City made three changes to the side that salvaged a point in their 1-1 draw against St. Patrick's Athletic at Richmond Park last week. Jimmy Corcoran, Cian Coleman and Conor Drinan all started in the places of Tiernan Brooks, Jonas Hakkinen and John O'Donovan.

The home side had the first chance of the game with a deep free-kick that was held up in the strong wind before ending up at the feet of Kailin Barlow whose shot was smothered on the edge of the box.

The Leesiders' best chance of the game came when a deflected shot spun violently into the path of Tunde Owolabi, but his close-range shot was blocked well by the Sligo defence.

The deadlock was broken when a throw-in by Johan Brannefalk was collected by Kailin Barlow. Barlow managed to dig the ball out from under his feet to find Max Mata who powerfully headed past Jimmy Corcoran.

Sligo could have made it two when Barlow volleyed the ball back into the box after a clearance, finding Mahon’s run but he could only balloon the ball over the bar.

Sligo Rovers doubled their advantage in the second half in bizarre fashion when Brannefalk’s corner was carried by the wind into the back of the net with Conor Drinan getting the final touch on the Swedish full backs cross.

Unfortunately for Cork City, there would be salt rubbed in their wounds and Jimmy Corcoran let the ball slip through his hands inside the box, only for Stefan Radosavljevic to pounce on the loose ball.
A tough loss for Cork City who now sit five points behind Drogheda United in eighth.

Sligo Rovers

1Luke McNicholas Goalkeeper
2Johan Brannefalk 46 Defender
3Danny Lafferty Defender
6Greg Bolger 19 Midfielder
7Will Fitzgerald Midfielder
8Niall Morahan Midfielder
18Stefan Radosavljevic Forward 72'
21John Mahon Defender
27Max Mata Forward 29'
28Nando Pijnaker Defender
34Kailin Barlow 10 Midfielder
30Richard Brush Goalkeeper
31Conor Walsh Goalkeeper
9Pedro Martelo Forward
10Frank Liivak 34 Forward
19Lukas Browning-Lagerfeldt 6 Midfielder 76'
22David Cawley Midfielder
29Daniel Kelly Defender
52Gareth McElroy Defender
46Conor Reynolds 2 Defender

Cork City

20Jimmy Corcoran Goalkeeper
4Cian Coleman Midfielder
7Babatunde Owolabi Forward
8Aaron Bolger 14 Midfielder
9Ruairi Keating 22 Forward
10Barry Coffey 2 Midfielder
11Cian Bargary 16 Forward
15Conor Drinan Forward 53'
18Joshua Honohan Defender
27Kevin Čustović Defender
30Joe O’Brien-Whitmarsh Midfielder
37Daniel Moynihan Goalkeeper
2Gordon Walker 10 Defender
6Ally Gilchrist Defender
14Rokas Stanulevicius 8 Midfielder
16Daniel Krezic 11 Midfielder
22John O’Donovan 9 Defender 63'
35Colin Henderson Midfielder
  • 90'

    Full-time at The Showgrounds, a dominant win for Sligo Rovers who run out 3-0 victors over Cork City.

  • 88'

    Conor Reynolds comes on

  • 88'

    Brannefalk comes off for Sligo.

  • 82'

    Mahon heads into the side netting

  • 80'

    Great chance for Liivak saved well by Corcoran

  • 76'

    Browning booked for a heavy tackle.

  • 72'

    Radosavljevic capitalises on a bad mistake by Corcoran.

  • 70'

    Browing and Liivak come on.

  • 70'

    Barlow and Bolger come off for Sligo.

  • 66'

    Brannefalk finds Mata from another corner but his header hits the side netting.

  • 64'

    Walker, Stanulevicius and Krezic on in their places

  • 64'

    Bolger, Coffey and Bargary off for Cork.

  • 62'

    Yellow for John O'Donovan.

  • 58'

    Owolabi is slipped through but the City striker takes too much out of it and the ball is claimed by McNicholas.

  • 53'

    Own goal by Drinan who gets the final touch on Brannefalk's corner kick.

  • 51'

    Radosavljevic's brilliant solo run ends in his strong shot saved by Corcoran.

  • 49'

    Drinan's snapshot on the edge of the box flies over the bar

  • 46'

    O'Donovan replaces the Cork City striker.

  • 46'

    Keating comes off at half time.

  • 46'

    And we're back under way for the second half.

  • 45'

    Half-time at The Showgrounds and it's 1-0 to the home side thanks to Max Mata's driven header.

  • 41'

    Owolabi makes a good run forward before curling his shot wide of the Sligo goal.

  • 35'

    The ball in is dealt with but Barlow puts the ball back into the box for Mahon who skies his shot

  • 33'

    Free kick for Sligo close to the corner flag on the right-hand side.

  • 29'

    Max Mata makes it 1-0 after getting onto the end of a Kailin Barlow cross.

  • 28'

    Coffey's ball in is cut out well by McNicholas under pressure from Bargary.

  • 25'

    Drinan's free kick is dealt with comfortably. Throw in for Cork City.

  • 23'

    Free kick by Cork City in a dangerous area.

  • 21'

    Great save by McNicholas after a Custovic header.

  • 20'

    A deflected shot ends at the feet of Owolabi whose shot was blocked well for a corner.

  • 19'

    A deep free-kick holds up in the breeze and ends up with a Barlow shot which is blocked well

  • 14'

    Barlow gets the ball in to the waiting Mata but his looping header ends up in Corcoran's hands.

  • 13'

    Sligo are playing the majority of the football in very testing weather conditions in Sligo.

  • 7'

    McNicholas is brought into action for the first time, gathering the ball comfortably

  • 2'

    Early chance for Barlow after Coleman's sloppy pass but Corcoran saves it well.

  • 1'

    And we're underway at The Showgrounds

  • TEAM NEWS: Cork City make three changes to the side that salvaged a point in their 1-1 draw against St. Patrick's Athletic at Richmond Park last week. Jimmy Corcoran, Cian Coleman and Conor Drinan start in the places of Tiernan Brooks, Jonas Hakkinen and John O'Donovan.

  • TEAM NEWS: The Bit O' Red make one change to the team that narrowly lost to Derry City at the Brandywell last Friday. Kailin Barlow is back from suspension and into the starting lineup in place of Frank Liivak.

  • Hello and welcome to this evening's League of Ireland Premier Division coverage. Sligo Rovers host Cork City at The Showgrounds in the last of a three-game Premier Division weekend. Conor Cantwell is ready to report on the game ahead.

Past Meetings

(Round 16)
1 - 0
LOI Men's Premier Division
Turner's Cross

Cork City FC 1-0 Sligo Rovers FC

(Round 10)
0 - 2
LOI Women's Premier Division
Turner's Cross

Cork City FC 0-2 Sligo Rovers FC

(Round 5)
2 - 2
LOI Men's Premier Division
The Showgrounds

Sligo Rovers FC 2-2 Cork City FC

(Round 20)
3 - 2
LOI Women's Premier Division
Turner's Cross

Cork City 3-2 Sligo Rovers

(Round 11)
2 - 0
LOI Women's Premier Division
The Showgrounds

Sligo Rovers v Cork City

(Round 3)
1 - 2
LOI Women's Premier Division
Turner's Cross

Cork City v Sligo Rovers

(1st Round)
2 - 3
FAI Cup
The Showgrounds

Sligo Rovers v Cork City

(Series 17)
2 - 1
LOI Men's Premier Division
The Showgrounds

Sligo Rovers v Cork City

(Series 8)
3 - 0
LOI Men's Premier Division
Turner's Cross

Cork City v Sligo Rovers

2 - 4
LOI Men's Premier Division
Turner's Cross

Cork City FC v Sligo Rovers FC

1 - 1
LOI Men's Premier Division
The Showgrounds

Sligo Rovers FC v Cork City FC

0 - 0
LOI Men's Premier Division
Turner's Cross

Cork City FC v Sligo Rovers FC

1 - 2
LOI Men's Premier Division
The Showgrounds

Sligo Rovers FC v Cork City FC

1 - 2
LOI Men's Premier Division
Turner's Cross

Cork City FC v Sligo Rovers FC

0 - 2
LOI Men's Premier Division
The Showgrounds

Sligo Rovers FC v Cork City FC

1 - 0
LOI Men's Premier Division
Turner's Cross

Cork City FC v Sligo Rovers FC

1 - 4
LOI Men's Premier Division
The Showgrounds

Sligo Rovers FC v Cork City FC

0 - 1
LOI Men's Premier Division
Turner's Cross

Cork City FC v Sligo Rovers FC

1 - 2
LOI Men's Premier Division
The Showgrounds

Sligo Rovers FC v Cork City FC

2 - 1
LOI Men's Premier Division
Turner's Cross

Cork City FC v Sligo Rovers FC

7:45 pm
LOI Men's Premier Division
The Showgrounds

Sligo Rovers FC v Cork City FC

1 - 2
LOI Men's Premier Division
Turner's Cross

Cork City FC v Sligo Rovers FC

7:45 pm
LOI Men's Premier Division
The Showgrounds

Sligo Rovers FC v Cork City FC

2
LOI Men's Premier Division
The Showgrounds

Sligo Rovers FC v Cork City FC

3 - 2
LOI Men's Premier Division
Turner's Cross

Cork City FC v Sligo Rovers FC

1 - 1
LOI Men's Premier Division
The Showgrounds

Sligo Rovers FC v Cork City FC

2 - 1
LOI Men's Premier Division
Turner's Cross

Cork City FC v Sligo Rovers FC

7:45 pm
LOI Men's Premier Division
The Showgrounds

Sligo Rovers FC v Cork City FC

1 - 1
LOI Men's Premier Division
Turner's Cross

Cork City FC v Sligo Rovers FC

Ground

The Showgrounds
The Showgrounds - Sligo Rovers F.C., Magheraboy Road, Knappagh Beg, Sligo, Sligo Municipal Borough District, County Sligo, Connacht, F91 P523, Ireland

Conor Cantwell is a freelance sports journalist based in Co. Meath. Conor has been covering club football in Ireland and England since 2022. Conor has a keen interest in soccer, Gaelic games, rugby, tennis and basketball and has been writing blogs about the Premier League and the NBA since 2022.