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Details

Date Time League Season
14 July 2022 7:00 pm UEFA Conference League 2022/23

Match Report

McGinty is the hero for Sligo as they advance in the Conference League on Penalties

Sligo Rovers advance to the second round of the Uefa Europa Conference League on penalties in the Showgrounds tonight with nothing separating the sides after 190 minutes of Football.

Ed McGinty saved two in the penalty shootout, with a string of fine stops in normal time to deny Bala at every opportunity.

Edwards gave Bala the first-half lead to level the tie on aggregate in the first half in a game that Bala had the better of the chances. Bala smashed the bar twice in ET, two major chances in a few seconds to send the Welsh side through.

It was a tense start to the game with both teams trying to find the breakthrough, Bala coming the closest to finding the net but Ed McGinty did well to keep it scoreless early on, Sligo had few chances but their best came from a corner after 23 minutes, Adam McDonnell’s delivery was hit just wide by Niall Morahan.

On the half-hour mark the Welsh outfit had another chance that sent the Sligo backline into disarray, Nathan Peate having the effort, a deflection saw the danger momentarily cease as the ball went out for a corner. 

The visitors would have their goal five minutes later stunning the sold-out home crowd at the Showgrounds, Bradley Bauress crossing into the heart of the Sligo penalty area where David Edwards fired into the net, 1-0 on the night 2-2 on aggregate, not the scoreline the hosts wanted.

Shane Blaney had a free kick in the 43rd-minute clip the top of the crossbar, they could not find the breakthrough late in the half, the westerners looking at sixes and sevens all over the park.

Morahan had a half chance three minutes into the second half, Bala meanwhile would come closest to making it 2-0, McGinty reacting quickly to stop Lassana Mendes, before denying James Davies from a 1v1, diving well at his feet to gather the ball, the shot-stopper keeping Sligo in the tie.

Rovers had a few half chances but the efforts were miles off from the goal, but McGinty again came to their aid late on with a crucial stop to send the game to Extra-Time.

Nine minutes into the first half of extra-time, Bala came close to making it 2-0, Shane Blaney doing well to keep the ball off the line, McGinty misjudging the ball but his defence did well to clear.

Will Fitzgerald and Cillian Heaney both had chances in the half but failed to threaten Alex Ramsay with the teams again deadlocked at the interval on aggregate. McGinty was needed again just seconds after the restart, stopping well with his feet to keep Bala out.

Bala had a glorious chance to make it 2-0 with a shot saved by McGinty, the crossbar saved Rovers, as we headed for penalties.

David Cawley Paddy Kirk and Aidan Keena all hit the net from the penalty spot, McGinty saving to deny Jonny Spittle, Blaney scored the fourth and decisive penalty, as once more McGinty saved to deny Luke Wall.

Sligo Rovers
1Ed McGinty Goalkeeper 84'
3Colm Horgan 2 Defender
4Shane Blaney Defender
8Niall Morahan 25 Midfielder
9Aidan Keena Forward
10Frank Liivak 7 Forward
14Karl O’Sullivan Forward
17Adam McDonnell 34 Midfielder
19Paddy Kirk Defender
26Garry Buckley Midfielder
27Max Mata 22 Forward
16Luke McNicholas Goalkeeper
30Richard Brush Goalkeeper
2Lewis Banks 3 Defender
5Robbie McCourt Defender
7Will Fitzgerald 10 Midfielder
12Mark Byrne Midfielder
22David Cawley 27 Midfielder
25Cillian Heaney 8 Forward
34Kailin Barlow 17 Midfielder
41Eanna Clancy Defender
44Daire McCarthy

Bala Town
1Alex Ramsay Goalkeeper 60'
4Nathan Peate Defender
7Lassana Mendes
9Chris Venables Midfielder 42'
11Kieran Smith
15Antony Kay
18Paul Rutherford 10
19David Edwards 35'
20Bradley Bauress 8 32'
21Oliver Southern
23Ross White
30Harri Lloyd
13Daniel Clark
2Callum Woods
6Jonathan Spittle
8Luke Wall 20
10James Davies 28
28Naim Arsan 10
29Oliver Shannon

Timeline

 32' 20. Bradley Bauress
 35' 19. David Edwards
 42' 9. Chris Venables
Frank Liivak
Will Fitzgerald		45' 
 53'Paul Rutherford
James Davies
 60' 1. Alex Ramsay
Colm Horgan
Lewis Banks		65' 
Max Mata
David Cawley		69' 
Niall Morahan
Cillian Heaney		75' 
1. Ed McGinty 84' 
 90'Bradley Bauress
Luke Wall
Adam McDonnell
Kailin Barlow		99' 
 114'James Davies
Naim Arsan
  • 120'

    MCGINTY SAVES AGAIN AND SLIGO ADVANCE TO THE SECOND ROUND

  • 120'

    Shane Blaney 4-3

  • 120'

    Anthony Kay scores 3-3

  • 120'

    Keena scores 3-2 Sligo

  • 120'

    MCGINTY SAVES

  • 120'

    Paddy Kirk 2-2

  • 120'

    David Edwards 2-1 Bala

  • 120'

    Chris Veneables and David Cawley both score from the spot, 1-1

  • 121'

    Game over we head to penalties

  • 120'

    1 minute added time

  • 110'

    Bala should be ahead, McGinty saves, the ball his the crossbar from the rebound, Bala should be in front

  • 105'

    The second half kicks off and McGinty already comes to their aid after 20 seconds

  • 107'

    Still nothing to separate the teams at the end of the first half of extra-time, chances at either end but no ball in the net

  • 105'

    Two minutes of added time at the end of this half

  • 104'

    Heaney has a glorious chance but cannot find the net or another Sligo man

  • 101'

    Fitzgerald comes close with a header but it was straight at Ramsay

  • 99'

    Kailin Barlow comes in for Sligo, the youngster replaces McDonnell

  • 96'

    Bala come close to making it 2-0, Shane Blaney doing well to keep the ball of the line

  • 90'

    The first half of Extra Time kicks off

  • 97'

    Full Time in the Sportsgorund, we go to Extra-Time, McGinty keeping Sligo in this tie

  • 93'

    McGinty needed again to bail out the Bit O Red

  • 90'

    7 minutes injury time to end this half

  • 84'

    McGinty makes a huge error trying to clear his lines, he hauls down Mendes outside the box, Bala fail to punish them

  • 75'

    With 15 minutes left to play it is all to play for, the game looks to be going to Extra-Time

  • 75'

    Cillian Heaney replaces Niall Morohan, Sligo still search for a goal

  • 69'

    David Cawley replaces Max Mata, another change for the Bit O\'Red

  • 67'

    Lewis Banks shoots from range, misses the target but would have been a cracking finish

  • 65'

    Colm Horgan pulls up with injury and is forced off to be replaced by Lewis Banks

  • 60'

    Alex Ramsay the third Bala player into the notebook

  • 59'

    ED MCGINTY IT SHOULD BE 2-0 WOW, 1v1 he does well to dive at the ball and keep it at 1-0

  • 50'

    McGinty with another top drawer save to deny Lassana Mendes

  • 48'

    Morohan hits a header straight into the path of Ramsay

  • 45'

    Will Fitzerald on for Frank Liivak, as Fitzgerald takes tip for the second half to get underway

  • 47'

    Half Time at the Showgrounds, like the first leg Sligo go behind, but this time around Bala have held them at bay to lead at the interval

  • 45'

    Two minutes of added time signalled at the end of this half

  • 43'

    Shane Blaney cracks the top of the crossbar with the free kick

  • 42'

    Chris Venables the next Bala player to go in the book, a rough tackle on Morahan

  • 35'

    Bauress turns provider to tee up David Edwards as Bala lead 1-0

  • 32'

    Bradley Bauress hacks down a Sligo man and is carded

  • 30'

    Bala come close again Nathan Peate has an effort sent out for a corner

  • 23'

    Morahan has a great chance to get Sligo ahead, he meets a wonderful corner whipped in by McDonnell but it's wide

  • 15'

    McGinty does well in the Sligo net to thwart Bala Town, remains 1-0

  • 1'

    Kick Off at the Showgrounds!

  • 10 minutes to kick off, a good crowd expected to be here in the Showgrounds this evening

  • Two changes for the visitors Bradley Bauress replaces Calum Woods Oliver Southern is in for Oliver Shannon, Bala look to be setup in a 5-3-2 instead of the 4-3-3 from the first leg

  • Two changes for Sligo this evening, Gary Buckley is a welcome return to their starting 11, while Frank Liivak earns his first start

  • Sligo Rovers are one step away from the second round of qualifiers in the Europa Conference League, they lead Bala Town 2-1 on aggregate and will bid to stay in front this evening, my name is Diarmuid Kearney and I will update you this evening

Past Meetings
(First Qualifying Round)
1 - 2
UEFA Conference League
Park Hall Stadium

Bala Town v Sligo Rovers

Ground

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

Diarmuid Kearney is a freelance Sports Journalist based in Co Kerry. He has more than 5 years experience covering domestic and international soccer for different media organisations, while also working for local and national print and digital organisations covering GAA.