Details

Date Time League Season
9 June 2023 7:45 pm LOI Men's Premier Division 2023

Match Report

Shels and Sligo share spoils

Shelbourne and Sligo Rovers shared the spoils with a 1-1 draw this evening in their SSE Airtricity League Premier Division clash at Tolka Park.

In what would prove to be a short cameo, Mattie Smith would find the back of the net after a defensive mixup from the visitors before being withdrawn injured inside the first ten minutes before a long range Niall Morahan effort was calmly stroked over Conor Kearns to level matters just after the half hour mark.

Sligo and John Russell needed a positive result considering their current run of failing to score in their last two games and only one victory in their last six league outings.

Disaster struck for the visitors in the first five minutes when returning centre half Nando Pinajker failed to deal with an innocuous long ball. Sean Boyd chases what appeared to be a lost cause and simply pulls the ball back to Mattie Smith who fires the home side ahead.

Pinajker almost made amends for his error, moments later when his header from Brannfalk’s corner went just over the bar. Sligo enjoyed good possession over the next fifteen minutes with Will Fitzgerald almost hitting the target from range before they forced three quick corners but just couldn’t force a way through.

The breakthrough finally arrived for the visitors just after the half hour mark. Another Brannfalk corner is half cleared by Shels and Niall Morahan takes a touch and deftly finds a way past Kearns from thirty five yards to level matters up.

Sean Boyd broke through in the closing stages of the first half, but John Mahon sacrificed himself for a yellow card to nullify the opportunity for the home side.

In the second period Sligo continued to pile the pressure on especially from set pieces as they enjoyed some dominance around dead balls. 

Five minutes into the second period Max Mata broke down the left hand side and just couldn’t find the centre towards Lukas Browning as Shels defenders combined to cancel the attack.

Neither side really had the quality to break down their opponent but losing Greg Bolger to an injury after the hour mark seemed to leave Sligo with gaps in their midfield. Shels took advantage of a bit more time and space but weren’t able to find a final ball to create a real goalscoring opportunity.

With ten minutes remaining Kailin Barlow almost found the lead, a gut busting run at the defence where he found himself a shred of space but his effort whizzed past the base of the far post to Conor Kearn's relief.

As the clock wound down Shelbourne had an inventive free kick but the Dubliner’s weren’t able to capitalise on Sligo being slightly cold to the quick move.

Shelbourne

1Conor Kearns Goalkeeper
4Andrew Quinn Defender 51'
5Shane Griffin Defender
6JJ Lunney Midfielder
8Mark Coyle 15 Midfielder
9Sean Boyd 12 Forward 19'
11Matty Smith 10 Forward 5'
13Tyreke Wilson Defender
17Shane Farrell 32 Forward
21Gavin Molloy Midfielder
27Evan Caffrey Forward
25Daithi Folan Goalkeeper
2John Ross Wilson Defender
3Conor Kane Defender
10Jack Moylan 11 Midfielder
12Jad Hakiki 9 Forward
15Kyle Robinson 8 Forward 90+4'
23Luke Byrne Defender
28David Toure Defender
32Kameron Ledwidge 17 Defender

Sligo Rovers

1Luke McNicholas Goalkeeper
2Johan Brannefalk Defender
3Danny Lafferty Defender
6Greg Bolger 34 Midfielder
7Will Fitzgerald Midfielder 63'
8Niall Morahan Midfielder 33'
88'
10Frank Liivak 18 Forward
19Lukas Browning-Lagerfeldt 22 Midfielder
21John Mahon Defender 45+3'
27Max Mata Forward
28Nando Pijnaker Defender
30Richard Brush Goalkeeper
4Reece Hutchinson Defender
18Stefan Radosavljevic 10 Forward
22David Cawley 19 Midfielder
34Kailin Barlow 6 Midfielder
37Conor Campbell Forward
47Owen Elding Forward
56Eli Rooney Defender
  • 93'

    Sligo almost have the ball in the net from a corner but it's cleared off the line before it's worked back and John Mahon sees his header from back off the woodwork as both teams will have to settle for the draw.

  • 82'

    Fantastic play and opportunity for the Bit O'Red. Kailin Barlow ran at the defence and found himself a shred of space but his effort whizzed past the base of the far post to Conor Kearn's relief.

  • 69'

    Sligo have won a corner when a speculative long range effort took a touch of a red boot.

  • 62'

    Shelbourne are beginning to grow as the noise levels are beginning to increase at Tolka Park.

  • 57'

    Few changes here as Greg Bolger is replaced by Kailin Barlow for the visitors and Sean Boyd makes way for Hadiki on the home team.

  • 50'

    Mata almost has the opportunity to put Rovers ahead when one on one he just can't find the right ball through to Lukas Browning.

  • 46'

    Second half underway with no changes for either side.

  • 45'

    Level at the break, 1-1 between Shelbourne and Sligo Rovers.

  • 45'

    Mahon takes a yellow card as Shel's were clean through with Sean Boyd.

  • 45'

    3 Minutes time to be added here.

  • 43'

    The game has settled down a little in terms of chances as both sides are beginning to grow into the game. Sligo edging the encounter for the last twenty minutes.

  • 33'

    Morahan has dragged the sides level. Sligo had been growing more into the game in recent minutes but a half cleared corner dropped on the edge of the box and the Leitrim man made no mistake hitting the target from range to equalise.

  • 30'

    A glorious opportunity for the home side as Danny Lafferty plays a poor back pass straight to the feet of Jack Moylan who just can't beat Luke McNicholas who has kept his team in the game.

  • 21'

    Almost an opportunity for Frank Liivak but Conor Kearns sweeps up well to nullify the threat.

  • 19'

    Pinajker has been in the wars for the last 15 minutes, he's upended now. Boyd has picked up a yellow for the challenge.

  • 19'

    Sligo have managed to apply some pressure forcing three corners in as many minutes as they threaten to get themselves back in this game.

  • 17'

    Will Fitzgerald has the first meaningful effort for Sligo. A loose ball drops to the midfielder and he has a crack from 40 yards. He has the keeper scrambling but a touch around the post from Kearns is enough to keep the ball out of the net.

  • 14'

    An early sub for Shels as Mattie Smith can't shake off an awkward landing after a challenge with John Mahon.

  • 9'

    Pinajker almost makes amends when he connects with a corner but his powerful effort goes marginally over the bar.

  • 5'

    Shels are ahead. Mattie Smith has benefited from a calamity in the defence for the visitors. Nando Pinajker didn't deal with the long ball well and it appeared to be running out for a corner. Sean Boyd gambled and managed to get to the line ahead of the ball and simply rolled the ball back to Smith who placed it in the near bottom corner despite a number of defenders attempting to close the opportunity down.

  • 2'

    An early word with the referee for Mark Coyle as he upends Max Mata around the half way line.

  • 1'

    We are up and running as Damien Duff's Shel's side look to make it four games unbeaten this evening.

  • Greg Bolger, John Mahon and Nando Pinijker all return for the visitors this evening as they hope to arrest their slide down the table.

  • A late change as Frank Liivak comes into the side after a knock in the warm up for Reece Hutchinson as the teams go through their final preparations in Tolka Park.

Ground

Tolka Park
Tolka Park (Shelbourne FC), Drumcondra South A ED, Dublin, County Dublin, Leinster, Ireland

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