Tony Cousins' penchant for scoring against Sligo Rovers rescued another subdued Shamrock Rovers performance from the jaws of defeat as Sligo battled their way off the bottom of the table at Tolka Park yesterday.
Cousins hadn't scored since these sides last met at the end of November, and his equaliser on 66 minutes was welcomed all round. Tommy Dunne played substitute Billy Woods in behind the Sligo defence and his low cross was shot past Nicky Broujos by Cousins at the near post.
Shamrock Rovers seemed to be wallowing in their good league form which had seen them unbeaten in the previous eight games, and Sligo, desperate for points, turned in their best display for months to capitalise.
Tony O'Dowd, in the home goal, had to make a good save from a Marcus Hallows snap shot after a mistake by Jason Colwell inside three minutes.
Though Tony Callaghan had to clear off the Sligo goal line from a Paul Whelan header following Brian Morrisroe's corner soon after, Shamrock Rovers continued to look sluggish, and Hallows was given space to shoot narrowly over the top. Then Sligo took a deserved lead on 28 minutes.
Neil Ogden sold Richie Purdy a long-range dummy to get free up the left, and youth international Sean Flannery got on the end of his deep cross to score with a downward header.
That quickly jolted Shamrock Rovers into action and Morrisroe and Purdy shot over the Sligo crossbar with crisply hit shots during the next few minutes.
Shamrock Rovers' best chance of the half two minutes before the break ended with Jason Sherlock being stretchered off with a badly bruised shin. Sherlock collided with Wesley Charles, who cleared after Broujos had parried a Tony Cousins shot.
Sligo captain Mark Hutchison cleared off the line from Colwell, while player /manager Nicky Reid deflected a Whelan header out for a corner as Shamrock Rovers came right into the game in the second-half.
Cousins' equaliser, when it came on 66 minutes, was no more than they deserved.
Shamrock Rovers: O'Dowd; Purdy, Brazil, Whelan, Dunne; Britton, Colwell, Palmer, Morrisroe; Cousins, Sherlock. Subs: Woods for Sherlock (43 mins), Kenny for Colwell (56 mins), Tracey for Britton (73 mins).
Sligo Rovers: Broujos; Callaghan, Wesley Charles, Sheridan, Hutchison; Hallows, McGlynn, Reid, Ogden; Flannery, Hoecks. Subs: Rowlands for Hallows (56 mins), Shannon for Hoecks (83 mins).
Referee: A O'Regan (Cork).
Cobh Ramblers joined Drogheda United and Galway United in a three-way tie at the top of the First Division table after they ended a four-match sequence without a league win to beat Longford Town 2-0 at St Colman's Park on Saturday night.
Antonio Izzi poached his 12th league goal of the season to finally give Cobh's dominance some tangible reward in the 76th minute. Peter Maher scored Cobh's second.
Padraig Drew and Paul Brady swapped goals as Monaghan United drew with Home Farm Everton 1-1 at Whitehall.
