Sport

Sligo in the driving seat as Portadown concede three

SOCCER SETANTA SPORTS CUP QUARTER-FINAL, FIRST LEG/Sligo Rovers 3 Portadown 0: GOALS BY John Dillon, John Russell and substitute…

Tue Mar 29 2011 - 01:00

SOCCER SETANTA SPORTS CUP QUARTER-FINAL, FIRST LEG/Sligo Rovers 3 Portadown 0:GOALS BY John Dillon, John Russell and substitute Raffaele Cretaro put high-flying Sligo Rovers firmly in the driving seat in this quarter-final first-leg tie at the Showgrounds last night.

Russell bagged the Reds’ second goal in the 57th minute following an Aaron Greene ball to the near post before Cretaro completed the scoring a minute from time.

Paul Cooke’s side were well on top for most of the 90 minutes as Portadown struggled to come to grips with a game watched by a crowd of 1,100.

A long ball in after four minutes was cleared by the Portadown goalkeeper David Miskelly before Matthew Blinkhorn could make contact. Neat footwork by defender Philip Craig cleared the danger in the seventh minute as Sligo Rovers bore down on the visitors goal.

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A short free kick by Dillon on 11 minutes from 22 yards fell to Blinkhorn but the Portadown defence was again alert to the danger.

Sligo missed a golden opportunity to hit the front after 14 minutes when Blinkhorn broke down along the wing but his low, angled shot grazed the back post.

An Aaron O’Haire effort from 25 yards on 18 minutes flew wide in Ports’ first chance of the half,

Rovers went ahead in the 20th minute when Dillon drilled the ball to the Portadown net following good attacking play by the Reds.

Portadown skipper Keith O’Hara and Richard Leckey caused a moment of anxiety for the home side after 25 minutes but the Sligo defence managed to clear the danger.

Sligo went close again in the 28 minute when Greene crossed to Blinkhorn but his downward header missed the target.

Greene and Eoin Doyle threatened the visitors’ goal after 33 minutes as Rovers began to turn the screw on their overworked opponents.

A clever crossed ball by Dillon came to nothing in the 40th minute as the home side continued to create chances.

Wesley Doyle forced Ciarán Kelly in the home goal into a smart save two minutes before half-time as Ronnie McFaul’s side found a rare opening in the Reds defence.

SLIGO ROVERS: Kelly; Keane, Foran, Peers, Davoren, Dillon, Russell, Ryan, Greene, Doyle, Blinkhorn. Subs: Ventre for Blinkhorn (85 mins), Cretaro for Dillon (63 mins).

PORTADOWN: Miskelly; Mackle, O’Hara, Ramsey, Boyle, Mouncey, Taggart, O’Haire, Leckey, Gartland, Craig. Subs: McCabe for Mouncey (69 mins), Baker for O’Haire

Referee Tom Connolly (Dublin).