Premier Division: Sligo Rovers 2 (P McClean 19; W Wawero 45+1) Derry City 0
Paddy McClean scored against his hometown club Derry City as Sligo Rovers extended the buffer between themselves and bottom side Cork City to eight points at The Showgrounds in Sligo.
Wilson Waweru scored the Bit O’Red’s insurance goal as Rovers deservedly handed Derry their first defeat in six league outings. The result means the Candystripes remain nine points off leaders Shamrock Rovers with one game in hand.
In the sizzling Sligo heat, it was the hosts who were the more impressive from the off. Rovers should have taken the lead six minutes later, but centre half Ollie Denham nodded Owen Elding’s cross from the left past Brian Maher’s post from two yards out.
Sligo did make the most of their next visit to the well as Derry switched off at a 19th-minute corner. Jake Doyle-Hayes’s set-piece landed on the foot of the unmarked McClean, who finished past Maher for his first goal since his return to the Showgrounds last month.
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Elding kept his side ahead on 23 minutes when the young attacker swept Hayden McCann’s header from Michael Duffy’s corner off his own line moments before the water break.
Rovers managed two first-half goals last week against Shamrock Rovers and did it again here courtesy of another defensive mishap when Maher spilt Ryan O’Kane’s cross at the foot of Waweru, who was left with a simple finish into an open net.
Sligo called on goalkeeper Sam Sargeant early in the second period and the he met Duffy’s low drive with a strong left fist after the in-form winger’s run brought him all the way into the opposing penalty area.
Tiernan Lynch’s side went at the home side in waves but robust defending from a young Rovers outfit kept them at arm’s length.
Derry introduced some of the league’s best attacking talents with the likes of Adam O’Reilly, Danny Mullen and Robbie Benson sent on throughout the second half. But a Mullen effort on the turn, which Sargeant tipped over, was the closest they came to a consolation.
SLIGO ROVERS: Sam Sargeant; Conor Reynolds (Daire Patton, 90), Ollie Denham, Paddy McClean, Will Fitzgerald; James McManus, Jake Doyle-Hayes; Owen Elding, Jad Hakiki, Ryan O’Kane (Kyle McDonagh, 76); Wilson Waweru (Francely Lomboto, 61).
DERRY CITY: Brian Maher; Hayden Cann, Mark Connolly, Sam Todd; Ronan Boyce (Seán Patton, 84), Shane Ferguson (Danny Mullen, 61); Sadou Diallo (Robbie Benson, 72), Carl Winchester; Gavin Whyte (Adam O’Reilly, h-t), Michael Duffy; Liam Boyce (Alex Bannon, 61).
Referee: Rob Hennessy.
Attendance: 2,877.
