Brandon Miele helps Shamrock Rovers beat nine-man Sligo

Sligo Rovers 0 Shamrock Rovers 2

Shamrock Rovers boss Pat Fenlon was delighted to see his side open their season with a ‘decent’ win at the Showgrounds on Saturday.

Goals from Brandon Miele and Danny North helped the Hoops to a 2-0 defeat of a Sligo Rovers team that had a player sent-off in each half.

Kieran Sadlier was shown a straight red card for a poor challenge on Gavin Brennan shortly before half-time, and shortly after Miele had opened the scoring with a sublime free-kick.

Craig Roddan was also sent for an early shower on 74 minutes after picking up a second yellow card from referee Paul McLaughlin.

But, despite their numerical advantage, Fenlon admitted it was not a straight-forward win, at least not until North sealed the win in injury-time.

He said: “They put us under a bit of pressure in the second half, and at 1-0 you are always a little worried that something might go in.

“I thought we played well in the first half. The sending-off seemed to discommode us more than them, I thought they worked tremendously hard in the second half.

“But I am delighted with the win away from home. It’s a decent three points for us.”

A new-look Sligo side included eight debutants in Tobi Adebayo-Rowling, Michael Leahy, Jimmy Keohane, Roddan, Jordan Richards, Sadlier, Phil Roberts and Jaanai Gordon, while Chris Lyons was given a first appearance off the bench.

Shamrock Rovers named new signings Dean Clarke and Killian Brennan in their starting eleven.

The home side endured a nightmare end to the first half, going a goal down and then a man down in the space of three minutes.

Miele smashed a free-kick into the top corner on 42 minutes after Clarke was fouled 35 yards from goal.

The home side remained competitive and searched for the equaliser right up to the end, before North calmly finished when he was put through one-on-one with keeper Micheal Schlingermann by Miele.

SLIGO ROVERS: Schlingermann, Adebayo-Rowling, Leahy, Clancy, Donelon, Keohane, Roddan, Richards, Sadlier, Roberts (Lyons 86), Gordon (Martin 77).

SHAMROCK ROVERS: Murphy, Madden, O'Connor, Blanchard, G Brennan, McCabe (Shaw 78), K Brennan, Miele, Clarke (Cregg 73), Drennan, North.

Referee: P McLaughlin