Sligo Rovers 0
UCD 2
David Goulden reports from the Showgrounds
SLIGO ROVERS PREPARED for Thursday’s Europa Conference League visit to Motherwell in less-than-ideal fashion as they were beaten at home by basement side UCD.
Donal Higgins and Dara Keane netted in either half as the Students picked up just their second win of the season. The Bit O’Red created plenty of chances but poor defending, a lack of killer instinct in front of goal and a string of fine saves from UCD goalkeeper Lorcan Healy all contributed to Rovers’ downfall.
Sligo boss John Russell shuffled his pack from Thursday’s starting side that finally saw off Bala in their Europa Conference League tie. Ed McGinty, the shoot-out hero from that game, was rested, affording highly-rated goalkeeper Luke McNicholas his first start since his spell on loan with Cliftonville. Lewis Banks, Will Fitzgerald, David Cawley and Nando Pijnaker also returned.
UCD also made five switches from their recent defeat to Bohs, with Keane, Healy, Evan Caffrey, Alex Dunne and Alex Nolan all starting. They have been somewhat of a bogey side for Rovers this term, avoiding defeat in both of the previous games with the Connacht side in 2022.
It was Sligo who fashioned the chances before Higgins hit the opener. Aidan Keena smacked the crossbar 11 minutes in after his diagonal run allowed him to make the space and Frank Liivak twice went close with efforts on 13 and 19 minutes respectively.
McNicholas pulled off an impressive stop to keep out Thomas Lonergan on 22 minutes after a lapse in the Sligo rearguard. But the Mayo stopper could do little to stop Higgins just 60 seconds later: Keane muscling his way past Will Fitzgerald at the endline before squaring to the unmarked Higgins who finish comfortably past McNicholas.
UCD goalkeeper Healy kept Rovers at bay on several occasions to keep his side ahead at the interval; the former Maidstone man keeping out efforts from Liivak, Keena, Mata and Lewis Banks.
Sligo debutant Eanna Clancy went close with a header from a Fitzgerald corner in opening exchanges of the second half, while the home crowd were left further frustrated on 53. Kirk’s ball towards the UCD penalty area finally falling to Liivak whose low drive came back off the bottom of Healy’s post.
For all of Rovers’ attacking intent, their defensive situation remained sloppy and the Students capitalised on this a second time on 68 minutes. Nobody came to meet Keane as he made his way towards the edge of the Sligo area, allowing the midfielder to arrow the ball past McNicholas and into the bottom corner.
Sligo Rovers: Luke McNicholas; Lewis Banks, Nando Pijnaker, Shane Blaney (Eanna Clancy 34), Paddy Kirk; Niall Morahan (Adam McDonnell 67), David Cawley (Kailin Barlow 79); Will Fitzgerald, Frank Liivak (Karl O’Sullivan 67); Max Mata (Cillian Heaney 79), Aidan Keena.
UCD: Lorcan Healy; Alex Dunne, Jack Keaney, Michael Gallagher, Evan Osam; Alex Nolan (Dylan Duffy 63), Donal Higgins (Sean Brennan 69), Dara Keane, Evan Caffrey, John Ryan (Mark Dignam 63); Thomas Lonergan (John Haist 86).
Referee: Paul Norton.