Hoops frustrated in battle of the Rovers as Carl McHugh's injury-time winner rocks the champions

Sligo Rovers secured a late win over the league champions at Tallaght Stadium, with Carl McHugh scoring seven minutes from time to move the visitors forward in their relegation battle. The match featured a low attendance and a subdued atmosphere, and Sligo’s victory came after the Hoops failed to convert chances and then lost focus at a decisive moment. Sligo fell behind early when a clearance was mishandled, allowing Aaron Greene to score after a rebound. Sligo nearly conceded again when Daire Patton struck the crossbar. Both teams struggled to find rhythm, with goalkeeping saves and shots going narrowly wide. Late pressure ultimately produced the decisive goal.

"Carl McHugh's strike seven minutes from time saw the visitors take a huge step forward in their relegation battle to stun the league champions. This was not the farewell Rovers had in mind for captain Pico Lopes as he heads off for the World Cup finals with Cape Verde, while injuries ahead of a Dublin derby double-header next week, could force a rethink from the Hoops in releasing Ed McGinty and Adam Brennan for Ireland duty."

"And, on 11 minutes, the home side had the lead. Sligo dithered in dealing with a long clearance from McGinty allowing the ball to fall for Aaron Greene and, although defender Gareth McElroy managed to get in a block, the rebound came off teammate Sean McHale and the ball crept over the line past Sam Sergeant."

"The Hoops were unable to build on the lead, though and they could have lost that advantage on 24 minutes when a nice cross from the left by captain Will Fitzgerald landed for Daire Patton in the box but his shot came off the crossbar and away to safety. Both sides were struggling to get into a rhythm with Sergeant saving from Michael Noonan on 31 minutes and then a shot by Sligo's James McManus that was narrowly wide."

"It was overall a poor game played out amid a tame atmosphere with a gate of just 4,121 but a huge night for John Russell's side as the Hoops paid the price for missed chances and then a lapse in concentration at a key moment. Although Sligo did win on their last visit to Tallaght Stadium, last year, their overall record in the venue is poor so they travelled more in hope than anything else."

Read at Irish Independent