Goal Fest Continues at Showgrounds.

Padraig Amond joined Bohemian's striker Jason Byrne at the top of the goal scoring table after netting himself a brace against basement side Bray Wanderers at the Showgrounds on Saturday night last.

The 5-1 score line mean Rovers have now scored 17 goals in their last 3 home games, albeit against sides Paul Cook's tallent squad should be beating easily. However, Drogheda United who suffered a 6-0 loss in the Showgrounds in recent weeks did manage to prevent St Pat's going top of the league on Saturday with a 2-1 win over Pete Mahon's side, proving to the unpredictability of this years league.

Rovers made three changes for the visit of Bray to the Showgrounds from the side that lost to Dundalk, John Dillon coming in for the suspended Gary McCabe. Iarfhlaith Davaoren returning from injury came in at left back, and John Russell partnered Richie Ryan in the centre of the park.

It took just 12 minutes for Rovers to open the scoring. Joseph Ndo swung in a corner from under the Jinks Avenue Stand, the Bray defense failed to clear the allowing Padraig Amond to force the ball past Brian Keane in the Bray goal.

Eoin Doyle brought his goal tally for the season to three 10 minutes later. John Dillon fed the former Shamrock Rovers player and all Doyle had to do was beat the keeper, putting the ball over the head of the out-rushing Keane.

John Russell did all the hard work for Rovers third goal, five minutes before the break. Seizing possession in the middle of the park the Galway man serged forward and shooting with his left he put the ball past a once again helpless Keane.

Padraig Amond has been setting the example with his goal scoring and this continued in the dying minutes of the first half. Eoin Doyle was clever in picking out a the Carlow man, heading the ball to Amond who converted from close range.

A free kick for Bray just before the break saw Jake Kelly go close but failed to force Richard Brush into a save.

The home side's flowing football continued where it left of at the start of the second half. A sweeping move resulted in Joey Ndo scoring his first in Sligo Rovers colours. The former Cameroon international tapping in from close range.

Later in the second half Paul Cook tried to reinvigorate a Rovers side that had become a little complacent after scoring 5. Jason McCartney coming on for Iarfhlaith Davaoren, Dean Marshall replacing John Dillon and Mark Doninger coming in for John Russell who is still short match fitness following his long term injury.

Eddie Gormley's side did their goal difference some good on 89 minutes. Jake Kelly this time forced Brush into a save but John Mulroy was on hand to was on hand to find the net with the rebound.

Sligo Rovers: R. Brush; . A. Keane, G. Peers, 5. D. Ventre,. I. Davoren (J McCartney 61). J. Dillon (D. Marshall 76). R Ryan, J Russell (M. Doninger 68), E Doyle; 15. J Ndo, P Amond. Subs not used: C. O'Grady, C. Kelly.

Bray Wanderers: B Kane, D Doyle, C Tresson (N Byrne 64), D Webster, D Massey; J Mulroy, C Shields, J Kavanagh (D Vickers 45), JKelly; S O'Neill, R Doyle (S Brennan 45) Subs not used: I Tuohy, A O'Connor.

Rovers hit Drogheda for Six

Sligo Rovers 6 - 0 Drogheda United | Airtricity League Premier Division

When was the last time a Sligo Rovers team scored 12 goals in consecutive games? Because that's just what Paul Cook's side has managed after Saturday night’s 6-0 win over Drogheda United in the Showgrounds.

Rovers dispatched Ulster Senior League side, Letterkenny Rovers six nil, earlier in the week in the League Cup.

Padraig Amond scored his first competitive hat trick for the Bit O’Red, Gavin Peers and John Dillon were also and the score sheet for the home side. But it was Richie Ryan’s opener just before half time that received the biggest applause from the Showground’s faithful.

On 44 minutes Eoin Doyle caught the pressing Drogheda defence cold when he was set free by a pass from deep. Brian King was the last defender and had little choice but to prevent Doyle’s march towards goal resulting in a straight red for the Drogheda midfielder.

Gary McCabe struck the resulting free kick – the ball found its way to the feet of Ryan just outside the Drogheda box and following some tidy foot work to make space, the Tipperary man struck a sublime shot into the top left hand corner and beyond the diving Paul Skinner.

Apart from Ryan’s goal, the first half proved little to get excited about. Iarfhlaith Davoren made a return to the starting XI but was substituted before half time. The player happy to get as many minutes under his belt as possible as he continues to recover from a leg injury that’s kept him out of the side for the last number of weeks.

An injury to Conor O’Grady saw John Russell start his first league game for Rovers after his competent display coming on for the last 25 minutes of the six nil win over Letterkenny Rovers during the week.

Although still not completely match fit, Russell was tenacious when tackling and progressive on the ball.

Richard Brush didn’t have a save to make all night, allowing his back four to roam further forward with confidence. Five minutes into the second half centre half Gavin Peers’ diving header from a corner again left Skinner no chance in the Drogheda goal.
Three minutes later and Padriag Amond put the game beyond Alan Mathew’s side to make it three nil. Richie Ryan set the former Shamrock Rovers striker away for Amond to convert into the bottom left hand corner.

Jason McCarthy who replaced Iarflaith Davoren at left back showed why he’s been impressing for the A Team or late. Running the length of the pitch on the Jinks Avenue side for the ground, the former Summerhill student crossed at the by line for Amond to tap-in from close range.

Wide man John Dillon got his first goal since joining the club after 77 minutes. Dillon was on the pitch less than 60 seconds as replacement for the busy Gary McCabe when he found the net. Amond broke into the box and unselfishly squared for Dillon to score.

Amond made it 6-0 on 85 minutes rounding Skinner to convert. The recent goal flourish comes as a timely boost for Paul Cook’s side who it seems were lacking confidence in front or goal.

Sligo Rovers now have the second best scoring record in the league behind table toppers Dundalk who are next on the fixture list this Friday night (May 21st) in Oriel Park.

The win sees Rovers leap-frog Galway United into 7th on goal difference with a game in hand on Sean Connor’s side.

Rovers Embrace the Joy of Six

Sligo Rovers 6 – 0 Letterkenny Rovers| EA Sports Cup 2nd Round

Five second half goals and one before the break saw a near full strength Sligo Rovers ease past Letterkenny Rovers to make it to the third round of the EA Sports Cup.

Paul Cook made just three changes from the side that lost to Bohemians in the league on Saturday night last, with Ciaran Kelly between the sticks, Irafhlaith Davoren returning from injury and Padraig Amond leading the line. It was a night for building confidence in a team that’s failed to capitalise on their overall strengths so far this season.

Anything other than a convincing victory over the non-league visitors would have seen serious questions asked about the Bit O’Red’s season to date, which sees them sitting third from bottom in the league with only 2 wins from 12.

The closest either team came to scoring was on 17 minutes. Matthew Blinkhorn fired the ball into the chest the Letterkenny net-minder Coalan McGettigan in quick succession but the out rushing ‘keeper stayed on his feet to quash the danger.

Padraig Amond exhibited his eye for goal, finding the net with an exquisite finish, pirouetting to dispatch the ball over the shoulder of the stranded McGettigan only for the referee’s assistant to flag for offside.

But the Carlow mans time did come. Three minutes before the break Joseph Ndo and Gary McCabe combined in midfield, feeding Amond who turned the defender and put Rovers one up going in for the break.

Three minutes into the second half and Matthew Blinkhorn doubled Rovers tally at the Railyway End. Eoin Doyle swung in a cross from under the Jinks Avenue Stand to find Blinkhorn. Showing strength to hold off two defenders, he astutely finished to the right of the keeper.

Just after the hour mark any thoughts of a shock result were put to bed when Gary McCabe found Blinkhorn again to loop his shot over the head of the stranded McGettigan.

On 65 minutes the highly rated former Galway United midfielder, John Russell was brought off the bench for his debut in a Rovers shirt replacing Joey Ndo. An ankle injury the reason for Russell’s lack of game time so far this season.

With just over a quarter of an hour remaining Russell gave the home crowd a glimpse of his potential. The Galway man spotted the space behind a pressing Letterkenny defence and played a pass for the Rovers attack to chase. Amond broke away, crossing from the by line to find Blinkhorn at the far post. His half volley deflected off Shane Bradley and past the ‘keeper to make it four nil.

Substitute Mark Doninger also got in on the act, scoring his second in a Rovers jersey and making it five on the night for the home side. John Russell was again involved in the build-up.

And on 88 minutes it had come full circle with the man who opened the scoring finishing it all off. Once again Matthew Blinkhorn was involved, along with Doninger who found Amond to make it six.

An ardent result could be just what Paul Cook’s side need ahead of a big home game on Saturday against second from bottom side Drogheda.

John Russell will prove an addition to the squad; however, he is well off match fitness and is unlikely to appear from the start against Alan Mathew’s side.

Sligo Rovers: C Kelly, I Davoren, G Peers, D Ventre, A Keane, G McCabe, R Ryan, J Ndo, E Doyle, M Blinkhorn, P Amond. SUBS: R Brush, J McCartney (for Davoren 78”), J Russell (for Ndo 65”), M Doninger (for Ryan 77”), J Dillon.

Letterkenny Rvs: C McGettigan, C McGonigle, C Greene, M McAteer, S Bradley; M Friel, J Doherty, D McElwaine, P McNulty, K Hegarty, L Toland. Subs: T Shields (for Friel 78”), G Grant, A Gorman (for Hegarty 71”), Jamie Doherty (for Toland 67”), J Mailey.

A GOAL AT LAST, BUT NO POINTS

Sligo Rovers 1 – 2 Bohemians

Sligo Rovers failed to move out of the bottom three in the Airtricity League of Ireland after a 2-1 loss to Bohemians in the Showgrounds on Saturday night. Goals from Jason Byrne and substitute Mark Quigley eared Pat Felon’s side all three points in what was a hard fought fixture.

On a positive note Sligo Rovers did end their 294 minute wait for a goal with Matthew Blinkhorn converting just before the hour mark. The last time a Rovers player found the net (Paidraig Amond) was in the 1-1 draw with Shamrock Rovers in Tallagh Stadium on the 26th of April; having played Sporting Fingal and Galway since this latest loss to Bohemians.

The reigning league champions travelled to the North West without a number of their first choice players. Captain Owen Heary, Steven Gray and Ken Oman were all out injured, while winger Gareth McGlynn is serving a ban.

The home side had the majority of chances throughout the game and it was Captain Conor O’Grady who went closest first, shooting over from close range. O’Grady received the ball to feet 12 yards out from goal after good work wide on the left from Gary McCabe and Joseph Ndo, but he couldn’t hit the target.

Former Bit O’Red winger Anto Murphy made life difficult for left back Danny Ventre. The Liverpool native found his name in referee Anthony Buttimer’s book after 14 minutes after pulling down the attacking Murphy.

Gary McCabe was the liveliest for Rovers. On 28 minutes the former Bray Wanderer was hauled down by Glenn Cronin just outside keeper Barry Murphy’s penalty area resulting in a free kick to the right of the area. It was a perfect opportunity for the left foot of Richie Ryan and despite standing over the ball, it was left to Joseph Ndo striking the free with his right and failing to trouble the Bohs rearguard.

Soon after that Bohemians took the lead. With 38 minutes gone Brian Shelley showed good movement to make space from Derek Foran and flashed a low cross in to find Jason Byrne who shot to the right of Richard Brush finding the net.

Just before the half time whistle Paul Cook’s side swept up field with Ndo, Blinkhorn and Ryan all contributing to a move that resulted in McCabe shooting over the bar.

Rovers started much the better of the two in the second half, McCabe again causing trouble and winning free kicks in dangerous positions, but the resulting attempts on goal lacked accuracy.

Rovers breakthrough came on the hour mark. Joseph Ndo’s corner from the left hand side at the Railway end found the head of the rising Matthew Blinkhorn who neatly put the ball past Barry Murphy.

That goal gave the home side a hunger for a second and with the chant of ROVERS, ROVERS, echoing around the Showgrounds O’Grady found himself in a shooting position only yards out from goal, he failed to grasp the nettle and laid off for the on-running McCabe whose looping shot beat Murphy in the visitors goal only to rattle the crossbar.

Keeping with tradition Paul Cook saw fit to withdraw the Bit O’Red’s most threatening player in the second half, replacing wide man Gary McCabe with John Dillon.

Half way through the second half Pat Fenlon withdrew full back and Sligo native Mark Rossiter opting for attacking midfielder Mark Quigley in an effort to counteract the homes side’s dominance.

With just over 5 minutes remaining the switch paid off. Paul Cook’s side began to tire and Quigley found himself in space at the back post. Fellow substitute Aaron Green picked out Quigley with a pass across the face of goal leaving the purple booted Quigley to tap in past a stranded Richard Brush.

All in all it was another game Rovers should have gained at least a point from.
However, another positive along with the Blinkhorn’s goal was the performance of Derek Foran, starting only his second league game of the season, the former Bray centre half did little wrong and should grow in confidence alongside Gavin Peers in the absence of Mauro Almeida who will be out for a number of months with following an operation on his Achilles.

Next up for Rovers is the EA Sports League Cup 2nd Round tie, home to Letterkenny Rovers next Tuesday night. It’s expected recent signing and former Galway United centre midfielder John Russell will make his debut the Bit O’Red.

Sligo Rovers: R Brush, D Ventre , D Foran, G Peers, A Keane, G McCabe, C O’Grady (for M Doninger 89”), R Ryan, E Doyle, M Blinkhorn, J Ndo. SUBS: C Kelly, P Whelan, J Dillon (for McCabe 78”), M Donning (for O’Grady 89”) P Amond (for Doyle on 87”)

Bohemians: B Murphy, C Powell, J McGuinnness, G Cronin, M Rossiter, K Brennan, B Shelley, P Keegan, A Murphy, J Byrne, R Cretaro. SUBS: C O’Connor, G Burke, R Higgins (for Byrne 88”), A Greene (for Cretaro 78”), M Quigley (for Rossiter 66”)

Fast Food in Moderation, but Get Some New Ideas!

I paid a visit to my local McDonald's this afternoon. I was doing some manual work and thought I could afford a sugar and salt boost having burned plenty of calories ensuring the grass at my parents house was short and neat.

It must be noted that my visits to such outlets are fairly irregular, despite living only a stones throw from a drive through McDonalds, Pizza Hut and Kentucky "F&%kin" Fried Chicken.

Anyway I always get a little excited when going to McDonald's, Burger King or whatever you're having yourself, The 4 Lights? It must be something to do with the lack of such American fast food "joints" in Sligo when I was a kid. Anyway, my heart always sinks once I make it up to the counter to make my order.

I'm sure you get bored, like I do ordering the same old Quarter Pounders, McChicken Sandwiches or Big King Burgers. They've been around for decades and it looks like they're not going away. So every now and again, the multi-national burger shops "spice up" their menu's (for want of a better phrase).

Today in MickyD's I saw they're soliciting a new range of burgers, what sort of burgers? Wait for it.... AMERICAN STYLE! Mind blowingly creative, someone's got paid hundreds of thousands of greenbacks to market American Style burgers in the world's largest American burger chain. I was lucky enough to order myself a "New York Special".... I could practically hear the honking of yellow cabs outside and the tremble of the subway under my feet when ordering it.

But my gripe with all this is, regardless of what McDonald's name their new burger, it's the exact same as those that preceded it. All they do is change the shape of the "beef" burger and the bun. Apart from these cosmetic changes, it's the same as every other beef sandwich they've been horsing out for the last 70 odd years.

Why can't they stick in a new sauce, or really take a risk and change the species of animal that sits between the two bits of bread? I'm being harsh here, the New York Special had herbs on the top of the bun. Apart from that, it's the same as every other burger McDonald's flog.

How hard can it be for a company as powerful and wealthy as McDonald's to produce food that for once may positively surprise the customer? The Big Mac and McChicken Sandwiches will always be on the menu for those who fear the unknown. But why build up the hopes of someone as "adventures" as me, only for my poor food lovin' heart to be broken when I find out the New York Special is just a Big Mac with herbs on top.

Lesson learned, they'll never change. Market research tells the suits at the home of the Golden Arches that those who cross the threshold of the arches have no needs to have their taste horizons expanded, but to disguise the tried and trusted in new packaging.

A Long Weekend in Cork & Kerry

So the weekend just past was something of a family reunion on my maternal side of the clan. It was my aunt Anna's 70th birthday, an event which saw Moloney's, El Gamal's, McMonigle's and Steward's and many more come from all four corners of the globe to West Cork.

It was the first time in close to a decade I'd seen many of my cousins, remembering some of the names was difficult but by the time the music was playing and the cousin's were singing and a few pints were had; it was as if time had never moved on.

God only knows the next time we'll all get together? The sooner the better.

It was great too, to see Clonakilty again, the town my mother and her family grew up in. It's still getting bigger. The location and natural beauty coupled with the people lends itself to a wonderful tourist town. It's expensive, as all the American Moloney's told us, but don't we know that already!

Catherine and I took a detour on the way back to the North West and stopped off in Dingle, Co Kerry for the night. We'd never been to Kerry before so it was an opportunity we decided to avail of.

The drive to the Dingle Peninsula from Cork is magnificent. Along the way we stopped off breifly at the beach of "Inch". I like my beaches (easy!) but his one is up there with the best. It's wide expansive strand, framed by the mountains and hills of Kerry made the place look spectacular. A blue sky above set the whole scene off.

From there we made a bee-line for Dingle, found some cheap & cheerful accommodation in the Dingle Harbor Lodge. We paid €70 for the night for a double room including breakfast.

That evening we went looking for a good restaurant and found the "Out of the Blue". An exclusively seafood eatery with the grub pulled from the waters of the locality. As much as I love my food, I'm always a little tentative when it comes to creatures of the deep. It must be the Irish psyche that made people reluctant to eat fish during the famine. That said the cod and pollack that we had their was wonderful! Including a starter of mussels between two and without a bottle of plonk we spent a reasonable €70 on our meal.

After that it was back to the B&B for an early night.

We hit the road again for the North West early in the morning and once again the drive through Kerry towards Limerick was breath taking. I used to say Sligo must be equal to Kerry for natural beauty, but having been to the Kingdom, I don't think there's many places on the planet that match up.

We're renting/buying/stealing a camper for the summer months and going back to do Kerry properly and looking forward to it.