After The Dust has Settled - looking back on magic.

I thought I'd give it a bit of time before committing my thoughts on Sligo Rovers FAI Cup win to the blog. Recently I've been cutting out articles about the win over Shamrock Rovers, saving them for when all the commotion had died down. We're getting their now... and recent economic developments have played their part in quenching the euphoria, but not too much.

Eamonn Sweeney's wonderfully written 'Hold the Back Page' is probably the last significant article we're have written on our most recent of cup triumphs. It was published 2 days ago in the Sunday Independent of Nov 21st, I'd planned saving it for a few days, then rationing it over the duration of a day or two. There's probably about 2000 words there so I could enjoy it over two sittings, morning and evening, maybe a paragraph or two during the afternoon, or strategically place it in the downstairs toilet for when nature calls. 

I even thought there was a slight chance I might have been referenced in Sweeney's column in question, having spoken to him in the D4 Hotel after the game. I use the word 'spoke' loosely... There were time's I was so overcome with the day's emotions words failed me. I have recollections of Mr. Sweeney looking at me puzzled, trying to make sense of my sentences - punctuated with yelps of joy and yahoos of happiness. 

All the articles and photos collected over the last week or so from local and national newspapers will be put into a folder and stored away for future reminiscing. I have a folder in my parents house, filled with articles, match programme and ticket stubs from the 1994 Cup win over Derry City in a very different Lansdown Road. The faded, slightly blurred, pre-digital age photographs that appeared in the Sligo Champion and Sligo Weekender export me back to that wet miserable day in '94 when Gerry Carr cemented my developing love of Sligo Rovers, with that all important headed goal. 

16 years later and it's Mayo man Ciaran Kelly who's the unlikely hero. The at times maligned 'keeper of Paul Cook's squad did what's as close as you can get to the impossible in a game of football, save every spot kick in a shoot-out. Mayo has traditionally looked North for a team to support in the League of Ireland and Kelly's heroics will act as the perfect tonic to stoke up the interest that may have faded in the Bit O'Red in the last 10 years from gaelic games strong-hold. 

Two friends of mine came some distances to attend the cup final. One from Edinburgh and the other from San Francisco. It's amazing that people felt this was an event that they had to attend, 36 thousand people showed up for a game involving our Sligo Rovers; a team that average about 2,000 fans for a home game in the Showgronds, as Eamonn Sweeney says in his article in the Sunday Independent "there is affection for the League out there, it's just a question of tapping it". 

Joseph Ndo after the final

The friend who traveled from Edinburgh is a Manchester United fan, a die hard. after the Cup final win, in the delirium of the night that followed, surrounded by Rovers fans and players alike, I said to him when United win the League, or the Champions League, you'll never have the satisfaction of going back to the hotel after the final to celebrate with the players and management. This is what makes supporting a League of Ireland team so special. The days of winning cup finals may be few, but when they occur you feel you're every much as part of the history making as the players and managers who create the magic.

I look forward to the years and decades to come when I happen upon the Sligo Rovers related articles from the double cup winning team of 2010 in some dusty folder. 

Top Honours for Rovers at UCD

UCD 0 – 2 Sligo Rovers | Airtricity Premier League

Rovers fans who have travelled to UCD in recent years, well read or not, have rarely enjoyed their time watching their sides exploits against the Students. But on this particular evening Padraig Amond and Gavin Peers were on hand to ensure there was plenty to celebrate.

Goals in the opening moments of each half secured three points for the visitors in a game that could have been a potential banana skin for Rovers.

Joseph Ndo won a free kick after some 30 seconds, and it was swung into the UCD box by Richie Ryan. The Student’s keeper, Billy Brennan failed to claim the incoming ball and it fell to the feet of Danny Ventre, whose shot was guided into the net by Padriag Amond, extending his league goals for the season to 10.

UCD went close after a quarter of an hour with midfielder Greg Bolger having a shot deflected over Richard Brush’s bar.

Chris Mulhall was giving Iarfhlaith Davoren a hard time down the right wing and showing his ability, he beat the former Galway United man and crossed to find Keith Ward who shot over the bar.

The second half began with another mistake by Brennan. Again he failed to claim a cross that found its way to Joseph Ndo. Ndo squared to John Dillon who shot across the face of goal.

Gavin Peers had been threatening to score in recent games from corners and on 47 minutes the Dubliner who has been attracting attention from across the water powered home a Joey Ndo corner.

The home side always threatened to score and just after the hour mark Evan McMillan connected with a Brian Shortall cross but the woodwork was on hand to save Richard Brush’s blushes.

Rovers were happy to surrender the majority of the possession to Martin Russell’s side and try and capitalise on the break. One such opportunity saw John Russell go close, shooting just wide, after the industrious Ndo linked up well with John Dillon who set up Russell.

With a quarter of an hour left Richard Brush kept Rovers in the game saving from Evan McMillan on two occasions.

The heat was turned up in the final minutes of the game with two straight red cards issued for each side. Referee Declan Hanney adjudged Alan Keane’s strong tackle on Ciaran Nangle a sending off offence, despite some Rovers fans who were close to the incident claiming Keane won the ball.

And Greg Bolger was given his marching orders after a clash with Richard Brush.

The result leaves Rovers in seventh, a point behind UCD and just 8 points off St Pats at the summit, as the league goes into its two week sabbatical. Next up for Paul Cook and Co. is the visit of St Pat’s for the fifth meeting of the side to date this season.

Between now and then personal changes are expected in the Rovers squad, with Romould Boco rumoured to be returning to the Showgrounds. Former St Pat’s, Bohs and Shelboure defender Colin Hawkins has also been on trial on Church Hill in recent weeks. Hawkins is currently playing his football with Brighton & Hove Albion.

UCD: B Brennan, A Boyle, S Harding, E McMillan, C Nangle, G Bolger, P Corry, D McMillan, C Mulhall, K Ward, C Kilduff. SUBS R Creevy, M McGinley, G Rusk(for Ward 55”), B Shortall (Harding on 55”), D Wilson.

Sligo Rovers: R Brush, I Davoren, A Keane, G Peers, D Ventre, J Dillon, J Ndo, J Russell, R Ryan, P Amond, E Doyle. SUBS: C Kelly, M Doninger, G McCabe(for Doyle 61”), C O’Grady, P Whelan.

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.