St. Patrick’s Athletic booked their place in the Setanta Sports Cup final with a 2-1 win over Sligo Rovers at the Showgrounds.

The result gave the Saints a 6-2 aggregate win and sets-up a Setanta Sports Cup final showdown with either Bohemians or Linfield.

Having lost 4-1 in the first leg, Sligo Rovers needed something special to have any hope of progressing to the final.

Captain Conor O’Grady gave his team a chance after just ten minutes when he put the home side ahead, reducing the aggregate score to 4-2.

O’Grady struck a sweet shot from outside the box to give the Bit O’Red hope that they could overturn the first leg result.

However, those hopes were dashed just thirteen minutes later when Paul Byrne made it 5-2 on aggregate. McAllister headed the ball down to Byrne, who brilliantly hooked the ball over his own head and into the net.

Damien Lynch extinguished any faint hopes the home fans had on 59 minutes when he made it 2-1 on the night to St. Pat’s.

Sligo Rovers: Brush, Ventre, Peers, Keane, Davoren (Whelan 50), McCabe (Dillon 62), O’Grady, Ryan, Doyle (Marshall 62), Amond, Blinkhorn.

St Patrick’s Athletic: Connor, Pender, Kenna, Guthrie, Lynch, McAllister, Mulcahy, S Byrne (Coughlan 80), Guy, P Byrne (Williams 63), Faherty (Sinnott 78).

Ref: T Moutray.