HOLDERS Sligo Rovers booked their place in the semi-finals of the Ford FAI Cup for the third successive year thanks to a 1-0 defeat of Shamrock Rovers at the Showgrounds.

Eoin Doyle scored the game’s only goal, firing home at the far post on 22 minutes, after some great work by Iarfhlaith Davoren, Aaron Greene and man of the match John Russell.

Doyle had missed a great chance shortly before that, dragging a shot across former team-mate Richard Brush, but wide of the post.

Before that, Shamrock Rovers – who made six changes to their Europa League team from Thursday – had the best of the early chances, with Karl Sheppard twice going close but foiled by both Brendan Clarke and Alan Keane.

The home side suffered a blow before the break, as Jason McGuinness picked up a shoulder injury and was taken to hospital for a scan.

But they started the second half brightly, with Alan Keane, Ndo and Russell causing problems down the right.

Keane broke into the area on 47 minutes, but his cross seemed to hit a Shamrock Rovers defender on the arm. Referee Alan Kelly waved play on, however.

The home side almost grabbed a second when Richie Ryan rattled the crossbar from a free-kick on 71 minutes.

Michael O’Neill sprung Ronan Finn, Gary Twigg and Rohan Ricketts from the bench in the second half, but they could not find a breakthrough.

And when Kelly waved away penalty appeals in injury-time after Stephen O’Donnell’s free-kick appeared to hit a Sligo defender on the arm, the Hoops’ last chance passed and the holders booked their place in the final four.

SLIGO ROVERS: Clarke, Keane, Peers, McGuinness (Foran 42), Davoren, Ryan, Russell, Greene (Kirby 80), Ndo, Cretaro (Blinkhorn 82), Doyle.

SHAMROCK ROVERS: Brush, Gannon, Sives, Murray, Stevens, Dennehy (Finn 57), O’Donnell, McCormack (Ricketts 73), McCabe, Sheppard (Twigg 62), Kilduff.

REFEREE: A Kelly (Cork).