Shamrock Rovers kept up their impressive run in the Premier Division with a 3-1 victory over Sligo Rovers on Saturday.

 

In a match that was staged at Tolka Park due to Shamrock Rovers' friendly with Real Madrid in the Tallaght Stadium on Monday, it was a fixture that followed the form guide as the Dublin dominated while Sligo struggled to get going.

 

The Hoops have started to play an attractive brand of football under Michael O'Neill and their progress in recent weeks can be seen in the fact that players like Stephen Bradley and Padraig Amond are struggling to break into their starting eleven.

 

So they were always going to be tough to break down, especially by a Sligo team that have been hit with a lot of injuries of late. However, it was the visitors who registered the first real attempts on goal.

 

Rob Turner and Matthew Blinkhorn, both new signings for The Bit O'Red, flashed shots towards Hoops keeper Barry Murphy, but neither of their efforts really tested the Republic of Ireland U-23 international.

 

Those two chances stirred Shamrock Rovers, who responded with some slick counter attack play that saw Gary Twigg and Shane Robinson come close before Tadhg Purcell eventually netted the opening goal on 42 minutes.

 

The striker-cum-right winger found himself in the right place at the right time to fire in after a corner caused panic in the Sligo box and an attempted clearance landed right in front of the waiting Purcell, who powered his shot in.

 

The 'home' fans were celebrating for a second time just two minutes after that when Aidan Price headed in after he rose above the opposition defenders and increase his side's advantage.

 

Not much changed after the interval as The Hoops continued to steam forward and they got their third goal of the game on 48 minutes. Dessie Baker started the move and slid a pass inside to Stephen Rice, who took his time before slotting past Sligo keeper Richard Brush.

 

Even though the away team pulled a goal back on 62 minutes through Shaun Holmes, they were never going to stop O'Neill's men from taking the three points from this match.

 

Shamrock Rovers: Murphy, Flynn, Price, Sives, Bermmingham, Purcell, Robinson, Rice, Cahill (McGill 90), Twigg (Amond 75), Baker (Bradley 84).

 

Substitutes not used: Treacy, Duggan.

 

Sligo Rovers: Brush, Noctor, Keane, Rafter, Holmes, Kelly, Cash, Boco, Blinkhorn, Turner, Marshall.

 

Substitutes not used: Cretaro, Peers, Keohane, Kelly.

 

Referee: Mr. A. Buttimer