The hosts looked dangerous in the opening exchanges and Gary McCabe's 7th minute free kick flew just past the right-hand post.

Conor Byrne had the visitor's first opportunity on 13 minutes but Rovers' goalkeeper, Richard Brush, held easily.

McCabe shot wide for Sligo Rovers on 19 minutes following good work by home debutant Joseph Ndo, but Sporting Fingal's chances were more limited with Byrne's free kick well over on 28 minutes.

Mark Doninger's well struck volley for Rovers was deflected over off Kenny Browne on 33 minutes, but the visitors then enjoyed their best spell of the first-half with Shaun Williams and Eamon Zayed both going close.

McCabe's 39th minute free-kick forced visiting net-minder Darren Quigley to turn his effort around the corner, however, on 43 minutes, Ronan Finn's shot passed through the legs of Gavin Peers to wrong-foot Brush and hand Sporting Fingal a 1-0 lead.

Padraig Amond almost replied immediately for Sligo Rovers but it was the visitors who led at the interval.

An unmarked Glen Crowe should have stretched Sporting Fingal's advantage on 62 minutes, only for Brush to parry and Alan Kirby was unable to convert the rebound.

At the other end Amond's 64th minute header forced Quigley to tip over. Richie Ryan's thunderous 71st minute effort so nearly brought the equaliser only for Quigley to pull off a tremendous block.

Against the run of play Kirby nearly grabbed the visitor's second goal on 76 minutes, but Brush leapt athletically to produce an excellent save.

The dismissal of Sporting Fingal's Kenny Browne on 83 minutes ensured the hosts continued to dominate in the game's closing period. Substitutes Conor O'Grady, Matthew Blinkhorn and Ryan himself all came close restoring parity.

Instead, the visitors held out for the win - mirroring their cup final triumph against the same opponents last November.

SLIGO ROVERS - R Brush; P Whelan (D Folan H-T), G Peers, A Keane, D Ventre (capt); J Dillon (M Blinkhorn 58), M Doninger (C O'Grady 72), R Ryan, G McCabe; P Amond, J Ndo

SPORTING FINGAL - D Quigley; G O'Brien, S McFaul, S Paisley (capt) (B Gannon 50), S Williams; K Browne, C Byrne (K Dawson 87), R Finn, Kirby; G Crowe (G O'Neill 80), E Zayed
Scorers : R Finn (43)

REFEREE - D Hanney (Dublin)