Sligo Rovers 0 Shamrock Rovers 1

GARY McCABE returned to the Showgrounds to score the winner for champions Shamrock Rovers against his former Sligo Rovers team-mates.

McCabe fired the rebound to the net after just six minutes when Brendan Clarke had saved Gary O’Neill’s initial shot to ensure a second successive victory for the Hoops.

Both sides named unchanged sides after winning starts last weekend.

The home side were still without the injured Joseph Ndo, while the visitors travelled without the suspended Stephen O’Donnell and the injured Craig Sives.

But it was a player returning to the Showgrounds that made the game’s first impact, as McCabe pounced to direct the ball to the net.

The home side’s response was good, with Jason McGuinness forcing Alan Mannus into a save with a close range header.

Mannus had to make an even better save minutes later, when Alan Keane linked up well with John Dillon on the right before squaring for John Russell, who drove his shot towards the netminder.

Russell also had Sligo’s best chance of the half on 26 minutes. This time Eoin Doyle was the provider, slipping the ball behind the defence and into Russell’s path, but his shot rolled across the face of goal and agonisingly wide.

The home side continued to do the lion’s share of attacking and Dillon and Russell worked a short free into the path of Doyle, but once again Mannus was well placed to save.

Chris Turner had the first chance of the second half, when he drilled in a low free-kick that Clarke had to get behind.

Soon after Matthew Blinkhorn dragged a shot across goal before Sligo boss Paul Cook made a double change, introducing Alan Kirby and Aaron Greene.

It was the visitors’ turn to feel aggrieved on 57 minutes, as Gary Twigg went down in the area under the challenge of Gavin Peers, but referee Tomney waved play on.

Gary O’Neill started to feature more as the visitors threatened for a second, and he made space for a shot outside the area, but again found Clarke well positioned.

The hosts introduced Raffaele Cretaro with 15 minutes left in search of an equaliser, but the best chance late on fell to McGuinness in stoppage-time, asac his close range shot was somehow deflected off the line by the Hoops defence.

Sligo Rovers: Brendan Clarke; Alan Keane, Gavin Peers, Jason McGuinness, Iarfhlaith Davoren; John Dillon (Aaron Greene 54), Danny Ventre (Alan Kirby 54), Richie Ryan, Eoin Doyle, John Russell (Raffaele Cretaro 74); Matthew Blinkhorn.

Shamrock Rovers: Alan Mannus; Pat Sullivan, Dan Murray, Ken Oman (Pat Flynn h-t), Enda Stevens; Gary McCabe, Chris Turner, Ronan Finn, Billy Dennehy; Gary Twigg (Stephen Rice 86), Gary O’Neill (Ciaran Kilduff 77).

Referee: Derek Tomney (Dublin).