EOIN DOYLE rocketed up the Airtricity League top scorers chart with a superb hat-trick at the Showgrounds last night.

 

The Sligo Rovers striker lifted his side up to third in the Premier Division table with three goals in a convincing defeat of Bray Wanderers.

A Jason McGuinness error on 31 minutes helped Bray’s Conor Murphy cancel out Doyle’s opener, but once the lone striker claimed his second on the hour-mark, there was no looking back for the Bit O’ Red.

Rovers made six changes to the team beaten by Shamrock Rovers on Friday, with cup final hero Ciaran Kelly handed a start in goal and Alan Kirby, John Russell, Aaron Greene, Daryl Horgan and Gavin Peers all given starts.

But Doyle kept his place and got his fourth goal in three home games on 13 minutes, lifting the ball to the net after Matt Gregg had dropped Alan Kirby’s delivery at the feet of the grateful striker.

Bray made four changes of their own for this game, and were forced into a substitution after just 21 minutes, when David Webster picked up a leg injury and was replaced by Jake Kelly.

The visitors hadn’t a real chance of note until they equalised on 31 minutes, following another defensive mix-up.

This time it was Jason McGuinness and Ciaran Kelly that got their wires crossed, with the defender’s unconvincing header falling for Conor Murphy to slot past the keeper.

But Doyle doubled his contribution just before the hour-mark, after some good work from Horgan and Keane released Alan Kirby in the area, and he clipped the ball into Doyle to fire home.

Rovers introduced Joseph Ndo and John Dillon after this, and the latter set up the third for Doyle, who again showed good predatory instincts to fire the ball home from just inside the box.

SLIGO ROVERS: Kelly, Keane, Peers, McGuinness, Davoren, Horgan (Dillon 60), Ryan, Russell (Ndo 63), Greene, Kirby, E Doyle (Cretaro 82).

BRAY WANDERERS: Gregg, Webster (Kelly 21), S O’Connor, Prendergast, Massey, Zambra, Dempsey, G Kelly (O’Neill 69), Kendrick, Shields (D Doyle 69), Murphy.

Referee: T Connolly.