SLIGO ROVERS warmed up for next weekend’s FAI Ford Cup Final by securing second spot in the Airtricity League Premier Division at the Showgrounds.

Goals from Matthew Blinkhorn, Raffaele Cretaro, John Dillon and Alan Kirby secured a 4-2 win over UCD on a night when boss Paul Cook received a standing ovation from over 2,000 home fans.

Cook turned down an offer to manage Scottish Premier League side St Johnstone during the week, and had to wait just 12 minutes to see his side hit the front against the Students.

Blinkhorn got the goal, heading home from close range, but UCD should have been level on 19 minutes, when Robbie Benson was fouled by Ciaran Kelly in the area.

Former Rovers winger Dean Marshall saw his penalty saved by Kelly, however, though Benson’s long-range effort just before the break was spilled into the net by the keeper for the equaliser.

Cretaro put Rovers back in front with a deflected shot just two minutes after the restart, and the hosts grabbed their third when Dillon rifled the ball home from close range.

Benson scored his second to make the closing stages exciting, but substitute Kirby fired home from the edge of the area on 83 minutes to secure the win.

SLIGO ROVERS: Kelly, Keane, McGuinness, Foran, Davoren, Ventre (Kirby 64), Russell, Dillon (Martin 79), Greene (Doyle 60), Cretaro, Blinkhorn.

UCD: McGinley, Douglas, D O’Connor, Leahy (Boyle ht), Nangle, Marshall (Doyle 80), Corry, P O’Conor, Russell, Belhout (Lyons 54), Benson.

REFEREE: P Sutton.