Sligo Rovers win at Dalymount to book FAI Cup quarter-final spot

Owen Elding on target for his 10th goal of the season

Owen Elding celebrates with team-mate Jad Hakiki after scoring for Sligo Rovers against Bohemians. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
Owen Elding celebrates with team-mate Jad Hakiki after scoring for Sligo Rovers against Bohemians. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
FAI Cup, third round: Bohemians 0 Sligo Rovers 1 (Elding 53)

Sam Sargeant saved a penalty before Owen Elding scored another cracking goal at Dalymount Park to leave Bohemians looking back in anger at their FAI Cup exit.

Sligo Rovers have enjoyed some big cup days and nights at the home of Irish football.

The Bit O’ Red lifted their first FAI Cup at Dalymount on a rain-sodden afternoon in 1983.

Their more recent back-to-back wins in 2010 and 2011 came after narrow semi-final victories over Bohemians at the Phibsborough venue when current manager John Russell was a player.

And they put their league struggles behind them to delight their 400-strong fans to book a spot in thus year’s quarter-finals.

Beaten finalists twice in the last four years, Bohs’ quest for another Blue Riband will now stretch to 18 years.

Sporting their light blue Oasis kit, given the weekend that’s in it, Bohemians were put on the back foot early on as Sligo started with plenty of purpose.

And as they struggled to get into the game, Bohs survived a let off on 14 minutes. A mistake by skipper Keith Buckley gifted the ball to Jad Hakiki who skipped into the clear in Bohs’ half. But a poor touch allowed James Talbot to get to the ball first to avert the danger.

Having scarcely been in the game, Bohs then conjured the first real sight of goal a minute later.

Dayle Rooney put opposite winger Connor Parsons away on the left. Though the Englishman cleverly cut past Conor Reynolds, his drive was saved by Sergeant at the goalkeeper’s right-hand post.

Bohemians’ Dawson Devoy in action against Sligo Rovers' Sean Stewart. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
Bohemians’ Dawson Devoy in action against Sligo Rovers' Sean Stewart. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho

Very much alive in the game now, Bohs troubled Sligo again minutes later from Rooney’s corner, Douglas James-Taylor meeting the delivery to plant his header wide.

Sligo midfielder Sebastian Quirk was likewise off target with a shot at the other end from Sligo’s third corner of the night in an open contest.

With Sligo back enjoying a spell of concerted pressure, Buckley had to clear Patrick McClean’s header off the line from Ryan O’Kane’s corner in the big chance of the half.

Moments later winger O’Kane saw his ball into the area whizz past the far post.

The end-to-end action continued as half-time approached, Parsons firing wide of the Sligo goal after skilfully working the opening before Sargeant tipped away a dangerous cross-shot from Rooney.

Twice coming close to taking the lead just before the interval, Bohs blew a real chance to do so three minutes into the second half after McClean tripped Devoy to concede a penalty.

Sargeant chose right to bat away Rooney’s spot kick. James-Taylor was then guilty of blazing over the top after Ross Tierney’s put the rebound back into the area.

Six minutes later, Sligo punished poor defending to take the lead with a fine goal.

The tenacity of Fitzgerald nicked the ball off Buckley to feed it on to Elding. The 19-year-old, who scored on his last visit to Dalymount in June, needed little invitation to take on the shot first time with his left foot to drill it past Talbot to the bottom corner for his 10th goal of the season.

Bohs’ Douglas James-Taylor reacts to a missed chance. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho
Bohs’ Douglas James-Taylor reacts to a missed chance. Photograph: Ryan Byrne/Inpho

With Bohs chasing the game now, Sergeant made his second telling save of the night to tip over a Rooney cross that had deflected goalwards off defender Ollie Denham.

Try as they might, Bohs couldn’t conjure an equaliser with Sargeant there again with another top stop to deny substitute Rhys Brennan on 90 minutes.

Elsewhere, Cork City beat Waterford 2-1 in a Munster derby at Turner’s Cross while Galway United eased past local non-league side Salthill Devon with a comfortable 4-0 win at Eamon Deacy Park.

In a repeat of the 1999 final, Finn Harps beat Bray Wanderers 3-1 in Ballybofey, while in the other all-First Division clash, Kerry booked their spot in the last eight with a 2-0 win over Cobh Ramblers.

BOHEMIANS: Talbot; Morahan, Byrne, Kavanagh (Smith, 54), Flores; Buckley (McDonnell, 67), Devoy; Rooney (Brennan, 67), Tierney, Parsons; James-Taylor (Whelan, 74).

SLIGO ROVERS: Sargeant; Reynolds (Agbaje, 51), Denham, McClean, Stewart; Harkin, Quirk; O’Kane (Patton, 81), Hakiki (Manning, 81), Fitzgerald; Elding.

Referee: Kevin O’Sullivan (Cork).

Attendance: 4,246.

  • Join The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date

  • What’s making headlines in the rugby world? Listen to The Counter Ruck podcast with Nathan Johns

  • Sign up for push alerts to get the best breaking news, analysis and comment delivered to your phone