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In-form Sligo Rovers see off Bohemians at Dalymount Park

Bohemians 1 Sligo Rovers 3

David Cawley of Sligo Rovers, right, is congratulated by team-mate Walter Figueira after scoring his side's third goal. Photo by Matt Browne/Sportsfile Expand

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David Cawley of Sligo Rovers, right, is congratulated by team-mate Walter Figueira after scoring his side's third goal. Photo by Matt Browne/Sportsfile

David Cawley of Sligo Rovers, right, is congratulated by team-mate Walter Figueira after scoring his side's third goal. Photo by Matt Browne/Sportsfile

David Cawley of Sligo Rovers, right, is congratulated by team-mate Walter Figueira after scoring his side's third goal. Photo by Matt Browne/Sportsfile

Aidan Fitzmaurice

Sligo Rovers keep answering the questions put their way, with another classy display from Liam Buckley's in-form side in a 3-1 win away to Bohemians again underlining their credentials as genuine contenders for honours this season.

And calls off the bench by manager Buckley were key for the side, as subs Mark Byrne and David Cawley turned a possible draw into a definite, and well-deserved, win at Dalymount Park.

As English football tears itself apart in a civil war over breakaway clubs, it's all smiles at Sligo where the blend of talented imports like Jordan Gibson and Romeo Parkes, league stalwarts like Garry Buckley and Greg Bolger, and brilliant local talent like Johnny Kenny and Mark Byrne is proving to be a perfect mix.

With one eye on Friday's league game away to Shamrock Rovers, Bohs boss Keith Long made changes to his side with senior players like captain Keith Buckley rested while Jack Molyan and Conor Levingston came in for their first starts of the season.

But it was Sligo, who made just one change to their starting XI, who took an early grip on the game, feeding the belief that they can mount a challenge this season, only for Bohs to come back with a response in the shape of a second-half where they were the dominant ones, followed by Sligo's revival and win.

The sides should have had a goal each in the opening three minutes, both through errors. On three minutes, Garry Buckley played a slack back pass to keeper Ed McGinty, gifting possession to George Kelly who got in a shot, which McGinty saved. In response, Sligo went on the attack and when Bohs keeper James Talbot mistimed his clearance, the ball fell for Parkes, who crossed to Greg Bolger, and he set up Johnny Kenny but the teenager's effort was saved by Talbot.

Kenny went close to scoring on 11 minutes as he was denied by the woodwork, while on 25 minutes Bohs had their best effort, a cross from Anto Breslin which was met by Moylan's head, McGinty with the save.

On the half-hour mark Sligo had their deserved lead, a well-constructed goal which began in their own half when Walter Figuera played in Parkes, he shrugged of his marker, played a one-two with Kenny and when Parkes delivered a cross across the box, Gibson was left unmarked to finish.

Off the pace for much of the first half, Bohs burst into life two minutes into the second half with a stunning equaliser from Burt, and Georgie Kelly went close to making it 2-1 when his header was just wide on 51 minutes.

Sligo sub Mark Byrne, a product of their academy, was left with space from a ball by Bolger on 76 minutes to put Sligo ahead. Bohs would rue a miss by sub Keith Ward on 83 minutes when he fired wide with the goal at his mercy, and Bolger was the architect for another Rovers goal four minutes from time, sub Cawley with the calm finish as Bohs were wide open.

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