Whelan the hat-trick hero as Bohs beat Rovers
Sligo Rovers manager John Russell. Picture: INPHO
The new season has gotten off to an auspicious start for Sligo Rovers as they suffered back-to-back opening defeats when they were beaten 4-0 by Bohemians last Saturday evening.
Colm Whelan scored a hat-trick with Dayle Rooney getting the opener. In team news there was one change to the side that had been beaten by Derry the week previous with Guinean striker Mai Traore coming in got his debut in place of Cian Kavanagh.
This was a game that Rovers never got a chance to settle into. Bohs were on the front foot from the off and took the lead after two minutes. Sam Todd won the ball in midfield and played it into the path of James Taylor. He was denied by the legs of Rovers goalkeeper Sam Sargeant, but the defence couldn’t get the ball clear and it was swept into the net by Rooney.
It was all Bohs from thereon in. In the seventh minute Rooney floated in a free from the right which was headed over by Todd. A minute later Rooney had a shot pushed behind for a corner by Sargeant. Rooney took it sending it towards the front post where Patrick Hickey headed wide.
Hickey was involved in creating the visitors next chance in the 21st minute when he fed Dawson Devoy who threaded the ball through to Taylor on the right side of the box, but he shot over. On the half hour mark Darragh Power crossed from the right finding Whelan who headed into the arms of Sargeant.
You sensed that Bohs would get a second which they duly did nine minutes into the second half. Ross Tierney with a long ball forward out of his own half which came through to Whelan who had gotten in behind the Rovers defence. Sargeant came off his line but hesitated which allowed the Bohs striker to round him and score from the angle with his left foot.
Rovers had a rare sight of the Bohs goal just after the hour mark. Ryan O’Kane with a ball in from the left to Alex Nolan who shot wide from just outside the box.
Bohs made it three soon after. A quick break down the left saw the ball come to Tierney who was deep inside the Rovers area. He played it across into the box to Senan Mullen who laid it off for Whelan and he side footed it past Sargeant and into the net.
They got their fourth two minutes later. Again, it started with a ball in from the left which the Rovers defence failed to deal with. With the ball bouncing up in the area Tierney jumped up to head it with Rovers defender Jeanot Esua going up with him, but he was adjudged to have fouled the Bohs player and referee pointed to the spot. Whelan stepped up to take it and made no mistake as he sent Sargeant the wrong way to complete his hat-trick.
They nearly added a fifth in stoppage time when Devoy played a ball across from the left to Adam McDonnell, but Sargeant was equal to his effort from outside the box.
Next up for Rovers is the trip down to the south west to take on Waterford. Kick-off in the Regional Sports Centre is at 7:45pm.
