Carl McHugh scored a dramatic late winner as Shamrock Rovers suffered their first home defeat of the 2026 League of Ireland season in a dramatic clash.
Shamrock Rovers 1
Sligo Rovers 2
Sligo applied the early pressure straight from kickoff, with a deflected effort from Cian Kavanagh causing Ed McGinty to sweat in the Rovers goal, but it slid just right of the post. The Hoops didn’t take long to settle, though; a midfield of Jack Byrne, Matt Healy and Dylan Watts eased their way into the game as Adam Brennan shone out on the left wing.
It was no surprise then, after just eleven minutes, when it was Brennan who put Aaron Greene through into the penalty box. Greene’s shot was deflected into the path of Sean McHale, who was helpless as the ball bounced straight off him into his own net.
A few minutes later, the game should have been level. As is so often the case for Sligo, it was Will Fitzgerald who created a bit of magic against the run of play, beating his man and floating a cross in, causing havoc in the Rovers box; Daire Patton crashed his shot off McGinty’s crossbar amidst the chaos, a big chance missed for Sligo.
On the half hour mark, Rovers’ strike partnership linked up nicely on the counter-attack, with Greene sending Michael Noonan through, who was quickly closed down by Sam Sargeant to snuff out the danger. Stephen Bradley’s men continued to dominate possesion for the remainder of the first half, with Brennan typically the man to create chances.
The Hoops upped the pace out of half-time; a lovely move ultimately coming to nothing as nobody could get on the end of Brennan’s cross. Just a few minutes later, Noonan scuffed a great chance wide after some wonderful play from Greene to set him up.
Man of the match Brennan was perhaps lucky to get away with a handball in his own box soon after, as a loose cross bounced off his chest. Sligo had another penalty claim in the sixty-second minute; they will probably feel aggrieved that the referee didn’t penalise Olunatunmise Sobowale for bringing down Will Fitzgerald in the area, as Sligo grew into the game after the break.
It was Fitzgerald who set up Jeannot Esua’s leveller, his volleyed cross not dealt with and the right back pouncing at the back post, a well deserved reward for the Bit O’Red’s second half improvement.
Rovers were quick to respond though, and with Burke and Ozhianvuna coming off the bench, the champions piled pressure on Sargeant’s goal, with Byrne coming closest for the hosts. They were never able to create anything of much note, however, until Burke split Sligo open with a raking pass. Once again, Sargeant was out quickly to prevent John McGovern from snatching a late goal.
Sligo, who hung around for so long thanks to Rovers’ blunt edge, were the ones to grab a sensational ninety-seventh minute winner, with Carl McHugh slotting home after some brilliant hold-up play from Mai Traore, sending the traveling fans into raptures. This is a huge victory for Sligo, just their second away win of the season, while Shamrock Rovers slip to their second successive defeat (and their first in Tallaght this season).
Man of the Match: Will Fitzgerald put in a proper captain’s performance, always looking the most likely to create something for the Bit O’Red. His assist for Esua’s leveller brought Sligo back into a game they looked unlikely to get anything out of at half-time. After the game, John Russell called Fitzgerald “the best player in the league this season” and highlighted his defensive intervention in the ninety-second minute as key to Sligo’s win.
Shamrock Rovers: Ed McGinty, Adam Matthews, Lee Grace (C), Olunatunmise Sobowale, Jake Mulraney, Adam Brennan, Matthew Healy, Dylan Watts, Jack Byrne, Michael Noonan, Aaron Greene. Substitutes: Danny Grant for Jake Mulraney (39′), John O’Sullivan for Matt Healy (46′), John McGovern for Michael Noonan, Graham Burke for Aaron Greene, Victor Ozhianvuna for Dylan Watts (all 65′),
Sligo Rovers: Sam Sargeant, Sean McHale, Gareth McEvoy, Oliver Denham, Will Fitzgerald (C), Jeannot Esua, James McManus, Shane Blaney, Alex Nolan, Daire Patton, Cian Kavanagh. Substitutes: Ryan O’Kane for Alex Nolan (46′), Ciaron Harkin for James McManus (53′), Mai Traore for Ciaron Harkin (72′), Carl McHugh for Cian Kavanagh (81′).
Referee: Paul Norton
Attendance: 4,121