FAI Cup: Sligo Rovers 0; Shelbourne 0: Shelbourne's record of never losing to Sligo Rovers in the FAI Cup remains intact after this scoreless draw at the Showgrounds last night.
Shelbourne threw everything at their first division opponents in the closing minutes, with Jason Byrne, Eoin Heary and Ollie Cahill all going close. The crossbar came to Sligo's rescue in the 79th minute when Byrne unhinged the defence. Heary drilled the ball narrowly wide of the home goal in the 86th minute.
Ciarán Kelly, back in goal for John O'Riordan's side after a lengthy absence due to a wrist injury, denied Ollie Cahill with a super save deep into stoppage time. Ritchie Baker, who played superbly, was unable to get the ball on target from a Cahill cross as Shelbourne tried desperately to wrap up the game in the dying minutes.
Shelbourne could have taken the lead at the start of the second half but Ger McCarthy was unable to make contact with the ball from Byrne's clever cross.
Baker shot narrowly wide of the Sligo goal in the 22nd minute and two shots at goal by Jim Crawford in quick succession failed to open the visitors' account. Sligo's only real chance of the half came on 29 minutes when Paul McKiernan let fly from 35 yards out.
McKiernan's shot looked to be heading for the top left corner of the Shelbourne net but the ball flew inches over the bar. Michael McNamara was off target at the end of the half as Sligo began to claw their way into the game.
Shelbourne's Pat Fenlon will be the happier of the managers when the sides meet on Thursday night for the replay at Tolka Park.
SLIGO ROVERS; Kelly; Cretro, McNamara, Sheridan (O'Dwyer 80 mins), Miller, Carr, Feeney, Keogh, McKernan (Watson 82 mins), O'Brien (McLoughlin 75 mins), O'Dowd.
SHELBOURNE: Williams, Heary, Crawley, Rodgers, Doherty, Crawford, Cahill, Morgan (Geoghegan 78 mins), Byrne, McCarthy (Holohan 49 mins), Baker.
Referee: A Kelly (Cork).
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