Sligo Rovers out to close gap on leaders

EMMET MALONE

Sligo Rovers will look to close the gap on the Premier Division's leading group when champions St Patrick's travel to the Showgrounds in the hope of maintaining their own strong run of form.

Ken Oman and former Rovers striker Mark Quigley miss the trip but manager Liam Buckley will be hopeful enough about his side’s prospects in front of goal with the Dubliners having scored 15 and conceded just two in the five league outings since their second-half dismantling by Dundalk in Inchicore.

Rovers have turned things themselves of late with three straight wins and Ian Baraclough has everyone, bar long-term absentees Gavin Peers and Raffaele Cretaro, who had the second of his scheduled calf operations last Friday, available for the game.

“When we lost the games early on,” says Baraclough, “we knew we had the time to catch up and the performances were good enough to win matches, but we also had to put points on the board.

Uefa licence
"Regardless of what happens on Saturday, there is a long way to go in both of our seasons but this is the end of the first series of matches and we see it as a chance to move to within four points of St Pat's."

Both clubs have, meanwhile, received the Uefa licences they require to play in European competition next season as have the two other qualifying teams, Dundalk and Derry City.

Fixtures (tonight, 7.45): Premier Division: Sligo Rovers v St Patrick's Athletic. First Division: Cobh Ramblers v Wexford Youths.