Shamrock Rovers 3 Sligo Rovers 1: HAVING ADMIRABLY kept their focus by winning four league matches in succession since the announcement that they would be playing Real Madrid in a glamour friendly this evening, Shamrock Rovers' striker Dessie Baker says he and his team-mates can now go out tonight and enjoy themselves.

“We’ve got the league games out of the way and it’s time to relax and get ready for Monday,” said Baker. “It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity to play against players like that. Everyone wants to go out and enjoy it,” added the 31-year-old Dubliner.

Rovers’ manager Michael O’Neill’s biggest headache is picking his starting 11 as everyone obviously wants to play against the “new Galacticos”.

“If the lads have knocks and injuries they’re probably not going to tell us, so there’s no point asking them that,” joked O’Neill.

Three goals in six minutes either side of half-time kept Rovers’ title challenge on track.

Tadhg Purcell opened the scoring on 42 minutes when drilling home following a scramble in the Sligo penalty area.

Two minutes later central defender Aidan Price arrived at the back post to get on the end of Baker’s deep cross from the right and score with a diving header.

The points were secured within three minutes of the second half with the best goal of the night. Robinson fed Baker who delivered a sublime pass to Stephen Rice and the midfielder drew goalkeeper Richard Brush before shooting into the bottom corner.

Sligo got a goal back on 63 minutes when Shaun Holmes’s shot was deflected past Murphy.

SHAMROCK ROVERS: Murphy; Flynn, Sives, Price, Bermingham; Purcell, Rice, Robinson, Cahill (McGill, 90); Baker (Bradley, 84), Twigg (Amond, 75).

SLIGO ROVERS: Brush; Noctor, Rafter, Keane, Holmes; Cash, Boco, Kelly, Marshall; Blinkhorn, Turner.

Referee: A Buttimer(Cork).