SETANTA SPORTS CUP: Cliftonville 2 Sligo Rovers 3:SLIGO ROVERS earned some domestic cheer at the weekend with a Setanta Cup win over Cliftonville in Belfast.
The victory took Rovers’ Group One points tally to four, enhancing hopes of qualifying for the latter stages of the competition.
Striker Liam Boyce put Cliftonville in front in the ninth minute but before the half-hour mark the visitors were level when Rob Turner, from close range, headed Sligo level.
Turner then gave Rovers the lead in the 39th minute courtesy of a defensive mishap fuelled by Ronan Scannell’s poor back-pass to Paul McKane. The goalkeeper struck a team-mate with his clearance before the ball fell kindly to Turner, who netted his second of the game.
Jason Bannon, a Cliftonville youth player marking his full debut, fired his side level in the 67th minute. But again the home side were left trailing just six minutes later when Dean Marshall pounced for the winner.
CLIFTONVILLE:McKane, Scannell, Holland, O'Hara, Scannell, Smyth (McMullan, 64 mins), Caldwell, Boyce, OConnor (Murphy, 64 mins) , Bannon, Trainor (Clarke, 64 mins).
SLIGO ROVERS:Kelly, Keane, Kendrick, Camano, Rafter, Keohane (Cash, 68 mins), Meenan, Ryan, Turner, Doyle (McGoldrick, 87 mins), Marshall.
Referee:M Courtney (Cookstown)
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