Morrisroe to the rescue

Shamrock Rovers, who opened their league campaign with a comprehensive 3-0 victory over UCD last week, found Sligo Rovers a much more difficult proposition and had to battle back from a goal down to earn a share of the spoils at Tolka Park yesterday.

Sligo had the first real chance on five minutes when Padraig Moran's shot on the turn found the side netting following a fumble by Rover's keeper Robert Forde.

In a bright opening period Rovers began to get a grip on midfield and striker Tony Cousins just failed to make contact with an inviting cross from the right following good work by Jason Colwell and Derek Tracey.

Cousins' departure after just 18 minutes with a strained hamstring robbed Rovers of their main attacking option. Although Tracey battled hard when he took over the striking role, he failed to make any real impression against Sligo's towering Dutch central defender Peter Cubbesson.

Sligo began to take an increasingly scrappy match to Rovers. Two minutes into the second half Paul Whelan was penalised for pushing Moran outside the box and while Rovers were still organising their wall, up stepped quick thinking midfielder Neil Ogden to curl the ball gently into the bottom left corner.

The home side didn't panic and were back on terms in just over a quarter of an hour. Midfielder Mark O'Neill, who had a good second half, played the ball left to Brian Morrisroe and his low shot from the edge of the box flew past a somewhat flat-footed Mark Westhead into the bottom right corner.

Sligo midfielder Ian Thew looked to have broken the deadlock 15 minutes from time when he out-jumped the Rovers keeper to head the ball home from close range. However, referee John Fighery ruled he had impeded the goalkeeper.

Shamrock Rovers: R Forde, M Britton, T Dunne, G Brazil, P Whelan, J Colwell, D Tracey, T Cousins, R Purdy, M O'Neill, B Morrisroe. Substitute: M Kenny for T Cousins (18 mins).

Sligo Rovers: M Westhead, B Southworth, M Hutchinson, N Reid, P Cubbesson, N Ogden, S Jones, P Moran, I Thew, F Rose, I Lynch. Substitute: S Flannery for N Ogden (75 mins).

Referee: J Fighery (Dublin).