UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE SECOND QUALIFYING ROUND, SECOND LEG Sligo Rovers 1 Spartak Trnava:SLIGO ROVERS' dreams of progressing to the glamour stages of the Europa League ended tamely at the Showgrounds last night.
Spartak left Rovers with a mountain to climb with three quick-fire goals in the first leg in Slovakia eight days ago and that task became insurmountable after 69 minutes of last night’s encounter.
The deadlock was broken when Peter Cvirik drilled the ball to the Rovers net from a free just outside the box after 69 minutes.
The first real scoring chance went the way of Spartak in the eighth minute when Martin Mikovic and Miroslav Karhan forced a corner that was cleared.
Sligo’s first chance fell to Jason McGuinness after 22 minutes but his headed effort was dealt with under pressure by the visitors’ defence. Ian Baraclough’s side missed a great opportunity to pull a goal back in the 25th minute when Danny North stepped up to a penalty after Romauld Boco was taken down but top-scorer North’s kick was well saved by Miroslav Filiipko in the Spartak goal.
Mario Bicak went close for the Slovakians two minutes before half-time but the Rovers goal survived. Acres of space opened up in front of Mikovic in the 63rd minute but the danger was averted by the home side.
McGuinness scored a consolation goal with a headed effort three minutes into stoppage time but it was far too little and far too late for Ian Baracloughs side.
SLIGO ROVERS: Rogers, Peers, McGuinness, Gaynor, Ventre, Conneely, Ndo, Cawley, Boco, Millien, North. Subs: Quigley for North (49 mins), Lynch for Ventre (71 mins), Connolly for Millien (76 mins), .
SPARTAK TRNAVA: Filiipko, Cvirik, Gross, Hamzel. Jamecka, Mikovic, Vyskocil, Schranz, Stozicky, Karhan, Bicak. Subs: Carmota for Vyskocil (61 mins), Gasparik for Mikovic (67 mins), Koubsky for Schranz (85 mins).
Referee: Maksimk Layushkin(Russia).
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