Sligo Rovers (0) - St Patrick's Athletic (2)

Sligo Rovers 0 - St Patrick's Athletic 2

St Patrick's Athletic finished the season with their ninth win on the bounce as they saw off Sligo Rovers at the Showgrounds.

Ex-Rovers man Aidan Keena opened the scoring shortly before half-time in this one, while substitute Roman Palmer settled the result for the visitors at the death.

The result means Pat's end the season in third, their late season run sees them finish four points off champions Shelbourne. While the Bit O'Red, predicted by many as possible relegation candidates are left to settle for a respectable sixth placed finish.

With little to play for but the hope of finishing ahead of Connacht rivals Galway United, the home side made one change from last week's score draw with the Tribesmen. Centre half John Mahon was handed his first start just two days short of one year since his last start for the club following an achilles injury which kept him sidelined for the vast majority of the year.

Hoping for a top two finish and aiming to continue that run of consecutive wins, Pat's likewise made the one switch. Jake Mulraney replacing Zach Elbouzedi from the narrow win over Derry City in Inchicore.

The occasion certainly didn't have an end of season feel with both sides contributing to an entertaining pace to the game.

The Saints looked like they might steal a march inside the opening 60 seconds, but Kian Leavy's touch let him down when it looked like he was through on Ed McGinty's goal.

Three minutes later, Sligo's Luke Pearce then spurned a great chance to open the scoring. Pat's full back Ryan McLaughlin could only nod Will Fitzgerald's looping cross upwards and on to the head of Pearce. The Cardiff loanee had both time and space on his side, but could only head wide from five yards out.

McGinty was on hand to keep the scores level shortly after when he kept out a Chris Forrester effort from the edge of the area. Forrester almost capitalising on the space offered to him by Ollie Denham who had strayed well out of position.

McGinty's opposite number Joseph Anang reacted to block a Fitzgerald snapshot from the angle on the half hour. While Rovers were forced into a change ten minutes from the interval when Simon Power was forced off with injury.

Things deteriorated further for the hosts seven minutes from half-time when they fell behind to their former player. Jake Mulraney striding around Fitzgerald before laying a cross onto the forehead of Keena who nodded past McGinty for his fifth goal of the campaign and his second against his old club.

McGinty kept Rovers from sinking further when he flashed a wrist at Brandon Kavanagh's shot on 43 minutes as Stephen Kenny's charges ended the half on top.

Three minutes into the second period, Pearce went close again. Sligo skipper Niall Morahan picked out the former Southampton man with a sublime through ball, but Pearce was repelled by a great save down to his right from Anang.

Rovers had plenty of possession in opening 20 or so minutes of the second half but were unable to provide much stress to the Pat's rearguard in that time.

Anang did grab a Fitzgerald header from an Owen Elding cross on 73, while the Ghanian got behind Elding's shot on the turn 30 seconds later as Sligo began to push for the leveler.

Substitute Palmer burst the Rovers bubble however in the 90th minute when he kept clam to coolly slot the ball under McGinty for the insurance goal.

© rte.ie

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Sligo Rovers 0 - St Patrick's Athletic 2

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