Sligo

  • 7-5-10
  • 7th in Irish Premier Division

    Home nations exodus in qualifiers

    Mike Jensen broke Sligo hearts as Rosenborg hit back to book their place in the third qualifying round of the Europa League.The Airtricity League side led 3-1 on aggregate at the Showgrounds when Danny North fired them into a 13th-minute lead, but Pal Andre Helland levelled on the night within three minutes before Jensen's second-half double took the Norwegians through 4-3.Derry City's hopes of progression were ended in emphatic fashion in Belarus by Shakhtyor Soligorsk.The visitors cancelled out Shakhtyor's 1-0 first-leg lead with Michael Duffy's sixth-minute opener, but the home side were back on terms within three minutes through Sergei Balanovich and further goals from Alexander Guruli, Dmitri Osipenko, Nikolai Yanush and Ilya Galyuza secured a 6-1 aggregate victory.Northern Ireland's Linfield suffered heartache too as they were unable to cling on to the 1-0 lead with which they headed for AIK Solna.The visitors remained ahead in the tie until the 56th minute, when Kennedy Igboananike levelled to set the stage for Henok Goitom to put the Swedes through 18 minutes from time.There was victory on the night, but a 3-2 defeat on aggregate, for Dundalk in Croatia.Stephen Kenny's men trailed 3-0 to Hajduk Split on aggregate when Jean Evrard Kouassi fired the home side ahead, but second-half goals from Patrick Hoban and Kurtis Byrne made for a tense conclusion.Crusaders too emerged with a positive result, although they could only draw 1-1 with Swedes IF Brommapojkarna at Seaview after losing the first leg 4-0.Skipper Colin Coates put the home side ahead with 17 minutes gone, but Dardan Rexhepi equalised within 10 minutes to secure a 5-1 aggregate win.Meanwhile, Barclays Premier League Hull will face Trencin in their first ever European tie - although the Slovakians had to survive a concerted fightback by FK Vojvodina, who trailed 4-0 going into the second leg but won 3-0 in Serbia.
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    • PA Sport

    Sligo

    SOCCER

      Advantage Derry

      Derry City beat 10-man Aberystwyth Town 4-0 in the first leg of their Europa League first round qualifying tie at Brandywell Stadium, a record home European win for the League of Ireland Premier Division side.Derry were ahead on 14 minutes through Patrick McEleney, before the key moment of the game when Seasiders goalkeeper Mike Lewis was sent off for bringing down Rory Patterson on 25 minutes.Patterson took the spot-kick himself to beat replacement goalkeeper Phil Draper, and after that it was damage limitation for the Welsh Premier League side.Mark Timlim (48) made it 3-0 with a speculative effort at the start of the second half, before some good stops from Draper frustrated the Candystripes, who eventually wrapped things up with four minutes left through Barry McNamee.Danske Bank Premiership side Linfield secured a 2-1 victory over B36 Torshavn in the Faroe Islands with a late winner from Michael Carvill.The Blues went ahead on 38 minutes with a 20-yard effort from midfielder Jamie Mulgrew, but the hosts were level on 72 minutes when Nigerian born striker Adeshina Lawal headed in a free-kick.Linfield, though, were not be denied. With just two minutes left, former Charlton and Wrexham forward Carvill bundled the ball in from close range to give Warren Feeney's men every chance of progress through from the second leg at Glenavon's Mourneview Park.Crusaders also recorded a comfortable first leg win as they beat FK Ekranas of Lithuania 3-1 at Seaview.The Belfast side were ahead on 23 minutes through Stephen Cockcroft, with Jordan Owens (43) adding a second just before half-time when he headed in following a mistake by the visiting goalkeeper.Hatchetmen captain Colin Coates made it 3-0 on 58 minutes, before Aleksandar Susnjar (88) reduced the arrears late on.Airbus UK were held to a 1-1 draw by Norwegian side FK Haugesund at Bangor City's Nantporth.Jordan Johnson (29) put the Wingmakers ahead when he converted a cross from Chris Budrys, but the visitors were level just before the break.Brazilian Daniel Bamberg (43) netted what could prove to be a crucial away goal, with a second-half effort from Johnson ruled out for offside.Northern Ireland side Sligo battled to a goalless draw against Banga of Lithuania, with John Coleman's men hopeful of a positive result in front of home support at The Showgrounds.However, Welsh Premier League Bangor City's hopes of progress are all but over following a 4-0 defeat to Stjarnan in Iceland.The home side went ahead through a penalty from Olafur Karl Finsen on 13 minutes after Anthony Miley fouled Vemmelund.Before the visitors could regroup, Veigar Gunnarsson (16) had made it 2-0.Finsen (54) scored again at the start of the second half, with Arnar Bjorgvinsson (70) wrapping things up before Bangor's miserable night was completed by a red card for Sam Hart.Northern Irish side Glenavon were also in Iceland, and were hit by a late flurry from FH Hafnarfjordur, who won 3-0.Ingimundur Niels Oskarsson (82) finally broke the brave resistance of the Lurgan Blues with eight minutes left before Atli Gudnason scored a brace in stoppage time.
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      2023 Ire Table

      TeamGPWDLGDP
      Shamrock Rovers241374+2546
      St Patricks Athletic241338+1542
      Derry City241176+1340
      Dundalk241167+639
      Bohemians221057+835
      Shelbourne227105+531
      Sligo227510-626
      Drogheda Utd226610-824
      Cork226412-1422
      UCD222317-449