Sligo Rovers 3 - 0 Shamrock Rovers

Sligo Rovers have booked their place in the FAI Cup Final for the fourth time in five years following a 3-0 victory over Shamrock Rovers at The Showgrounds.

Goals from Danny Ventre, Anthony Elding and an Alan Keane penalty secured a deserved victory for The Bit O’Red.

Sligo Rovers opened the scoring after 25 minutes, perhaps against the run of play, when Aaron Greene’s cross found Danny Ventre who initially scuffed his effort, but finished second time of asking.

Danny North came close to doubling the lead minutes later when he showed great technique in the box before lining up a shot straight at Richard Brush.

The goal really seemed to knock the stuffing out of The Hoops whose performance for the remainder of the half was a shadow of the opening 15 minutes.

Sligo began the second-half very brightly, with North first going close again when he was on the end of superb, one touch football between Raff Cretaro and Kieran Djilali, but the striker could only shoot straight at Brush.

Shamrock Rovers applied pressure for an equaliser, but their hopes took a major blow with 15 minutes to go when Raffaele Cretaro was awarded a penalty following a foul by Conor McCormack who received a straight red card.

Alan Keane stepped up to take the spot-kick and smashed it straight down the centre to double his side’s lead.

Aaron Greene came agonisingly close to making it 3-0 with ten minutes remaining when he saw an effort saved by Brush. The loose ball came to David Cawley whose tame shot was blocked.

They would go on to make it 3-0 in the final minutes when Mark Quigley squared a ball straight to Greene who broke into the box and passed for Anthony Elding to slot the ball under Brush.

Sligo Rovers: Gary Rogers; Alan Keane, Evan McMillan, Jeff Henderson (David Cawley, 65), Iarfhlaith Davoren; Danny Ventre, Joseph Ndo, Kieran Djilali, Raffaele Cretaro (Anthony Elding, 85), Aaron Greene; Danny North (Seamus Conneely, 67).
Subs not used: Ciaran Kelly, Lee Lynch, Pascal Millien, Liam Martin.

Booked: Henderson (35), Elding (89).

Shamrock Rovers: Richard Brush; Conor McCormack, Ken Oman, Jason McGuinness, Conor Powell; Gary McCabe (Mark Quigley, 59), Ronan Finn (Karl Sheppard 82), Richie Ryan, Shane Robinson, Billy Dennehy (Sean O’Connor, 70); Thomas Stewart.
Subs not used: Barry Murphy, Derek Foran, Danny Ledwith, Stephen Rice.

Booked: McGuinness (23), Quigley (77), Oman (83).

Referee: Alan Kelly.

Attendance: 3,933.

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Jeff Henderson (Sligo Rovers).