Sligo Rovers jumped into fourth spot in the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division after goals from Wilson Waweru and Luke Pearce on his league debut, saw the Bit o'Red beat neighbours Galway United at the Showgrounds.
Waweru fired home a glorious first half volley to give Rovers the lead in this Connacht derby and despite United throwing everything at it, Rovers stood their ground before securing the spoils in injury time at the end of the game courtesy of Pearce, whilst also keeping their tenth league clean sheet of the season.
Seeking their first win league win in Sligo since early 1996, it was a high-pressing Galway who bossed this meeting of the provincial neighbours in the very early stages.
Featuring six former Sligo players in their match day squad, as is the penchant of United boss John Caulfield, the visitors went close through an Ed McCarthy first time volley from the edge of the area three minutes in. While Rovers goalkeeper Ed McGinty had to shift his weight in time to catch an opportunistic Stephen Walsh header on nine minutes.
Chasing a fifth win in a row on all fronts, Rovers settled into this game and came up with the best of the chances for the remainder of the half.
Ellis Chapman struck Brendan Clarke's crossbar with a header from an Ollie Denham flick-on just short of the quarter hour. While there was a quick Sligo counter on 17 minutes when Simon Power's header bounced narrowly wide of the target after a sharp Rovers attack made its way diagonally across the pitch through Waweru and Malley.
Waweru struck his fifth in three games just past the half hour. The former Galway man struck a perfectly caught, first-time volley from the edge of the box which left Clarke rooted to the spot.
The hosts should have doubled their tally seven minutes from the interval, but Chapman fluffed his lines whilst one-on-one with Clarke.
The First Division champions started the second period as they had the first, pushing Sligo back although to no avail despite plenty of possession. Karl O'Sullivan, another ex-Rovers man fired over from 18 yards, the closest Galway came to leveling proceedings at that stage of the contest.
McGinty pulled off a smart, one-handed save from a Patrick Hickey header 12 minutes from time to keep the home side in the lead. Indeed, Sligo might have settled the game 90 seconds later but net-minder Clarke closed down substitute Pearce at the edge of his own area to keep out the league debutant.
The Cardiff loanee was not to be denied in the fifth minute of added time when slotted past Clarke from the angle.
Sligo Rovers: Ed McGinty; Charlie Wiggett (Jack Henry-Francis 65), Nando Pijanker, Ollie Denham, Reece Hutchinson; Niall Morahan, Connor Malley, Ellis Chapman; Will Fitzgerald, Simon Power (Owen Elding 69); Wilson Waweru (Luke Pearce 79).
Galway United: Brendan Clarke; Jeannot Essua (Junior 82), Killian Brouder, Garry Buckley, Robert Burns (Greg Cunningham 71); Jimmy Keohane, Conor McCormack (David Hurley 82); Karl O'Sullivan (Vincent Borden 54), Ed McCarthy (Francely Lomboto 71); Stephen Walsh, Patrick Hickey.
Referee: Gavin Colfer.
Attendance: 2,976
Meanwhile, in the First Division, UCD got back to winning ways with a 2-1 victory over Longford Town at Bishopsgate.
College fell behind after a misjudgement by goalkeeper Kian Moore saw him allow a ball over the top from Bastien Hery to go over his head and straight into the net in bizarre circumstances.
But the Students battled back to score goals either side of half time, with Adam Wells heading home the equaliser from close range after a cross by Ronan Finn.
Then, Mikey Raggett got what proved to be the winner with just over an hour gone, as Harry Halwax mistimed his jump, which saw a another Finn cross float over his head, the Kilkenny native pouncing at the back post.
The victory - a first in the league in four games - moves UCD three points behind second placed Athlone, and 10 clear of Wexford in sixth.
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