Tough cup draw for Bit O’ Red as Peers and Coleman miss out on Irish duty

By Darragh Cox
sport@sligopost.com

A bad week for Sligo Rovers was compounded when defenders Gavin Peers and Seamus Coleman were forced out of the Irish U23 squad for last night’s international against Northern Ireland through injury.
Added to this, Paul Cook’s side were drawn in the toughest game of the third round of the Ford FAI Cup.
The draw was made by new Irish senior boss Giovanni Trapattoni on Monday evening, and the Bit O’ Red must travel to Tolka Park in Dublin to face record winners Shamrock Rovers in the only all-Premier Division tie of the round.
The positive news for Sligo is that they faced the Hoops at the same stage last year – again in Tolka Park - and came through after a dramatic 3-2 victory.
The also beat the 24-times FAI Cup winners by the same scoreline in a league tie when the sides met in the Showgrounds two weeks ago.
The FAI Cup represents Rovers’ only realistic chance of silverware this season, after they were knocked out of the Eircom League Cup in a penalty shootout by Jeff Kenna’s Galway United at home last Tuesday, and followed this up with a 1-0 defeat to Cork City in the league on Friday.
The loss was Rovers’ first league defeat since March 22, and was not helped by referee Declan Hanney’s decision to book defender Jamie McKenzie for diving when Rovers players and fans were calling for a penalty in the second-half, believing the Scottish youngster had been tripped.
The booking was McKenzie’s second of the game and he was subsequently sent-off. Chris Butler also saw red for a double booking in the closing stages.
McKenzie was deputising for the injured Peers, who missed both the Galway and the Cork match and was also ruled out of the Irish U23 game with a hamstring injury.
Coleman managed 90 minutes against Cork, but pulled out of the squad on Monday.
Both players are now a doubt for Saturday’s home game against in-form Bray Wanderers, while Butler will miss out through suspension.
Cook will also be forced to watch the game from the stands as he starts a four-game ban following a recent sending-off.
But a victory over Bray could see Rovers climb to third if results go their way in other games.
Saturday’s game at the Showgrounds kicks off at 8pm.