Page 29 - COBH WANDERERS V SLIGO ROVERS FAI CUP 3RD ROUND 2015

SLIGO ROVERS - 1983 - FAI Cup glory for long-waiting Rovers

Sligo Rovers suffered much heartbreak in the FAI Cup throughout its history getting to six
finals, two of which needed replays, but never managing to capture the trophy. Having won
two league titles the most recent of which was six years previous the FAI Cup was the prize
most Rovers fans and players coveted. The journey began with a trip to Dublin to play Home
Farm and Rovers were victorious with a 1-0 win thanks to a penalty from Andy Elliott. Next
up would be Shamrock Rovers in the Showgrounds the side who had defeated Rovers in a
controversial final just five years before. In front of a big crowd it was Rovers who were the
winners this time with locals Harry McLoughlin and Tony Fagan on target to secure the win.

The semi-final draw looked like it would hand Rovers a comfortable passage through to a
second final in three years as non-league Cobh Ramblers were the opposition. However this
wasn’t to be the case as Cobh took the lead in Flower Lodge with Rovers needing a late equal-
iser from the head of Mick Graham to force a replay back home the following Wednesday.
It looked as though Rovers had got the better of their opponents with Mick Graham open-
ing the scoring followed up by Harry McLoughlin to make it 2-0. But Cobh fought back this
time and got the two goals needed to bring Rovers back to County Cork for a second replay.
This game didn’t produce any goals and it was looking like the teams would be impossible to
separate in a tie that captured the imaginations of both towns. The third replay would be in
theShowgrounds on Sunday April 17. It looked as though Cobh had finally managed to pull off
the shock as they raced into a two goal lead but this epic encounter had yet more drama to
provide. Inspirational centre-back Chris Rutherford scored with two headers to force the game
into extra-time and that was where the tie was eventually decided with Gus Gilligan get-
ting the goal to mean Rovers would be in the final at the expense of the desperately unlucky
Cobh.

That meant that Rovers had just one week to prepare for the final which would be against
Bohemians at their home groundDalymount Park the following Sunday. The game didn’t start
well for Rovers with Chris Rutherford having to leave the game early with an injury forcing
player-manager Paul Fielding to come into the action while Tony Stenson at one stage looked
as though he might not be able to continue due to injury. It got worse for Rovers before half-
time with a header from Barry Murphy giving Bohs a deserved lead at the break. However
Rovers demonstrated tremendous spirit to fight back and were level just 13 minutes into the
second period as Martin McDonnell’s free-kick was smashed home by TonyStenson. Rovers
continued to drive forward from there and with Martin McDonnell again providing the pass on
a muddy surface to find winger Harry McLoughlin. From there he produced one of the most
famous moments in FAI Cup final history as he came in from the left to curl the ball into the
top corner over the head of Bohs keeper Dermot O’Neill. Rovers held out for the remainder
of the game and in the 55th year of their existence finally had their hands on the FAI Cup.
It was fitting that long-serving Sligo man Tony Fagan who holds the club record for most ap-
pearances was the man to lift the trophy aloft. Sligo Rovers team that won the FAI Cup final
in 1983 : Oakley, Ferry, Fox, Rutherford, Stenson, McLoughlin, Fagan, Savage, McDonnell,
Gilligan, Elliott Subs:Fielding (Rutherford 19’) , Graham

1994 - Who put the ball in the Derry net?
The 1993-94 season was a historic one for Sligo Rovers with Willie McStay’s side winning an
incredible treble the most notable of which was defying the odds to win the clubs second ever
FAI Cup 11 years after the last. The team won promotion back to the top flight by winning the
First Division while the First Division Shield was also won earlier in the season.

The route to the final did not begin in spectacular fashion as non-league Glenmore
Celtic came away from theShowgrounds with a 1-1 draw despite Declan Boyle scor-
ing for Rovers. That meant a replay would be needed and Rovers advanced with a
2-1 win with goals from Scot Eddie Annandand Englishman Gerry Carr who would
go on to play a central roles in the eventual victory. The next round put Rovers up
against strong opposition in the shape of Premier Division side Cork City that would
finish the league as runners-up that season. However it was Rovers who came out
on top on a wet night under the newly installed floodlights in the Showgrounds with
goals from centre-back and captain Gavin Dykes and another of McStay’s British
imports Riccardo Gabbiadini giving a 2-0 victory.