SLIGO ROVERS have looked strong in every department this season but as they head for Bray tonight in the hope of taking another major step towards the title, Mark Quigley’s form up front is centre stage with the striker named yesterday as the Airtricity/Soccer Writers’ Association Player of the Month for August thanks to a run in which he has averaged a goal a game for the league leaders.
“Over the last two months, we have played our best football of the season,” says the former St Patrick’s Athletic and Dundalk forward who has scored a fair proportion of his career goals against Pat Devlin’s men.
“Whether we are playing home or away, we have never been negative and looked to pack the midfield or anything like that – and I think it has benefited us.
“The manager has instilled this positive approach to everything we do. Whether it is training or preparing for a match, nothing is negative – it’s all about winning. I think that has showed in our results and our recent form.
“We have gone into every game to win it and have nearly done that every time. We’ve only lost once and we’ve beaten almost every team in the league, so that shows how well we’ve done. But we have to keep it going.”
They head to the Carlisle Grounds with Gavin Peers whose only previous suspension this season coincided with the club’s only league defeat while Alan Keane and Iarfhlaith Davoren are set to miss the run-in due to metatarsal and heel injuries respectively. Still, Ian Baraclough looks to have the resources to engineer another win.
The hosts have Jason Byrne, who scored when Bray Wanderers earned a 1-1 draw at the Showgrounds in July, and Dean Zambra back from suspension but Kevin O’Connor is suspended.
Elsewhere, Cork City and UCD will try to maintain their dramatic recent improvements in league form at Bohemians and Derry City respectively. City travel to Dublin without either Gearóid Morrissey or Ian Turner, both of whom are suspended. Cathal Lordan and Brian Lenihan are injured but John Dunleavy and Colin Healy could return with both men facing late tests before the game.
The students, meanwhile, will be missing goalkeeper John Kelly for the rest of the season but Cillian Morrison (ankle), Graham Rusk (shin) and Chris Mulhall (groin) are all edging their way back towards full fitness and could feature in some way tonight.
Bohemians have Derek Pender suspended and Ryan McEvoy (ankle) out while City will be missing the suspended Simon Madden and Ryan McBride but could have Owen Morrison, Stewart Greacen and Ruaidhrí Higgins back in contention to start.
Tonight’s fixtures (7.45 unless stated): Premier Division: Bray Wanderers v Sligo Rovers (7.05), Home: 7/1, Draw: 16/5, Away: 2/5; Bohemians v Cork City, Home: 11/8, Draw: 11/5, Away: 15/8; Derry City v UCD, Home: 8/11, Draw: 5/2, Away: 7/2; Dundalk v Shelbourne, Home: 9/5, Draw: 9/4, Away: 7/5.
First Division: Athlone Town v Mervue United, Home: 21/20, Draw: 9/4, Away: 9/4; SD Galway v Limerick, Home: 12/1, Draw: 5/1, Away: 1/6; Waterford v Longford Town, Home: Evens, Draw: 11/5, Away: 5/2; Wexford Youths v Finn Harps (8.0), Home: 6/5, Draw: 23/10, Away: 19/10.
