Sligo Rovers beat Galway United to maintain European push

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