Sligo: Head to Head

With Sligo Rovers the visitors to Brandywell tonight, we have taken a quick look back at recent meetings between the two teams.

City may have enjoyed high League finishes in recent years, but the history books shows that games between the two sides are often tight affairs.

2025

Derry City won the season series, taking three victories to Sligo’s one, a marked improvement comapred to the year before.  The tone was set early on March 15, 2025, when Derry travelled to The Showgrounds and snatched a professional 1-0 victory, signalling their intent to banish their inconsistent away form.

They followed this up with the most dominant performance of the rivalry in recent memory on April 22, dismantling Sligo 3-0 at the Brandywell. However, the unpredictability of this fixture returned in the summer. On July 12, Sligo Rovers, playing with pride and grit at home, stunned the title chasers with a 2-0 win, a result that ultimately proved costly in Derry’s tight race for the league trophy.  Patrick McClean got on the scoresheet that even for Sligo, whereas tonight he will be back in the colours of Derry City.

Derry finished the campaign with a 1-0 win back at Brandywell, but the defeat in Sligo was a costly one to side as their form stumbled in the middle of the season.

2024

Rovers were to continue their run from the year before and had the upper hand this year, with a win in the Showgrounds in July to go with three others draws.  In a year that City were chasing a League title, two home draws were definitiely considered dropped points as Shelbourne eventually clinched the League at Brandywell.

The opening fixture was a forgettable 0-0 draw on the road, and whilst the return fixture at Brandywell was an exicting game, it ended with a 2-2 draw.  The visitors, showing no fear on the road were twice ahead in that game before City hauled themselves back on level terms to grab a share of the spoils.

Rovers built on their impressive performance in Derry and took all three points with a 2-1 win at home iun July in a season where they were rapidly becoming a boget side for the Candystripes.  City rounded out the year with another draw in the Brandywell wondering what might have been if they had not dropped 10 points against Sligo that year.  The challenges of 2023 ahd continued for the Candystripes when facing their rivals from the North West.

2023

2023 was to be Sligo’s year as they won 2 of the games between the sides and also pick up a draw.  Given that City ended the season nearly 30 points ahead of Rovers, and pushing in second place, it was a sign that Sligo were a troublesome side for City.

The season started with a draw iat Brandywell on St Patricks weekend,  whereas after that it was to be home advantage – Sligo winning twice in the Showgrounds and City picking up a 2-1 win in the Brandywell.  Given Sligo picked up nearly 20% of their points for the season against City, it was a sign of just how difficult Derry were finding games against Sligo.

The Head-to-Head Verdict (2023-2025)

When you combine the results of the last three seasons (12 league matches), the record is astonishingly even:

• Derry City Wins: 4

• Sligo Rovers Wins: 4

• Draws: 4

It is a perfect 33% split across the board. For a Derry City side that has consistently harboured title ambitions, this record is a sobering reality check. They have dropped significant points against Sligo Rovers, particularly away from home. However, the Brandywell has generally been a safer fortress, with Derry winning the last two home encounters without conceding a goal.