Rovers had the ball in the net within the first minute but Matthew Blinkhorn's effort was ruled out following a push while, within minutes, Portuguese defender Mauro Almeida turned an effort against the woodwork before a Conal Burns 16th minute clearance denied Eoin Doyle.

But it took skipper Danny Ventre until six minutes from the break to open the scoring on 39 minutes when he nodded an Alan Keane delivery past 'keeper Jack Duffin.

Then, in first half stoppage time, Doyle made it 2-0 when he converted Blinkhorn's cross at the end to put a more realistic look on proceedings.

Cliftonville might have reduced the deficit during an impressive just after the hour mark when first Stephen Brennan's effort rose narrowly over while Conal Burns could only look on in frustration after his well struck volley cannoned back off an upright with Rovers 'keeper Richard Brush beaten.

However, Sligo grabbed their third with seven minutes remaining after Pádraig Amond got on the end of a Blinkhorn cross.