return to the league. In 1945 the club couldn't raise sufficient funds to facilitate this and the following year improvement works at the Showgrounds delayed the return by another year. In 1947 Rovers applied to rejoin the league but were unsuccessful as the league decided to maintain its structure of eight teams. A year later and the club were this time successful and were readmitted to the league along with Transport for the 1948–49 season. After two quiet seasons Rovers were once again challenging for honours, this time going close to winning the league title. Going into the final game of the season against Transport, Rovers needed a win to finish level on points with Cork Athletic and force a play-off but they could only draw 0–0 and finished second, a point behind Athletic. The Cork side also denied Rovers in the FAI Cup knocking them out 2–0 at the semi-final stage. At the beginning of the next season the club signed Scottish forward Johnny Armstrong who would go on to stay with the club for several years and become the all-time leading goalscorer. The next few seasons saw Rovers finish around mid-table. On 6 March 1955 one of the most famous games the Showgrounds has seen took place when Rovers were drawn to face Shamrock Rovers in the FAI Cup. Before the match Rovers announced that they had signed Austrian International Albert Straka to play in the game and this attracted much attention resulting in a crowd of over 7,000. In the final minute with Rovers 2–1 down a penalty was awarded and up stepped Straka to equalise and create jubilant scenes. Rovers would go on to lose the replay. Rovers finished the 1956–57 season in third place however it would be another nine seasons before they would finish inside the top three again. The slump began in the 1957–58 season with the club finishing in the bottom two and therefore having to apply for re-election for the first time. During the next few years Rovers struggled on the pitch as well as off it with persistent financial difficulties blighting the club. This came to a head at the end of the 1961–62 season when the decision was made to cut the league from 12 clubs to 10. With Rovers having finished bottom for the last two seasons they, along with Transport, were dismissed from the league despite the