Sligo 0-1 Dundalk
A last-gasp goal from Dane Massey gave Dundalk all three points against the ten men of Sligo Rovers in the Airtricity League Premier Division tonight.
The home side had the best of the early chances, when Ross Gaynor’s free-kick was headed just wide by Evan McMillan after six minutes. But the talking point of the first-half came in the 10th minute, when former Dundalk man Gaynor received his marching orders for taking down Darren Meenan on the edge of the box.
The visitors failed to take advantage of the extra man, though, and couldn’t construct a move to trouble Rovers. John Mountney came excruciatingly close, though when he ran towards goal under pressure from Alan Keane before Gary Rogers managed to intercept his run. Mountney again though tried to slip it goalwards, but watched on in agony as he saw his effort just clip the near post.
The game turned into a scrappy affair in the second half and it certainly could have been ten-players-a-side, when former Sligo man Daryl Horgan wrestled John Russell to the ground, but received just a booking for his offence.
Both sides struggled to put together a decent attack, and Stephen Kenny’s side could not get the better of Sligo. A Daryl Horgan corner was hit towards goal by Patrick Hoban, but Gary Rogers got his body in the way and kept it out.
The eventual breakthrough came in the 92nd minute, when substitute Ruaidhri Higgins’ corner from the left was headed in by Massey to give the visitors all three points.
SLIGO ROVERS: Rogers, Gaynor, Henderson, McMillan, Keane, Greene, Russell, Cawley, Odhiambo (Conneely, 87), Maguire (Ledwith, 14 [O’Conor, 52]), North. Substitutes: Brush, Flatley, Dykes, Spillane.
DUNDALK: Cherrie, Massey, Gartland, Boyle, Gannon (Higgins, 85), Horgan, Towell, O’Donnell, Mountney (McMillan, 56), Meenan (Byrne, 68), Hoban. Substitutes: Sava, Shields, Griffin, Kaguako.