Holders Sligo Rovers and Monaghan United face an FAI Ford Cup replay on Tuesday after a Showgrounds draw that featured no goals but two sendings-offs on Saturday night.
Rovers keeper Brendan Clarke was first to go for a last-man tackle on Michael Isichei after the hour-mark.
And Monaghan midfielder Keith Quinn also made an early exit after clashing off the ball with Rovers captain Richie Ryan 15 minutes later.
Rovers hit the woodwork three times on the night – through Eoin Doyle, Joseph Ndo and Matthew Blinkhorn – but the visitors worked hard to hold out and force a second meeting.
Rovers boss Paul Cook made two changes to the team beaten by Derry City in the EA Sports Cup midweek, with Joseph Ndo and Iarfhlaith Davoren coming back into the team in place of Matthew Blinkhorn and Conor Powell.
Monaghan were without the cup-tied Jordan Keegan and Willo McDonald.
Ndo was typically influential in midfield as Rovers started brightly, with John Russell proving very effective on the right hand side.
But the home side lacked a cutting edge in front of goal, and the closest they came to scoring was when Ndo’s cross was deflected goalwards by defender Alan Byrne, but Gabriel Sava reacted smartly to prevent the own goal.
Sava also saved from Ndo, while a Cretaro effort was blocked by a defender, but both Richie Ryan and Eoin Doyle missed the target with their first half efforts.
At the other end, Ryan Brennan tried his luck from distance, while John Reilly’s shot was held by Clarke.
But Clarke’s game was prematurely ended 15 minutes into the second half, when he raced out of his goal and collided with Monaghan striker Isichei.
Referee Paul Tuite had no hesitation in reaching for a straight red card, and Rovers were forced to spring last year’s cup final hero Ciaran Kelly from the bench.
Sensing an upset, Monaghan went on the offensive after this, but Sean Brennan twice missed the target with efforts, while Quinn’s long-range shot was wayward.
The midfielder then followed Clarke to the showers after clashing off-the-ball with Ryan, referee Tuite consulting an assistant before reaching for red.
Rovers threw on Matthew Blinkhorn and John Dillon looking for a winner, and Dillon flashed a shot across the face of goal and wide just after his introduction.
Dillon then combined with Cretaro, whose cross was headed off the foot of the post by Eoin Doyle.
Rovers piled on the pressure in the closing stages, and centre-back Jason McGuinness tried his luck from outside the box, but Sava handled well.
They then twice went close to snatching a winner in the five minutes of injury-time, but were denied by the crossbar on both occasions.
Firstly Ndo saw a free-kick bounce off the top of the bar, and then Blinkhorn smashed a close-range volley off the woodwork from Dillon’s cross.
Sligo Rovers: Brendan Clarke; Raffaele Cretaro, Gavin Peers, Jason McGuinness, Iarfhlaith Davoren; John Russell (Ciaran Kelly 63), Richie Ryan (John Dillon 76), Danny Ventre, Joseph Ndo, Aaron Greene (Matthew Blinkhorn 68); Eoin Doyle.
Subs not used: Conor Powell, Derek Foran, Alan Kirby.
Monaghan United: Gabriel Sava; John Reilly, Aidan Collins, Alan Byrne, Shane Grimes; Ryan Brennan, Eric Foley, Keith Quinn, Sean Brennan (Philip Byrne 90+4), Jason Marks; Michael Isichei.
Subs not used: Declan O’Brien, Keith Loughran, Rod Collins, Jake Rossiter, Paul Whelan.
Referee: Paul Tuite (Dublin).
