Dundalk 2-2 Sligo Rovers
Alan Keane was the Sligo Rovers hero as his 75th-minute strike secured the Bit O’Red a valuable share of the spoils following a 2-2 draw with Dundalk at Oriel Park.
Ronan Finn’s 16th-minute goal gave the league leaders the advantage at half-time but Sligo pulled level after just three minutes of the second half through Dinny Corcoran.
Finn restored Dundalk’s advantage with his fifth goal of the campaign - a sensational effort just past the hour - but Keane’s long-distance drive extended Sligo’s unbeaten run under Mickey Adams to five games and keeps them two points ahead of a resurgent Limerick side who still prop up the table.
For Dundalk, this was a case of two dropped points as they missed the chance to go ten points clear of Cork City but the Leesiders’ 0-0 draw with Bray Wanderers will come as some consolation to Stephen Kenny and his players, who still hold a commanding eight-point advantage at the summit with just six games to play.
Both managers shuffled their respective packs with Ciaran Kilduff, Chris Shields and Darren Meenan coming into the Dundalk team.
Adams recalled Morten Nielsen and Tim Clancy, while there was a first start in a Sligo Rovers jersey for new signing Jennison Myrie-Williams.
A bright opening saw both teams start on the front foot. Former Bit O’Red goalkeeper Gary Rogers had to gather a Nielsen drive at the second attempt before Meenan took the wrong option with the ball at his feet just outside the Sligo box, dragging his shot wide.
Dane Massey then volleyed well off target after being cleverly picked out in oceans of space by Ronan Finn on the left of the Sligo box, much to the frustration of the white shirts in the middle.
Dundalk upped the tempo and they went ahead with Finn’s second strike in the space of five days. Rovers centre-back Tim Clancy lost his footing on the edge of the penalty area and the midfielder pounced, slamming the ball past Richard Brush with an emphatic finish.
Sligo offered a bit more as the half ticked on and a gilt edged opportunity arrived their way in the 32nd minute.
Myrie Williams was the creator, cutting the ball back perfectly from the right for Corcoran, but he could only guide his effort agonisingly over the top from close range.
The champions always looked menacing at the other end and Kilduff, who led the line brilliantly for Dundalk, was desperately unlucky to see a spectacular overhead kick hit the crossbar.
Sligo remained well in contention and they squandered another good opening just before the break. Jason Hughes nipped clear of Meenan in the penalty area but he opted to pull the ball back instead of testing Rogers from a dangerous position.
The half-time chit chat amongst the home support centred on Cork City’s scoreless draw in Bray but the mood darkened as Sligo pulled level in the 48th minute.
Myrie Williams’s vicious free-kick from the right crept all the way to the back post and Corcoran managed to squeeze the ball home despite the valiant efforts of Gartland on the line.
The former Scunthorpe United man continued to pose a big threat and he had Dundalk back peddling again four minutes later, cutting in from the right to see his shot deflected wide for a corner.
Kenny’s side responded in devastating fashion with another moment of magic from Finn restoring their lead in the 61st minute. The 27-year-old sidestepped David Cawley as though he wasn’t there before smacking a delicious effort past Brush from 30-yards
Sligo showed no signs of throwing in the towel and Clancy found himself in an advanced position to force a corner, his shot from outside the box unconvincingly pushed around the post by Rogers.
If the Dundalk goalkeeper looked jittery with that effort, he fared little better from the resulting corner. The ball was cleared as far as Keane, some 35 yards out, and he sent a piledriver at goal, the ball evading Rogers’ grasp.
Dundalk pushed for a third and Richie Towell burst through to test Brush in the 89th minute, the Sligo netminder showing strong hands to tip the ball over. From the corner, Gartland fluffed his header despite being unmarked just 10 yards out.
Dundalk FC: Gary Rogers; Sean Gannon, Brian Gartland, Andy Boyle, Dane Massey; Richie Towell, Chris Shields; Darren Meenan, Ronan Finn, Daryl Horgan (Stephen O’Donnell 66) (John Mountney 87); Ciaran Kilduff (David McMillan 80).
Sligo Rovers: Richard Brush; Alan Keane, Gavin Peers, Tim Clancy, Regan Donelan; Gary Boylan, David Cawley; Morten Nielsen (Raffaele Cretaro 69), Jason Hughes (Anthony Elding 69), Jennison Myrie Williams; Dinny Corcoran (Ruairi Keating 76).
Referee: Paul Tuite.
