DESPITE CURRENTLY BEING without a manager, Dundalk rallied to secure a respectable 1-1 draw with Shamrock Rovers at Oriel Park this evening.
The hosts took the lead after 18 minutes, when Gary Shanahan capitalised on a Mark Griffin flick through to score with an opportunistic finish.
Despite their well-documented recent troubles, Dundalk held their own thereafter, but suffered a setback on the hour mark.
Rovers deservedly equalised, when Daryl Kavanagh finished well after the hosts had failed to clear a Killian Brennan free kick.
Both sides then had chances to win it in the last half hour, but ultimately had to be content with a share of the spoils.
Elsewhere, Shelbourne secured a thrilling 3-2 victory over Bray at the Carlisle Grounds.David Cassidy took advantage of some poor Bray defending to open the scoring for Shels, after two players ill-advisedly went for the same ball in the Bray defence.
Kieran Waters then finished with aplomb to equalise, after Brian Shortall failed to adequately deal with a bouncing ball.
Philip Gorman then restored Shels’ advantage on the brink of half-time with a tap in from a Philip Hughes cross, before Bray again equalised early in the second half, through a powerful strike just inside the box by Philip Mulroy, after goalkeeper Chris Bennion failed to hold onto a dangerous cross.
Paddy Kavanagh then won it for the visitors with just over ten minutes remaining, after goalkeeper Darren Quigley could only parry a cross into his path.
Finally, in the night’s other game, Sligo beat Derry 2-1, thanks to a late Mark Quigley goal. More details on the game can be found here.