Sligo Rovers 0
Dundalk 1
Jessica Farry reports from The Showgrounds
KEITH WARD SCORED against his former side to ensure a third consecutive win for Dundalk as the Lilywhites moved to fourth place in the table.
Ward’s 84th minute strike was the difference as Stephen O’Donnell’s men continue their fine run.
John Russell’s side collected their first clean sheet of the season last Monday when they were 1-0 winners over St Patrick’s Athletic.
Russell’s side hosted Dundalk hoping to pick up back-to-back wins for the first time this season.
Dundalk were one place ahead of their hosts on goal difference coming into this meeting, with both sides having won five, drawn four and lost four.
Stephen O’Donnell’s side have recovered from an early season sticky patch, with two consecutive wins coming into tonight’s tie in Sligo. For the hosts, German winger Fabrice Hartmann returned from injury and came into the starting 11, with Stefan Radosavljevic also coming into the team.
Pat Hoban returned for Dundalk, with John Martin dropping to the bench. Although the early stages of the first half offered little in terms in goal-mouth action, this was a thoroughly entertaining affair.
A lovely move from Sligo Rovers almost gave the hosts the lead before the half hour mark. Reece Hutchinson found Will Fitzgerald who crossed at the goal-line for Max Mata.
The league’s leading goalscorer got a delicate tough to his nodded effort, but Nathan Shepperd in the Dundalk goals did just enough to keep it out.
West Brom loanee Rayhaan Tulloch was looking a threat early on, as he has proven so far this year. He forced a good save from Luke McNicholas on 32 minutes when he cut inside and carved out the shot for himself.
The sides were evenly matched, with Shepperd and McNicholas kept on their toes towards the end of the half.
Russell’s men should have taken the lead before half-time when Fitzgerald crossed for Mata, but the New Zealand international could only head the ball into the ground.
After the hour mark, Mata missed another gilt-edged opportunity. As he ran onto a well placed long ball over the top, he had a glorious chance to chip the ball over Shepperd in the Dundalk goals.
But the Welsh underage international read the situation well, and was out off his line to get in the way. Conor Malley then dragged his effort wide on 68 minutes after Ryan O’Kane’s initial ball in was headed away.
Stefan Radosavljevic was left wondering how he didn’t give his side the lead on 70 minutes when he pulled wide after an inch perfect cross from Reece Hutchinson.
John Martin, on the pitch mere seconds, connected really well with Malley’s ball, and a fine save from Luke McNicholas denied the Lilywhites an opener.
On 84 minutes, Ward fired Dundalk ahead. Leahy’s cross wasn’t dealt with by the Sligo defence, who left Ward unmarked.
He rose to meet the cross, and nodded well past McNicholas to put his side ahead.
It was close to 2-0 well into additional time, but Pat Hoban’s header following a salmon-like leap was again pushed wide by the Sligo ‘keeper.
Sligo Rovers: Luke McNicholas; Johan Brannefalk, John Mahon (Eanna Clancy HT) (Danny Lafferty 92), Nando Pijnaker, Reece Hutchinson; Niall Morahan (David Cawley 76), Lukas Browning; Will Fitzgerald, Stefan Radosavljevic, Fabrice Hartmann (Frank Liivak HT); Max Mata (Bogdan Vastsuk 76).
Dundalk: Nathan Sheppard; Archie Davies, Wasiri Williams, Hayden Muller, Darragh Leahy; Connor Malley, Alfie Lewis; Rayhaan Tulloch (Paul Doyle 88), Johanes Yli-Kokko (Keith Ward 76), Ryan O’Kane (John Martin 70); Pat Hoban.
Referee: Paul McLaughlin.