Last gasp Dundalk equaliser rescues point for league leaders

Sligo Rovers 1

Dundalk 1

DUNDALK REMAIN ON top of the Airtricity Premier Division following a last gasp equaliser against Sligo Rovers.

The Bit o’Red went ahead in the first half thanks to a Danny North penalty, before David McMillan levelled things up in the 86th minute.

Although the odds certainly would have been in the home side’s favour, the Bit o’Red looked the better side from the beginning.

Despite a couple of Kurtis Byrne shots in the early stages, Rovers soon piled the pressure on Dundalk’s defence when both Danny North and Evan McMillan came close.

Sligo Rovers took a well deserved lead in the 31st minute when they were awarded a penalty after Eamon Zayed was taken down by Andy Boyle. North sent Peter Cherrie the wrong way to make it 1-0.

It could have been 2-0 minutes later, when firstly, Evan McMillan crossed deep for North, who flicked it back for Maguire, but his pass was intercepted. Then, seconds later, David Cawley trickled his way into box before crossing for Zayed, who somehow smashed it way over, despite being just yards away from goal.

Stephen Kenny’s side then came agonisingly close just before the break, when former Rovers man Horgan’s shot beat Gary Rogers, before a vital block from Seamus Conneely prevented an equaliser.

The Louth men looked troubled, and started the second-half with more urgency, but again, failed to trouble Gary Rogers in the Sligo goal. Rovers continued to attack, and David Cawley tried his luck with a long range effort that was nowhere near Cherrie’s goal, before David McMillan took down a Zayed ball and tried to lob it over Cherrie, but saw his effort go wide.

With time running out, Dundalk refused to give up, and levelled things up with just minutes left on the clock. A superb Dane Massey cross found the unmarked David McMillan, and he put it past Rogers to make it 1-1.

There was more drama to come though, as Sligo were soon down to ten men. Alan Keane was sent off for his second yellow of the night in the 95th minute – too late to make a difference.

SLIGO ROVERS: Rogers, Keane, Spillane, Peers, Conneely, Cawley, O’Conor, Maguire, North, Zayed (Keating, 90), E McMillan.

Subs: Brush, Flatley, Taheny, Donelon, Armstrong, McManus.

DUNDALK: Cherrie, Gannon, Boyle, Gartland, Massey, Meenan, Towell, Byrne (McDermott, 72), Shields (Higgins, 65), Horgan (D. McMillan, 63), Hoban.

Subs: Sava, Griffin, McDermott, Mountney, Rossiter.

Referee: Paul McLaughlin.

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UCD 1

Athlone Town 1

At the other end of the table, UCD and Athlone played out a 1-1 draw in Belfield.

The students opened the scoring through a Conor Cannon first half goal.

However, while John Mulroy’s second half effort secured a point for Athlone, they remain rooted to the foot of the Airtricity Premier Division table while UCD’s superior goal difference keeps them ahead of Bray in 10th, but only just.

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