DUNDALK MOVED THREE points clear of champions Cork City with their 13th league win a row, defeating Sligo Rovers 2-0 at the Showgrounds.
Michael Duffy’s 10th goal of the season early on was added to by Patrick Hoban in the second half as the league leaders continue their push for the league title.
The Lilywhites came into this game knowing that a win would see them move ahead of Cork City at the top of the table once again as they were tied on points with the champions earlier in the day but ahead on goal difference.
Ger Lyttle’s men, on the other hand, came into this game eight points clear of Limerick who they beat 3-1 on Friday night, giving them a bit of breathing room as they aim to avoid the drop.
Patrick Hoban celebrates with his mother, Sue, at full-time Ciaran Culligan / INPHO
Ciaran Culligan / INPHO / INPHO
The hosts were first to threaten when Rhys McCabe broke, turned and shot from 20 yards out, and forced Gary Rogers into his first stop of the evening.
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Rovers were impressive at times, but a lapse in concentration meant Dundalk took the lead with almost 30 minutes on the clock.
A harmless looking pass from Chris Shields rolled into the path of Duffy, but as Kyle Callan-McFadden turned his back, the former Celtic man surged goalwards and curled his effort around Mitchell Beeney to give Stephen Kenny’s men the lead.
Duffy was causing all sorts of problems for the hosts in the first half as they struggled to get to grips with the Derry native.
Drennan, who scored twice for Sligo on Friday night, should have equalized when Rhys McCabe and Lee Lynch combined on the right-hand side but the former Shamrock Rovers man was left to agonise as Rogers got down to save it.
The visitors should have extended their lead shortly before the interval when Duffy’s ball from the left was skied over the bar by Jamie McGrath.
Ger Lyttle shuffled his pack in the second half, bringing on Raff Cretaro for what was his 432nd league appearance for the club, surpassing the record previously set by Rovers legend Tony Fagan.
But Cretaro’s record-breaking appearance didn’t exactly go to plan: his side was soon trailing 2-0.
Patrick Hoban heads home Dundalk's second Ciaran Culligan / INPHO
Ciaran Culligan / INPHO / INPHO
Duffy’s corner was headed past Beeney by the unchallenged Hoban on 78 minutes – his 24th league goal of the season – sealing all three points for the league leaders.
Sligo Rovers: Mitchell Beeney, Kyle Callan-McFadden, John Mahon, Patrick McClean, Regan Donelon (Raff Cretaro, 70) Rhys McCabe (Lewis Morrison, 82), Jack Keaney, Lee Lynch, David Cawley, Kris Twardek (Adam Wixted, 64), Mikey Drennan.
Dundalk: Gary Rogers, Sean Gannon, Brian Gartland, Sean Hoare, Dane Massey, Dylan Connolly (Patrick McEleney, 70), Chris Shields, Robbie Benson (Dean Jarvis, 89), Jamie McGrath (John Mountney, 80), Michael Duffy, Patrick Hoban.
Referee: Ben Connolly
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Dundalk move three points clear of champions Cork City with 13th straight league win
SLIGO ROVERS 0
DUNDALK 2
Jessica Farry reports from the Showgrounds
DUNDALK MOVED THREE points clear of champions Cork City with their 13th league win a row, defeating Sligo Rovers 2-0 at the Showgrounds.
Michael Duffy’s 10th goal of the season early on was added to by Patrick Hoban in the second half as the league leaders continue their push for the league title.
The Lilywhites came into this game knowing that a win would see them move ahead of Cork City at the top of the table once again as they were tied on points with the champions earlier in the day but ahead on goal difference.
Ger Lyttle’s men, on the other hand, came into this game eight points clear of Limerick who they beat 3-1 on Friday night, giving them a bit of breathing room as they aim to avoid the drop.
The hosts were first to threaten when Rhys McCabe broke, turned and shot from 20 yards out, and forced Gary Rogers into his first stop of the evening.
Rovers were impressive at times, but a lapse in concentration meant Dundalk took the lead with almost 30 minutes on the clock.
A harmless looking pass from Chris Shields rolled into the path of Duffy, but as Kyle Callan-McFadden turned his back, the former Celtic man surged goalwards and curled his effort around Mitchell Beeney to give Stephen Kenny’s men the lead.
Duffy was causing all sorts of problems for the hosts in the first half as they struggled to get to grips with the Derry native.
Drennan, who scored twice for Sligo on Friday night, should have equalized when Rhys McCabe and Lee Lynch combined on the right-hand side but the former Shamrock Rovers man was left to agonise as Rogers got down to save it.
The visitors should have extended their lead shortly before the interval when Duffy’s ball from the left was skied over the bar by Jamie McGrath.
Ger Lyttle shuffled his pack in the second half, bringing on Raff Cretaro for what was his 432nd league appearance for the club, surpassing the record previously set by Rovers legend Tony Fagan.
But Cretaro’s record-breaking appearance didn’t exactly go to plan: his side was soon trailing 2-0.
Duffy’s corner was headed past Beeney by the unchallenged Hoban on 78 minutes – his 24th league goal of the season – sealing all three points for the league leaders.
Sligo Rovers: Mitchell Beeney, Kyle Callan-McFadden, John Mahon, Patrick McClean, Regan Donelon (Raff Cretaro, 70) Rhys McCabe (Lewis Morrison, 82), Jack Keaney, Lee Lynch, David Cawley, Kris Twardek (Adam Wixted, 64), Mikey Drennan.
Dundalk: Gary Rogers, Sean Gannon, Brian Gartland, Sean Hoare, Dane Massey, Dylan Connolly (Patrick McEleney, 70), Chris Shields, Robbie Benson (Dean Jarvis, 89), Jamie McGrath (John Mountney, 80), Michael Duffy, Patrick Hoban.
Referee: Ben Connolly
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Dundalk Leaders LOI Sligo Rovers