Dundalk continue unbeaten run with victory over Rovers
SLIGO ROVERS DUNDALK 0 2
SLIGO Rovers’ home woes continued on Saturday night as they were defeated 2-0 by Dundalk at The Showgrounds.
Patrick Hoban and Michael Duffy netted as the Lilywhites moved up to second place in the table, just one point behind league leaders Cork City.
Gary Rogers kept his seventh clean sheet of the season - he is yet to concede a league goal in 2018.
Rovers came into this game unbeaten in their last two, picking up valuable points thanks to a draw against Bohemian FC last weekend and picking up three points with a win over strugglers Bray Wanderers earlier that week.
The Lilywhites were the league’s only unbeaten side ahead of this game, and they managed to maintain that crown on Saturday night.
The hosts certainly enjoyed a bright start to the game, keeping Rogers on his toes in the opening stages in front of a crowd of over 2,500.
Calum Waters, on loan with Sligo from Kilmarnock, forced Rogers into his first save of the game with 30 seconds on the clock, before combining with Rhys McCabe and Adam Morgan a minute later. An excellent save from the Dundalk net-minder kept Sligo at bay early doors.
Robbie Benson was then dispossessed by Caolan McAleer, but again Rogers was equal to his tame shot just minutes later.
The Lilywhites, however, withstood the pressure from Rovers and began to take control of proceedings as they settled into the game.
Ronan Murray’s free was hit straight into the hands of Micheál Schlingermann, but the visitor’s were making their intentions clear.
With a half hour on the clock, Stephen Kenny’s side took a well deserved lead, although in somewhat farcical circumstances for the Bit o’Red.
Michael Duffy’s poor cross in to the box should have been well cleared, but Seamus Sharkey somehow failed to clear it and was left red-faced as the ball rolled under his foot and fell perfectly into the path of Hoban, who only need a slight touch to beat Schlingermann.
Rovers were certainly left to rue their missed chances, as the Lilywhites were well in control of proceedings.
They did come close to equalising when McCabe’s corner was nodded just wide by David Cawley.
Dundalk almost doubled their lead on the stroke of half-time, when Duffy’s free fell to Dane Massey, but the former Bray defender could only hit the side-netting.
Hoban almost doubled his tally after the re-start when he capitalised on a Patrick McClean error, but he soon made amends on 55 minutes when it was 2-0 to the Lilywhites.
Ger Lyttle’s side failed to clear their lines twice, with Duffy’s excellent volley flying past Schlingermann to double the visitors’ lead.
Chances for the hosts were few and far between for the remainder of the game, with Gary Rogers doing excellently to deny a McClean effort late in the second-half.
Duffy then sent his effort wide as Dundalk went in search of a third, before substitute Ally Roy then somehow missed the target from yards out, missing a golden opportunity to halve the deficit for the hosts.
Rovers remain second bottom with a trip to Tallaght on Friday evening awaiting them.
They then travel to Galway on Easter Monday in the League Cup.
SLIGO Rovers: Micheál Schlingermann; Gary Boylan, Kyle Callan McFadden, Seamus Sharkey, Patrick McClean; Caolan McAleer, Rhys McCabe (Lewis Morrison, 67), Craig Roddan (Eduardo Pinceli, 58), David Cawley, Calum Waters (Ally Roy, 56); Adam Morgan.
DUNDALK: Gary Rogers; Sean Gannon, Dan Cleary, Sean Hoare, Dane Massey; Chris Shields, Robbie Benson; Jamie McGrath (Stephen O’Donnell, 86), Ronan Murray (John Mountney, 77), Michael Duffy; Patrick Hoban (Marco Tagbajumi, 82).
REFEREE: Robert Hennessy