LILIES ORDER A DOUBLE
Horgan kicks off a second-half rout as league leaders stay in the hunt for Cup
DUNDALK always find a way to eke out a result when i t matters most. On this occasion, rather than rely on a late winner to send the home s upporters happy, Stephen Kenny’s side simply produced a quick second-half blitz to leave themselves just one win away from the Irish Daily Mail FAI Cup final at Aviva Stadium.
Two delicate finishes in very different circumstances from Daryl Horgan and Ciarán Kilduff nine minutes apart secured t he Lilywhites’ place in the semi-final, with an equally impressive strike from Ronan Finn i n the 77th minute and a predatory finish from substitute Seán Maguire also warming the cockles on a raindrenched night in Louth.
Dundalk really are finding top gear in the business end of the season and the other sides left standing in the last four will certainly want to avoid the double-chasers.
Dundalk were the better side in the opening 45 minutes but for all their possession and intent around t he f i nal t hird, t he visitors remained resolute.
Sligo, buoyed by a five-game unbeaten run, arrived looking to create their own slice of history. The Bit O’Red have never won at Oriel Park in the FAI Cup but returned to Louth after last Saturday’s 2-2 league draw full of extra encouragement.
Twice they fell behind a week ago and twice Micky Adams’ men fought back to earn a point. There were none at stake last night and even if there had been they would have left with nothing.
As the game progressed it was clear that at best Sligo might force a replay, but only if they kept a clean sheet.
That plan went out the window in the 55th minute when Horgan’s direct run and composed curler from the edge of the D forced them to change tact. So that’s what Adams did. The Englishman made t wo changes in the 62nd minute, with one of them enforced as defender Tim Clancy departed on a stretcher to be replaced by Anthony Elding. Morten Nielsen was also introduced for fellow striker Dinny Corcoran as Adams looked to get back in the game.
Two minutes later, though, and Sligo were out of it as Kilduff ’s quick run across his marker from a Darren Meenan free-kick resulted in the Kildare native connecting with a deliciously deft flick which looped over the head of Richard Brush.
It was sublime and the perfect manner in which to put the tie to bed. Not that Dundalk were finished with the scoring. Three minutes after Kilduff ’s moment of magic in the 56th minute, the home side almost had their third when a Meenan free-kick once against cause panic in the Sligo box.
Dane Massey provide the glancing header which Brush saved and when Gartland returned the ball to the danger area, Finn blasted over the bar through a sea of bodies. The midfielder held his head in his hands for failing to hit the target but 13 minutes from time he had them out in celebration.
After collecting the ball near the left flank, the Dubliner cut across the 18-yard box and placed his cushioned effort into the bottomright corner. That really was game over as Kenny turned to his bench.
Maguire was thrown in the 87th minute and just over 60 seconds later he rounded off the win by coming out on top in a one-on-one with Brush.