Bit O’Red take advantage of Dundalk’s first-half red card to remain in the hunt for top tier’s fourth place

SSE Airtricity League Premier Division Sligo Rovers

Dundalk 2 0 needed a positive result against Dundalk in order to halt the slump of losing away to both St Patrick’s Athletic and Finn Harps, fixtures that the Bit O’Red ought to have won. Rovers had these results to get over plus the absence of injured players Garry Buckley and Seamas Keogh, with Karl O’Sullivan also unavailable due to the passing of his dad, Joe, last weekend.

Colm Horgan was back after injury and in the matchday squad. Manager John Russell gave starts to both Greg Bolger and Frank Liivak for what was Rovers’ first game since the 3-2 away loss to Finn Harps on August 19. Dundalk, who’ve now dropped to third in the table following their loss at The Showgrounds this week (allied to Derry’s away defeat of Shelbourne), came to the north-west with their own collection of woes to deal with.

This was their third fixture in nine days, having also played on August 21 and August 26, and last Friday they were brought to extra-time by First Division side Wexford FC in the Extra. ie FAI Men’s Cup second round (the same Wexford that defeated Rovers in the competition’s first round).