Sligo Rovers’ early season troubles at home continue after a disappointing 2-0 defeat to Dundalk on Saturday.
Rovers have now lost four of their five home games at the start of the season, though they remain unbeaten on the road ahead of next weekend’s trip to Shamrock Rovers.
In the First Division, unbeaten Finn Harps journey to Drogheda United this evening.
Ollie Horgan’s side picked up their second win in three games thanks to a 1-0 defeat of Wexford on Friday.
And they head to United Park tonight for a rescheduled tie against Drogheda, after their opening game of the season was postponed at the venue due to insufficient floodlighting.
Kick-off this evening is at 7.45pm.
MATCH REPORT
SSE Airtricity League Premier Division
Sligo Rovers 0
Dundalk 2
(Hoban 30, Duffy 55)
Dundalk kept their seventh clean sheet in a row in a 2-0 defeat of Sligo Rovers in front of 2,586 in the Showgrounds last night.
Patrick Hoban capitalised on a mistake from Seamus Sharkey for the opener on the half-hour, and Michael Duffy wrapped it up with the second ten minutes into the second half, as the Bit O’ Red lost at home for the fourth time this season.
Rovers’ best period of the game came in the opening minutes, with Calum Waters testing Dundalk keeper Gary Rogers with a shot inside the opening 30 seconds.
Two minutes later, Waters, Rhys McCabe and Gary Boylan were all involved before Adam Morgan’s effort on goal again required a Rogers intervention.
On eight minutes, the former Bit O’ Red keeper was called in to action again, when Caolan McAleer robbed possession from Robbie Benson and had another effort on target.
But Dundalk grew into the game, and yellow cards for Craig Roddan and Sharkey inside the next ten minutes put Rovers under pressure.
Dundalk were dominant in possession at this stage, but they got a huge stroke of luck for the goal when Sharkey mis-judged Michael Duffy’s ball into the box, and Hoban poked the ball past Micheál Schlingermann.
Dundalk were comfortable controlling the play and attacking on the counter for the remainder of the half, and efforts from Benson and Ronan Murray forced saves off Schlingermann.
Both sides had chances from headers before the half-time whistle, but Sligo’s Kyle Callan-McFadden and Dane Massey of Dundalk both missed the target from good opportunities.
Ally Roy, Eduardo Pinceli and Lewis Morrison all came off the bench to good effect after the concession of the second goal, but Rogers stood firm yet again, and made a brilliant stop to deny Patrick McClean.
Further chances fell to Roy and McAleer, but both missed the target on a night of disappointment for the hosts.
SLIGO: Schlingermann, Boylan, Callan-McFadden, Sharkey, McClean, Waters (Roy 56), McCabe (Morrison 67), Roddan (Pinceli 57), Cawley, McAleer, Morgan.
DUNDALK: Rogers, Gannon, Hoare, Cleary, Massey, Shields, Benson, Murray (Mountney 76), Duffy, McGrath (O’Donnell 86), Hoban (Tagbajumi 81).
REF: R Hennessy.
