Sligo Rovers’ injury time hero Gareth McElroy believes his late equaliser at Oriel Park on Friday night will do wonders for his team mates’ confidence, as the Bit O’Red finally saw some small fortune swing their way.
McElroy netted in the 91st minute to rescue what may prove to be a vital point for Rovers come season’s end, after former Sligo winger and Dundalk skipper Daryl Horgan had the Lilywhites in the lead mid-way through the opening half.
This was welcome luck and relief after the last few weeks which saw Rovers concede late on and drop vital points in games against Drogheda, Galway, Shelbourne and St Pat’s.
In what was new boss Darren Purse’s first away game in charge, Rovers found it difficult to set a steady foot in this game early on. Sam Sargeant had to deny Horgan from just one yard out at his back post ten minutes in. While Trevor Clarke smashed Sargeant’s crossbar nine minutes later, just after Luke Pearse had Rovers’ first chance of the game with a header.
Clarke again went close once more, this time a mis-directed header before the break.
Rovers were much improved in the second period and new boy Jack Shorrock, one of the stand out performers of the evening, had Dundalk ‘keeper Enda Minogue reaching to push the Port Vale’s loanee’s hammered strike over his crossbar shortly after the re-start.
McElroy caused issues for a Dundalk defence which was pulled all over the place from the resulting Shorrock corner. The former Derry youth’s header bounced off the floor in front of Minogue as the effort fizzed past the post.
The home side went ahead on 53 minutes when Horgan finished into the roof of the net and things could have got a lot worse for Rovers eight minutes later only for more magic from Sargeant.
Irish international Horgan nodded Bobby Burns’ over-cooked cross into the path of Cian Dillon who was denied by another close range stop from the superb Sargeant who then kept out a Ronan Teahan drive from distance as Ciaran Kilduff’s side looked to kill the game.
Sargeant’s fine work wasn’t to prove fruitless as Purses’ men campaigned their way to that injury time leveller.
The busy Cian Kavanagh won a free ten yards from the edge of the Dundalk area, which Daire Patton took. Patton’s initial effort was repelled by a Dundalk defender only for Kyle McDonagh to swing the ball back into the mixer. More chaos ensued inside the Louth side’s penalty area as Minogue failed to make clean contact with the ball which instead fell to debutant Trey George.
The Cardiff loanee’s potshot took a deflection off a defender before landing in front of McElroy who gleefully prodded the ball between two Dundalk players to cap off some wonderful late drama.
Speaking to sligorovers.com following all that late theatre, McElroy says he feels the result was some small justice following a few weeks of change and uncertainty at the Showgrounds.
“I think it’s massive to be honest”, he told Jack Dempsey.
“We really needed it. The position we’re in, points are vital. Some days, it just doesn’t go your way and if you can get a point, even three, then you know you’ve done something right. I feel like we had other chances so really, we could have won it.
“We were disappointed in conceding a soft goal but we’ll work to make sure that doesn’t happen again.
“Hopefully that’ll see our luck turn a wee bit.
“That’s three games unbeaten now and that gives us all confidence, the whole club.”
Dundalk: Minogue; Burns, Animasahun, Cornwall, Teahan; Dervin, Buckley (Gaxha 71); Clarke (McDaid 71), Groome (Grivosti 63), Horgan; Dillon (Vassenin 87).
Sligo Rovers: Sargeant; Esua, Denham, McElroy, Stewart (McDonagh 81); Pearce (Quirk 36), McHugh, McManus (Patton 63), Shorrock (George 63); Kavanagh, McGonigle.
Referee: Neil Doyle.
David Goulden