Match Sponsor: Sligo Branch of the Arsenal Supporters Club

Match Ball Sponsor: AIB Sligo

David Goulden at the Showgrounds 

Gareth McElroy came within inches of securing three points for Sligo Rovers against Derry City at the Showgrounds on Easter Monday.

In what was a tight, cagey affair, the Donegal man saw his late header from a Will Fitzgerald cross come back off the Candystripes’ woodwork. The result halted Rovers’ slide of four defeats on the spin. 

Derry too hit the woodwork courtesy of captain Carl Winchester during a somewhat uneventful Easter Monday evening.

Rovers were actually the form side coming into this tie with one win from their last five. Boss John Russell made two changes from the defeat to St Pat’s on Friday, with centre half Sean McHale and midfielder Daire Patton coming in.

While big spending Derry managed just the two draws in their previous five and found themselves third from bottom on the completion of the first round of games. Their only two victories this season ahead of this clash, came at home against Sligo and Waterford, the division’s two bottom sides. 

Manager Tiernan Lynch made four switches in personnel from last week’s loss in Galway. Winchester, Ben Doherty, Josh Thomas and Conor Barr were all back in as the visitors looked to halt their slide. Star man James McClean only made the bench while both his brother Paddy and City playmaker Michael Duffy missed out with knocks. 

Derry have found the Showgrounds a difficult hunting ground in recent years, with just one win there in their last five visits. 

After a cagey opening quarter, it was the Candystripes who fashioned the better of the chances.

Adam O’Reilly should have had them in the lead on 17 when Jeannot Esua’s attempted clearance bounced in front of the former Pat’s man. Leaning back, O’Reilly wastefully skied his volley over the Sligo bar from close range. 

Skipper Winchester crashed a rocketed effort from long range off Sam Sargeant’s upright as City threatened again nine minutes later. 

Shy in front of goal this term with just four goals from our opening nine, Rovers did produce a half chance before the interval. Seb Quirk dragged a half-volley beyond the far post from a Will Fitzgerald assist. 

Chances and indeed any level of entertainment came at a premium even in this second half as both sides toiled on a bumpy Showgrounds surface. 

Supporters had to wait until the 72nd minute for the next moment of note when Sargeant was jolted into action, getting down low to push away a powerful drive from twenty yards from O’Reilly. Although there were legitimate calls for a Rovers penalty shortly before this when Brandon Fleming handled the ball just inside his own area. 

Sligo sub McElroy then went within inches of finding an opener when his header from a Fitzgerald corner came back off the City post.

Sligo Rovers: Sam Sargeant; Jeannot Esua, Ollie Denham, Sean McHale, Will Fitzgerald; James McManus, Seb Quirk (Carl McHugh 80); Alex Nolan, Archie Meekison (Rego Priosti 88); Daire Patton; Mai Traore (Gareth McElroy HT). 

Derry City: Ed Beach; Jamie Stott, Rob Slevin (James McClean 73), Conor Barr; Barry Cotter (James Olayinka 82), Brandon Fleming; Adam O’Reilly, Carl Winchester; Ben Doherty (Cameron Dummigan 82), James Clarke (Henry Rylah 69); Josh Thomas (Afolabi Akinyemi 69).  

Referee: Rob Hennessy.

Attendance: 2,567

Sligo Rovers are on the hunt for a first win in five games this Easter Monday as Derry City visit the Showgrounds for the first time this season. Supporters are reminded to note that this game kicks-off at 5pm. 

Monday’s match sponsors the Sligo Branch of the Arsenal Supporters Club, while the match ball sponsor is AIB Sligo. 

This game sees the second round of Premier Division games get underway as the Bit O’Red go in search of a second win of the season. The Candystripes already have one over John Russell’s side after they squeezed past Rovers at the Brandywell on the opening night of the season back in February. 

Jad Hakiki had given Rovers the lead just past the half hour. But goals from Alex Bannon and Josh Thomas turned this game in Derry’s favour.

Sligo go into this game on the back of four consecutive defeats after Good Friday’s loss at Inchicore in which Russell was without several first team players. 

As of Sunday morning, the Rovers boss will prepare for this vital tie with City again without his full complement. 

Along with Hakiki, Ryan O’Kane, Conor Reynolds, Sean Stewart and Shane Blaney, Cian Kavanagh will also miss out after he picked up a knock in the lead up to Friday’s game. Russell is hopeful both Hakiki and Blaney will return to full training this week and will be available for Friday’s trip to Bohs. 

Ciaron Harkin is also a doubt, although Sean McHale is expected to return to the fold having missed the game in Dublin 8 due to the terms of his loan deal. Daire Patton, a second half sub is also available having recovered from a bout of illness. 

Derry themselves have been underwhelming in 2026 despite having one of the strongest squads in the division. Tiernan Lynch’s men find themselves just six points clear of bottom side Waterford following their recent run of five games without a win. 

Regardless, Russell tells sligorovers.com that he’s expecting a hurt Derry to come to Sligo after their defeat to Galway. 

“They’re certainly in a false position at the moment and are a lot better than they’ve been showing in recent weeks”, he says. 

“We have to expect that they’ll come to the Showgrounds on Monday looking to turn things around.

“Both sides are looking for a win for really the same reason.

“We were beaten by a superior side in Pat’s on Friday. They’re challenging for trophies this season and they have to be given the talent they have in their reserves. 

“We were encouraged by our first half but they just had too much for us in the end. It was always going to be tough for us given the numbers we’re missing. Our attention turned to this game on Monday night as soon as we got on the bus home.”

Russell is glad for home comforts and asked for supporters to get behind the team on Monday evening, for what he sees could be a turning point of sorts.

“We’ve lost a few games in a row now, so we’re desperate to break that run. Sometimes when you can just manage to pick up a result, it changes the whole picture. This is a huge game for us, in front of what we hope will be a big crowd. We know Derry will travel well too.

“Losing Friday was tough to take, but it’s ideal to have a game so quickly, a quick turnaround to focus and sharpen minds. We need points as the gap is opening up particularly with Galway and Dundalk doing well recently. Our focus is to pick up points now and try to bridge that gap.”

David Goulden

SLIGO ROVERS 2 WEXFORD 0

BY CONALL COLLIER
Sligo Rovers turned on the style for a first victory victory in the All-Island Cup opener against defending champions Wexford at a rain-lashed and windswept Showgrounds on Saturday evening where a goal in each half from Cara Jordan gave the home supporters plenty to cheer about.

The victory was also a first win of the season for the Bit O’Red after a hugely disappointing display only seven days earlier when they conceded five goals in the Women’s Premier Division.

Manager Gavin Hughes made three changes to his starting line up from that encounter with Paula McGrory, Abby Rooney and Kelsey McQuillan dropping to the bench in favour of Emma Hansberry, Emma Duffy and Manu Baptista Filipe.

Wexford boss Dave Connell opted to start only three of the team that had lost to Galway the previous week with Emma Bucci, Roisin Joyce and Aisling Roche all surviving the cut.

Mnu Baptista Filipe was the standout player for the Bit O’Red with a composed midfield performance for 65 minutes when she was replaced by Paula McGrory.

The defence was also solid as Emma Hansberry and Leah Kelly stood strong with tremendous support from Ava Hallinan and Sabrina Hillyer and that was sufficient for a first clean sheet of the season.

The wind-assisted hosts stormed into a ninth-minute lead when Cara Jordan’s well-placed shot nestled in the corner of the Wexford net after the opening was created by Manu Baptista Filipe.

The hosts continued to surge forward in an effort to capitalise on the elements with Manu spraying the ball around with confidence as the half progressed.

Emma Duffy benefited from that creativity in the 32nd minute but her effort flashed the wrong side of the Wexford post.

However, the warning lights flashed for the Bit O’Red soon after when defensive indecisiveness gave Wexford a chance, but that was the only occasion and the rearguard was assured for the remainder.

Both Manu and Anna McDaniel went close for Sligo Rovers ahead of the interval without adding to the scoreline.

Wexford resumed the second-half smartly and Bonnie McKiernan saved well in the 46th minute, but the Bit O’Red displayed skill, character and determination to carve out a number of chances subsequently.

Cara Jordan was the architect-in-chief on 71 minutes when she got possession from a short corner and weaved her way into the penalty area before she rifled to the roof of the net past a stranded Claudia Keenan.

That sparked a reaction from Wexford, but for all their endeavour for the remainder the All-Island Cup champions didn’t seriously threaten apart from a Megan Smyth-Lynch effort that hit the top of the home crossbar with 15 minutes remaining.

At the other end, Sydney Stephens carved an opening for substitute Paula McGrory as the Bit O’Red battened down the hatches and moved into pole position in the group with what was a historic first win the All-Island Cup at the 10th attempt.

Sligo Rovers – Bonnie McKiernan, Leah Kelly, Ava Hallinan, Sabrina Hillyer, Emma Hansberry, Cara Jordan, Emma Duffy, Manu Baptista Filipe, Sydney Stephens, Cara King, Anna McDaniel.

Subs – Katie Melly for Hallinan and Paula McGrory for Baptista Filipe both 65 mins, Abby Rooney for McDaniel and Rachel McGoldrick for King both 87m, Kelsey McQuillan for Hillyer 89m.

Wexford – Claudia Keenan, Emma Bucci, Kayla Goncalves, Millie Daly, Devon Olive, Aisling Roche, Molly Kirwan, Lauren Walsh, Courtney Chochol, Anna Carson, Roisin Joyce.

Subs – Lauren Dwyer for Roche and Ciara Rossiter for Olive both half-time, Megan Smyth-Lynch for Goncalves and Katie McCarn for Kirwan both 62 mins, Leah McGrath for Chochol 77m.
Referee – Eric Eaton.
Assistant-referees – Oisin Walsh, Sam Ralph.
Fourth Official – Darren Corcoran

Sligo Rovers were beaten on return from our international break on Friday night as St Patrick’s Athletic came from behind to beat the Bit O’Red at Richmond Park.

An early Joe Redmond goal was replied to by further strikes from Romal Palmer, Ryan Edmonson and further goals in the second half from Anto Breslin and Darragh Nugent. 

Rovers will look to put this defeat behind us on Monday night, as we face Derry City at the Showgrounds. Kick-off is 5pm. 

St Patrick’s Athletic: Joseph Anang; Joe Redmond, Sean Hoare (Tom Grivosti 72), Luke Turner; James Brown, Barry Baggley, Darragh Nugent, Jay McClelland (Anto Breslin 14); Kian Leavy (Aidan Keena 72),Romal Palmer (Max Mata 78); Ryan Edmondson (Jamie Lennon 72).

Sligo Rovers: Sam Sergeant; Jeannot Esua, Ollie Denham, Gareth McElroy, Will Fitzgerald; Carl McHugh (Kyle McDonagh h-t), James McManus (Daire Patton 64); Alex Nolan (Callum Lynch 78), Seb Quirk, Archie Meekison; Mai Traore.

Referee: Kevin O’Sullivan (Cork ).

Attendance: 4,485.

Kick-Off 5pm The Showgrounds

Match Sponsor: Fureys Of Sligo Coach and Bus Hire

Match Ball Sponsor: Crossan Entertainment

Manager Gavin Hughes on the game against Wexford

“Tomorrow gives our squad a valuable opportunity to test themselves against the current holders of the trophy- one Wexford lifted for the first time last season. It’s also our only home fixture in the All-Island Cup, with trips to Dublin and Belfast next month to complete the group stage.

Last Saturday’s result was disappointing for everyone, but it’s important we learn from it. There were plenty of positives to take: we created several good chances and were unfortunate not to score at key moments.

The players have worked extremely hard in training this week and are fully focused on the challenge ahead. Wexford, like ourselves, are searching for their first win of the season, which will make for a competitive and exciting contest.

As I’ve said before, it is a privilege to be appointed the Manager of Sligo Rovers Women for the club’s fifth season in the League of Ireland. Our responsibility is to concentrate on our own performance – what we do well and what we need to improve on. We showed in our opening game against Athlone Town that we are capable of competing with the best teams in the league.

Once again, I’m looking forward to facing the All-Island Cup champions and demonstrating that we have a team ready to challenge the top sides.”

Sligo Rovers head to Dublin for the first time this season on Friday as the Bit O’Red take on St Patrick’s Athletic in the final series of fixtures of the opening round of this year’s Premier Division. 

Kick-off at Richmond Park is 7.45pm as Rovers go in search of a first win in four following recent narrow losses to Shelbourne, Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers. The hosts provide what is probably the toughest test in Irish football at the moment having won four of their last five, are unbeaten in six and have the best home record to date this season so far. 

Rovers won the last game between the sides last September at the Showgrounds, but are without victory in Inchicore since May 2023 although there have been some very tight games between the clubs since. 

John Russell prepares for this Good Friday outing without a number of players. 

Sean McHale will not be available due to the terms of his loan. As of Thursday morning, Conor Reynolds (pelvis) and Ryan O’Kane (arm) will miss the trip to the capital. While Ciaron Harkin is out with a muscle strain. 

Daire Patton will be given a fitness test as he continues to recover from recent illness. Russell is hopeful Jad Hakiki and Shane Blaney will return to training next week and may be fit in time to face Bohs on April 10th, but both will sit out the Pat’s game. 

Sean Stewart (ankle) is a doubt.

“Pat’s are in incredibly hot form at the moment”, Russell tells sligorovers.com as we face into a double header weekend with Derry set to visit the Showgrounds on Easter Monday.  

“Although we’re heading there without a few bodies, this is a game we are looking forward to following what’s been a very valuable few days. This weekend is a big opportunity for some players to make their mark and we’ll be asking them to do just that. 

“Our recent games with Shamrock Rovers, Dundalk and Shelbourne were fairly tight affairs. None of them dominated us and particularly in the Dundalk and Shels game, we were really pleased with how many chances we created. It’s just about taking those opportunities. 

“We see enough of the players every day to have full confidence in their abilities to create and score goals. In our last two games, we hit the crossbar and post and the opposition had players throwing themselves at the ball inside their own area to stop us scoring. 

“It will happen for us, we just need to keep working hard and keep to what we’re doing. 

“We always have a good crowd with us in Inchicore and we’re looking forward to getting out there in front of them again. It’ll be a busy weekend with two really big tests for us.”

David Goulden

Sligo Rovers 0

Shamrock Rovers 5

BY CONALL COLLIER

Shamrock Rovers maintained an unbeaten Women’s Premier Division away record with a comfortable victory against hosts Sligo Rovers at the Showgrounds on Saturday where defensive lapses proved costly for the Bit O’Red.

Both managers made three changes from the previous weekend defeats. Sligo Rovers lost (1-2) away to Galway Utd with the concession of two penalties after taking the lead while the Dublin women lost at home to Peamount Utd and finished with 10 players following the dismissal of Roisin McGovern.

Abby Rooney, Cara King and Anna McDaniel started for the Bit O’Red at the expense of Emma Hansberry, Alice Lillie and Ella Karolak as manager Gavin Hughes sought a winning formula.

For the visitors, Mia Dodd, Della Cowper-Gray and Caitlin St Leger started for James O’Callaghan’s side with McGovern (suspended), Sadhbh Doyle and Emily Corbett missing out.

Early and late goals in a high-tempo opening half gave Shamrock Rovers a two-goal interval advantage with the first from a sixth minute Ellen Molloy penalty and the second on 43 minutes from Katie O’Reilly.

Defensive lapses by the Bit O’Red contributed to both goals but in between those scores, the hosts created a number of chances with Cara Jordan, Paula McGrory and Sydney Stephens piling pressure on the Dublin women.

Six minutes into the second-half Stephens brought a finger-tip save out of Amanda Budden with a well-struck effort as the hosts made a valiant effort to get back into contention.

However, all that effort counted for nothing midway through the half when the Dublin women were gifted a third goal. Mia Dodd got a touch on the edge of the penalty area at the expense of the out-rushing Bonnie McKiernan and the ball rolled into the net.

Substitute Alice Buggle added some extra gloss to the victory when she grabbed a couple of opportunist late goals for the Dublin side as they eased to victory.

Shamrock Rovers were also fortunate to finish with 11 players following some retaliation in the 80^th minute after a Sligo Rovers player was yellow-carded.

Sligo Rovers – Bonnie McKiernan, Leah Kelly, Ava Hallinan, Kelsey McQuillan, Sabrina Hillyer, Cara Jordan, Paula McGrory, Abby Rooney, Sydney Stephens, Cara King, Anna McDaniel. 

Subs – Emma Duffy for Rooney, Manu Baptista Filipe for McGrory and Emma Hansberry for McQuillan all 65 mins, Alana Doherty for Hallinan 82m.

Shamrock Rovers – Amanda Budden; Lauryn O’Callaghan, Maria Reynolds, Therese Kinnevey, Ella Kelly, Mia Dodd, Katie O’Reilly, Ellen Molloy, Della Cowper-Gray, Jaime Thompson, Caitlin St Leger. 

Subs – Sadhbh Doyle for Dodd and Alice Buggle for Cowper-Gray both 67 mins, Emily Corbett for Molloy 70m, Taylor White for Thompson and Mia Gaff for O’Reilly both 85m.

Referee – Glen Geraghty.

Assistant-referees – John Hanney, Klaudia Pawula.

Fourth official – Dylan Redmond.

Match sponsor: Ivor Parkes Decorators

Match ball sponsor: Sligo Park Hotel

Sligo Rovers were unfortunate to be beaten at the Showgrounds as Shelbourne squeezed past the Bit O’Red in a tightly fought contest. 

Daniel Kelly scored the game’s only goal just past the hour, while Shels goalkeeper Wessel Speel pulled off a wonderful save in added time to deny Archie Meekison and preserve the Dubliners’ points.

This was Rovers’ final outing before the international break with John Russell having to prepare his side for this game without creative winger Ryan O’Kane who faces up to two months out with a fractured arm sustained at Oriel Park on Monday night. Conor Reynolds, Shane Blaney, Jad Hakiki and Sean Stewart also missed out with knocks. 

O’Kane was one of two changes for Russell from that loss in Louth. Meekison took his place in the Sligo starting eleven, while centre half Sean McHale replaced Gareth McElroy who dropped to the bench. 

Chasing the tails of fellow Dubliners and early challengers Shamrock Rovers, St Pat’s and Bohs, Shels boss Joey O’Brien looked to keep up their recent impressive record in the north west. Kelly, John Martin, Ali Coote and Sam Bone all coming back in having missed the recent testy stalemate with Bohemians.

Sligo hadn’t recorded a win over the Tolka outfit in almost two years and looking for a first win in three, they did manufacture an early opening. However, nobody was willing to meet Meekison’s flated ball to the back stick six minutes in. 

McHale got a foot in front of Kelly’s shot towards the bottom corner as Sam Sargeant closed in. The Pat’s loanee’s intervention perhaps had a bigger impact than from first viewing, as it looked as if Kelly’s effort might have sneaked in following a superb through ball from former Sligo midfielder Jack Henry-Francis.

Even early on, this game was stretched, which opened up the pitch for either side. 

The Shels rearguard was left scrambling to clear the ball on 21 minutes when a panicked Speel fired an attempted clearance off the back of his own player. Shels blessed by the positioning of defender Sam Bone who scooped Alex Nolan’s follow-up shot on off his own goal line.

Kameron Ledwidge fired a rocket from 25 yards over the Rovers goal 90 seconds later. While a rare mishap from Ollie Denham allowed Kerr McInroy space to progress and find Harry Wood but Rovers skipper Will Fitzgerald returned in time to block away Wood’s goalward strike. 

Sligo were left aggrieved in Dundalk when Fitzgerald conceded a questionable late penalty for the Lilywhites’ winner. The Limerick native had a shout for a spot kick for his own side late on in the first period when he tangled with Ali Coote in the Shels area. Referee Paul Norton decided to go against Fitzgerald again, booking him for simulation. 

McHale headed a Fitzgerald corner past Speel’s front post thirteen minutes into the second half, after the Dunboyne native battled his way to the end line.  

The Drumcondra men made the most of hesitant Sligo defending on 63 minutes when they hit the lead. Rovers sat off, allowing Kelly to pull inside on his left foot before rifling a superbly executed drive into the opposite corner of Sargeant’s goal. 

Wood nearly doubled Shels’ lead five minutes later but Sargeant managed to shepherd the ball past his post. While Rovers pair Gareth McElory and Seb Quirk had opportunities at the Shels end as Sligo’s search for a first goal in three games went on.

Rovers did create once more chance in added time, but Speel reacted in time to get in front of Meekison’s hammered effort. 

Sligo Rovers: Sam Sargeant; Jeannot Esua, Ollie Denham, Sean McHale, Will Fitzgerald; Carl McHugh (Gareth McElroy 70), Seb Quirk, James McManus (Ciaron Harkin 79); Alex Nolan (Mai Traore 70), Archie Meekison; Cian Kavanagh.  

Shelbourne: Wessel Speel; Zeno Rossi, Sam Bone, Kameron Ledwidge, James Norris (Sean Gannon 77); Jack Henry-Francis (JJ Lunney 86), Kerr McInroy; Daniel Kelly (Evan Caffrey 86), Ali Coote (Maill Lundgren 67), Harry Wood; John Martin (Sean Boyd 76). 

Referee: Paul Norton 

Attendance: 2,878.

Sligo Rovers men’s senior team will look to head into the international break on a high as we face Shelbourne at the Showgrounds on Saturday, kick-off 7.45pm.

Match sponsor for this weekend’s game is Ivor Parkes Painters and Decorators, while match ball sponsor is Sligo Park Hotel.

This will be the first meeting between Rovers and the 2024 Premier Division champions since last October, when Shels ran out winners at Tolka Park. 2026 will provide the Bit O’Red with a chance to improve on 2025’s record against Joey O’Brien’s side, with the Drumcondra outfit recording four wins from as many meetings between the clubs.

Rovers come into this game on the back of defeats over the St Patrick’s Day weekend to both Shamrock Rovers at the Showgrounds and Dundalk at Oriel Park.

In team news and as of Friday morning, boss John Russell will go into this game without Daire Patton who continues to struggle with illness. While Shane Blaney, Jad Hakiki and Conor Reynolds continue to recover from injuries and will miss out. Russell is hopeful full back Sean Stewart may recover from a knock he picked up against Galway last month, in time to make the bench. 

Winger Ryan O’Kane will miss out for an extended period having fractured his arm in that narrow defeat in Louth on Monday evening. The former Dundalk man underwent surgery yesterday (Thursday) morning and is set to be out of action for a considerable period of time. 

Looking ahead to a big night at the Showgrounds, Russell acknowledged the setback of losing a player like O’Kane, but is keen to see members of the squad take up the opportunity. 

“It’s so frustrating for us as we only had Ollie Denham and Carl McHugh back last week and Sean (Stewart) is moving along nicely”, Russell tells sligorovers.com. 

“But now we won’t have Ryan for a while so it’s a big blow for us.

“As disappointing as it is to lose a lad of Ryan’s talent, we’re now looking for someone to step up and take the opportunity. This is why you have a squad. Archie Meekison and Guilly Priosti both came on in Dundalk and did very well for us so we’ll be looking for our players who maybe haven’t had much time this season to now step up.”

Shels come to Sligo unbeaten in three having drawn with champions Shamrock Rovers, beaten Derry away and played out a stalemate with Bohs on Monday last. 

“They’ve talent all over and are in decent form”, Russell continues. 

“We need to be more ruthless in the final third and that starts on Saturday. Against Dundalk, we had more of the ball, created many more chances and had the overall better of the play. Unfortunately, decisions didn’t go for us but now it’s about how we react.

“We’ve got to now keep turning the screw and things will go for us. We have a tremendously talented group here and we just have to keep doing what we’re doing and things will fall into place.”  

David Goulden

Dundalk’s Daryl Horgan scored a controversial late penalty as Sligo Rovers were unfortunate to be beaten at Oriel Park.

The Irish international’s winner arrived in the 83rd minute after Eoin Kenny fell to the floor inside the Rovers area following a less than physical challenge from Will Fitzgerald.

This wasn’t the only questionable refereeing decision on the night as the away side were denied what looked like genuine penalties of our own when both Ollie Denham and James McManus were impeded in front of Enda Minogue’s goal. 

The Lilywhites finished this contest without their full quota of players when Aodh Dervin was shown a straight red for a high challenge on Fitzgerald. 

In a game in which Rovers were well on top for large swathes, McManus fired a powerful effort inches wide of Minogue’s goal early on. While Fitzgerald pulled a stretch from the Dundalk ‘keeper shortly after in a first half that struggled to provide any real goal-scoring chances.

John Russell was forced into an early switch when Ryan O’Kane was stretchered off with a serious arm injury after he fell awkwardly contesting a header. Archie Meekison his replacement. 

The Scot came within inches of the opener four minutes into the second half. The once Bohs attacker cracking a superb, rising effort on to the Louth men’s crossbar following impressive pressure from the visitors. 

Rovers had Minogue spinning around again on 53 when he got his fingers to Gareth McElroy’s header from a Fitzgerald corner, the goalkeeper pushing McElroy’s effort on to his crossbar. 

Sligo were denied what looked like two penalties in this second period when a Dundalk defender awkwardly smashed through McManus just feet inside Minogue’s box. While Denham was pulled down by two defenders as he challenged for a ball swung into the area a few minutes later. 

Referee Oliver Moran then raised the night’s biggest talking point when he pointed to the spot after Kenny threw himself on the ground with Fitzgerald behind him. 

Dundalk: Minogue; JR Wilson, O’Keeffe, Animasahun, Burns; Wilson (Buckley 51), Dervin; McDaid (Mullen 51), Kenny, Horgan; Arub (Groome 62) (Warren 84).

Sligo Rovers: Sergeant; Esua, Denham, McElroy, Fitzgerald; Quirk, McManus; Nolan (Rego Priosti 83), McHugh, O’Kane (Meekison 45+7); Kavanagh (Traore HT).

Referee: Oliver Moran.