League Report: Dundalk 3 - 0 Sligo Rovers

In another scintillating performance, Dundalk recorded their third win in seven days with a 3-0 victory over Sligo Rovers at Oriel Park on Friday night.

Goals from Daryl Horgan, Kurtis Byrne and Patrick Hoban ensured that Dundalk stayed on top of the SSE Airtricity League.

The opening exchanges were frantic as both sides tried to gain control of the ball but it was Sligo Rovers who had the first effort when Danny North shot just over the bar when he dispossessed Chris Shields.

The hosts then took a degree of control and had their first effort when Daryl Horgan was put in by Darren Meenan but the winger shot straight at Gary Rogers.

Horgan almost scored again when he forced a brilliant save from Rogers as he tipped his deflected effort onto the cross bar. It was a personal battle between the two as a flowing move found Meenan on the right and pull back for Byrne was quickly moved to Horgan who scuffed his shot but it was saved by Rogers and eventually cleared off the line.

There was nothing that Rogers could do on 23 minutes though when a ball from Gannon was taken in by the outstanding Horgan and his mazy run past three defenders left him 25 yards from goal. His low drive beat the keeper at the right hand post to give Dundalk the lead.

It was almost two just before the half hour mark when Gannon was slipped in by Meenan but Rogers pulled off yet another outstanding save and pushed it wide for a corner. Meenan's inch perfect cross to the head of Patrick Hoban but his effort was just wide of the post.

Dundalk were dominating in every area and a quick break from Shields found Hoban who brilliantly released Towell on the right but his shot was straight at Rogers.

Once again, Hoban found space and laid it off for Towell but the former Celtic star blazed over from the edge of the box.

Dundalk began the second half the same way they finished the first and duly doubled their advantage when Meenan found space and gave it to Byrne who turned brilliantly and curled a brilliant strike to the corner past Rogers.

That was no more than the side deserved and it should have been even more when Byrne then shot straight at Rogers before Hoban tests the handling of the goalkeeper.

A Horgan strike forced another good save from the netminder and Hoban headed inches over the bar when Meenan's corner the Galway native.

Byrne shot at Rogers again which was brilliantly saved at point blank range while Horgan had another effort go wide.

It was three on the hour mark when a brilliant break from the midfield with Hoban who runs from the halfway line and gets himself in the position to shoot and his strike was saved by Rogers.

The follow up was hit by Byrne but it falls to Hoban once again in a real goalmouth scramble which eventually hits the net despite the best efforts of the Sligo defence.

Dundalk were in cruise control Byrne tried to grab a second when a Gannon ball found him but the former Hibernian striker shot just wide of the near post.

Danny North and Eric Odhiambo had efforts go well wide of the target for the visitors in what were rare ventures forward however the Lilywhites almost made it 4 in injury-time when a brilliant run from Meenan was followed by a shot which crashed the crossbar and the rebound was hit wide by substitute David McMillan. 

Referee Paul McLaughlin blew the full-time whistle after three additional minutes as Stephen Kenny's side ran out easy winners and gained some degree of revenge for the Setanta Cup final defeat a fortnight ago.

Dundalk: Peter Cherrie; Sean Gannon, Andy Boyle, Brian Gartland, Dane Massey; Chris Shields, Richie Towell; Darren Meenan, Kurtis Byrne (Mark Griffin 88), Daryl Horgan (Ruaidhri Higgins 68); Patrick Hoban (David McMillan 80).
Substitutes not used: Gabriel Sava (gk), Keith Ward, Mark Rossiter, Simon Kelly.

Booked: Towell (16).

Sligo Rovers: Gary Rogers; Kalen Spillane, Jeff Henderson, Evan McMillan (Seamus Conneely 72), Danny Ledwith (Eric Odhiambo 46); John Russell, Paul O'Conor (Sean Maguire 83), Dave Cawley, Ross Gaynor, Aaron Greene; Danny North.
Substitutes not used: Richard Brush (gk), Jordan Loftus, Regan Donelon.

Booked: O'Conor (62)

Referee: Paul McLaughlin

Attendance: 2,614