League Report: Dundalk 4-0 Sligo Rovers

Dundalk got back to winning ways in the SSE Airtricity League with a comprehensive 4-0 win over Sligo Rovers at a rain-soaked Oriel Park on Friday night.

Jamie McGrath was the star of the show in what was very much a game of two halves, the 20-year-old staking a serious claim to become a regular starter for Dundalk, capping off a fine performance with a hat-trick to add to Niclas Vemmelund’s second goal in as many games for the club.

Chances were few and far between for both sides in the first half, with the first attempt on goal coming after 18 minutes when David McMillan shot straight at Micheal Schlingermann after latching on to a neat through ball from Robbie Benson, who was playing for the first time since March.

Sligo’s best effort of the opening period fell to the evergreen Raffaele Cretaro, who fired well over the bar after going past Paddy Barrett before the hosts had strong penalty appeals waved away when Michael Duffy’s cross from the right appeared to strike the hand of Regan Donelon.

Duffy perhaps should havea put The Lilywhites ahead four minutes before the break when he found himself through on goal following a good ball by Dane Massey, but the Derry native fluffed his shot wide of the post in what was the last attack of a lacklustre 45 minutes from the champions.

One can only speculate what Stephen Kenny – who cited Kim Jong-Un, Donald Trump and Emmanuel Macron in his programme notes – must have said to his players the during half-time interval because his side came back out looking more like the team that has won three league titles on bounce.

In what could well be a turning point in their season, Dundalk were now playing with far more conviction and almost took the lead shortly after the restart when Schlingermann palmed Chris Shields’ cross only as far as McGrath, who’s effort was blocked on the line by Kyle Callan-McFadden.

Shields himself tried his luck from 25 yards out, which Schlingermann got down to save, before Dundalk opened the scoring seconds later when McGrath squeezed the ball through the legs of the Sligo goalkeeper after Patrick McEleney’s through ball had evaded Tobi Adebayo-Rowling.

McGrath was now on fire and his curling effort had Schlingermann sprawling before he crossed for Duffy, who really should’ve doubled Dundalk’s advantage when he volleyed over from close range.

Dundalk did get their second with about 20 minutes to play when Duffy’s cross from the right again evaded Adebayo-Rowling and found its way to McGrath and he finished expertly past Schlingermann, who probably should’ve done better.

The hosts looked to have sealed all three points when McEleney found himself through on goal after some wonderful play from Benson but his chip, which had beaten the goalkeeper, was excellently cleared off the line by Donelon before McGrath’s deflected effort went just wide.

Vemmelund added the killer third when he bundled home his second goal in as many games from a Duffy free-kick before substitute Ciaran Kilduff missed a sitter in stoppage time.

There was still time for another goal however as Dundalk were awarded their first penalty in the league this season when Adebayo-Rowling, who had a night to forget, brought down McGrath who made no mistake from the spot kick to complete his hat-trick.

Dundalk: Gary Rogers; Niclas Vemmelund, Paddy Barrett, Sean Hoare, Dane Massey; Michael Duffy, Chris Shields, Robbie Benson (Thomas Stewart 88), Jamie McGrath; Patrick McEleney (Stephen O’Donnell 85), David McMillan (Ciaran Kilduff 79).

Subs not used: Gabriel Sava, Sean Gannon, Shane Grimes, Conor Clifford.

Booked: None.

Sligo Rovers: Micheal Schlingermann; Tobi Adebayo-Rowling, Kyle Callan-McFadden, Michael Leahy, Regan Donelon; Liam Martin (Mikey Place 85), Gary Boylan, John Russell (Matthew Stevens 78), Kieran Sadlier; Raffaele Cretaro, Jonah Ayunga (Craig Roddan 59).

Subs not used: Shaun Patton, Chris Kenny, Mark Hannon, Martin Walsh.

Booked: Russell (52).

Referee: Graham Kelly

Attendance: 3,000 (estimate)

ExtraTime.ie Man of the Match: Jamie McGrath (Dundalk)