- David Wilson
- Sat, Mar 20 2021
David Wilson reports from The Showgrounds.
Sligo Rovers will likely be wondering how they did not grab all three points after outplaying Dundalk for large periods on a wonderful night for football at the Showgrounds.
A Patrick McEleney strike was cancelled out by Romeo Parkes as both sides shared the spoils on the opening weekend of Premier Division football.
It was not until Sligo goalkeeper Ed McGinty decided to roll a pass to an under-pressure Greg Bolger that this game broke into life. Pressed by the excellent Greg Sloggett, Bolger could only find Dundalk’s McEleney 12 yards from goal. The Derry-man, controlled set himself and guided the ball into the far corner.
That was 15 minutes in, and it was not until seven minutes later when the Bit O’Red created their own chance. Six debutants were included in Liam Buckley’s side, but it was hotshot striker Johnny Kenny who caught the eye. He controlled neatly behind Sonni Nattestad an flashed a ball wide of Alessio Abibi’s far post.
Crisp dry evening under the shadow of Ben Bulben both sides showed a tentativeness to opening day proceedings with both teams failing to control possession for long periods.
A minute later and the sides were level, left back Robbie McCourt fashioned an excellent delivery from a free kick on the halfway line right onto the head of Parkes who rose above Andy Boyle and nodded excellently beyond Abibi.
Kenny was again causing Dundalk problems just before the half hour mark. Boyle attempted to clear a long ball down the channel but only found the corner flag. Kenny pounced on the ball and drove inside from the right flank and only an excellent Daniel Cleary block prevented a shot on goal.
Bolger was pouncing onto every loose pass. In the 33rd minute the former Shamrock Rovers man nodded a ball toward Parkes who was holding off Cleary on the halfway line.
The Showgrounds has one of the best backdrops on the island and was nearly greeted with an early contender for goal of the season. Parkes controlled with his head and spun away from Cleary and Sloggett in one movement. The former Jamaican international scampered away from Chris Shields leaving him on his backside and glided toward the Dundalk defence magnificently. He then found Jordan Gibson in the inside right position, Gibson finished first time and struck the butt of the post. Somehow the ball did not bounce to Kenny and Dundalk cleared.
Sligo were now in the ascendancy since drawing level as Dundalk lost their way. The Lilywhites suffered under the Sligo hassling and harrying and struggled to penetrate the westerners.
Just before the half, the away side should have been in front. An aimless punt from Cleary saw McGinty rush out of his goal and completely miss the ball. Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe evaded the ‘keeper and squared the ball to Patrick Hoban but the Galwegian dragged his effort wide of the goal as Garry Buckley and McGinty rushed back to cover. The halftime whistle went two minutes later.
As day descended into night, the second half began with a crunching challenge from Shields on midfield counterpart Bolger. It was a fantastic midfield battle between Messrs Sloggett, Shields, Bolger and Niall Morahan.
Walter Figueira flashed an effort wide of Abibi’s right hand post in the 51st minute before two minutes later Gibson floated an effort just beyond the far post.
Dundalk altered their 3-4-3 formation to a 3-5-2 with McEleney deeper and Junior closer to Hoban. The change nearly provided dividends as Dummigan fashioned the ball to Sloggett off a Hoban knock down but the Meathman’s effort was blocked.
With McEleney now aiming to provide his creativity from deeper, Cleary found himself in an advanced position just before the hour mark. The centre-half found Raivis Jurkovskis out wide on the right and his low driven cross was excellently repelled by Mahon. From the resulting corner Hoban rose highest and should have powered his header toward goal but failed to test McGinty.
In the 65th minute Faroese international dallied and Kenny stripped him of possession before going on a surging run down the right. The youngster found Gibson who found Kenny once more, he delivered a great cross toward the six-yard box where Boyle was on hand to clear.
Two minutes later Cleary who was excellent drifted in on his left and picked out Dundalk record goal-scorer Hoban. He headed across goal beyond McGinty and onto the post and then into the arms of the grateful goalkeeper.
Both sides made double changes as Michael Duffy and Sam Stanton were introduced for the Lilywhites while David Cawley and Mark Byrne were introduced for the Reds. But it was Sloggett who nearly got the second as he bent an effort just around McGinty’s post.
Kenny was electric for the home side in front of an onlooking Irish under-19 international manager, Tom Mohan, and broke away down the right and delivered a great cross to the near post where Boyle was on hand to divert beyond his own goal.
Gibson was Sligo’s outlet down the right. The former St. Patricks Athletic player dribbled beyond four players but was blocked by a last-ditch tackle as the home side pressed for all three points.
The home side continued to pour forward. With just under ten minutes remaining Gibson found the flying Colm Horgan down the right and he drove a cross toward poacher Kenny who positioned himself at the back post but could not grow long enough to divert the ball goalward.
With just four minutes left, Sligo continued to do all the pressing for the winner. Substitute Cawley received the ball on the half turn and found a great pass into the feet of Kenny. Using his blistering pace Kenny powered beyond Nattestad and struck an effort toward goal only to be denied by an excellent smother from Abibi.
Just two minutes left, Kenny unleashed a great strike which Abibi pushed wide. Cawley pounced on the rebound and squared it to Byrne who tucked home, but the linesman’s flag was raised as apparently Cawley had been in an offside position. It looked hard to judge from the press box.
Sligo must have been wondering how their excellent finish to the game was not rewarded as Abibi excellently punched away a Cawley cross before batting away a long-range effort from Bolger as both sides had to settle for a point a piece upon the final whistle.
Sligo Rovers: Edward McGinty (GK); Colm Horgan, John Mahon, Garry Buckley, Robbie McCourt; Greg Bolger, Niall Morahan; Jordan Gibson, Walter Figueira (Mark Byrne 73), Romeo Parkes (David Cawley 73); Johnny Kenny
Subs not Used: Richard Brush (GK), Lewis Banks, Danny Kane, Ryan De Vries, Shane Blaney, John Russell, Regan Donelon
Yellow cards: Garry Buckley (77)
Dundalk: Alessio Abibi (GK), Daniel Cleary, Andy Boyle, Sonni Nattestad; Raivis Jurkovskis, Chris Shields (C), Greg Sloggett, Cameron Dummigan; Junior Ogedi-Udokwe (Michael Duffy 70), Patrick McEleney (Sam Stanton 70); Patrick Hoban
Subs not Used: Peter Cherrie (GK), Darragh Leahy, Ryan O’Kane, David McMillan, Jesus Perez
Yellow cards: Daniel Cleary (77), Greg Sloggett (83)
Referee: Neil Doyle
Attendance: 0
Extratime.com man of the match: Johnny Kenny (Sligo Rovers)
