Richie Towell on the double as Dundalk march on

Dundalk 3 Sligo Rovers 0

Stephen Kenny's 100th game in charge of Dundalk ended with the champions sitting pretty on top of the table as goals from David McMillan and a brace from Richie Towell maintained the Lilywhites' imperious start to the season.

Dominant Dundalk opened the scoring after 17 minutes. Daryl Horgan cut the Rovers back four wide open, and a fantastic side-footed finish by David McMillan left Ryan Coulter with no chance.

The second goal arrived just nine minutes later. Dane Massey’s cross from the left was well headed clear by Stephen Folan but Richie Towell was on hand to flash the ball past Coulter to put the champions firmly in the driving seat.

Dundalk kept up the high tempo and McMillan was denied by two wonderful Coulter saves in quick succession.

The first came after the Dundalk number nine left Folan for dead with a quick turn inside, the second from the resulting corner, his header somehow clawed away by the Rovers goalkeeper.

Sligo enjoyed a decent five minute spell before the break and Nielsen was denied by Gary Rogers who came from his line to smother quickly in the 39th minute. Four minutes later, David Cawley’s left-footed effort curled just over the top, much to the relief of Rogers and his defenders.

The second half saw Dundalk play with less intensity but they still added a third when Towell grabbed his second in the latter stages, tapping home from Ronan Finn’s unselfish pass to secure the Lilywhites their third consecutive 3-0 win in the space of seven days.

DUNDALK: Rogers; Gannon, Boyle, Gartland, Massey; Shields, Towell; Meenan (Mountney 81), Finn, Horgan (Kelly 89); McMillan (Byrne 87).

SLIGO ROVERS: Coulter; Keane, Peers, Folan, Dykes; Beattie, Cawley, Cretaro (Devanney 61), Wearen, Ledwith (Corcoran 75); Nielsen.

Referee: Graham Kelly. Attendance: 3,021