AIRTRICITY LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION: Sligo Rovers 1 Dundalk FC 0:DUNDALK'S RUN of eight matches unbeaten came to an end at the Showgrounds last night when an Alan Kirby goal gave Sligo Rovers all three points.
Kirby put the home side ahead in the 55th minute, rifling the ball past Peter Cherrie after Colin Hawkins had blocked a shot by Aaron Greene.
Dundalk had two great chances to level but Mark Quigley’s rasping shot was saved by Brendan Clarke on 66 minutes and Michael Hector was also denied by Clarke in the closing minutes
Cherrie had little difficulty gathering a shot by Iarflaith Davoren from a Joseph Ndo free at the start of the first half. Jason McGuinness put a Mark Griffin shot out for a corner after five minutes, but Ross Gaynor’s ball from the corner was cleared by the home defence.
Kirby had a chance to open the scoring after 16 minutes but his effort from 10 yards was put out for a corner.
Eoin Doyle missed a chance for the home side on 21 minutes, drilling the ball wide after the Dundalk goalkeeper miscued.
John Russell had a blistering angled shot cleared by the hard-working Dundalk defence on the half-hour mark.
Keith Ward sent Griffin through on the Rovers goal three minutes before half-time but Griffin’s effort was put out for a corner that came to nothing.
Dundalk dealt with everything Sligo had to offer during the opening 45 minutes with impressive marking.
SLIGO ROVERS:Clarke, Keane, Davoren, Peers, Ryan (Ventre 58), Dillon, McGuinness, Kirby, Ndo, Doyle (Cretaro 82), Greene.
DUNDALK:Cherrie, Hawkins, Guthrie, Madden, Murphy, Hector, Ward, Bennett, Gaynor, Griffin (Breen 75), Quigley.
Referee:Pádraig Sutton, Clare.
Att: 1,475
Kirby 55
