Patrick Hoban on target again as Dundalk stretch winning streak
Goals in each half from wing wizard Michael Duffy and the league’s top scorer Patrick Hoban set up Dundalk for an efficient 2-0 defeat of gritty but toothless Sligo Rovers at The Showgrounds last night.
Dundalk’s 13th straight victory in the Premier Division puts them three points clear at the top, with a game in hand, as they punished the failure of second-placed Cork City to beat St Patrick’s Athletic on Sunday.
Dundalk came into this game on the back of a 3-1 away win over bottom of the table Bray Wanderers the previous Friday, and boasted a 100% record against the hosts this season, having beaten them twice.
Sligo, whose survival hopes were boosted by their recent victory against fellow strugglers Limerick, welcomed back David Cawley and Kyle Callan-McFadden, both having missed the game in Markets Field due to suspension.
Gerard Lyttle’s charges were looking to improve a horrible home record this season, with only two wins from 13 Premier Division games prior to this fixture; their last win at The Showgrounds in the top flight was a 2-1 defeat of Bray on April 30.
Dundalk struggled to create anything noteworthy in the scrappy opening exchanges and it was Sligo who threatened an early breakthrough.
They had flimsy calls for a spot-kick when Sean Hoare appeared to nudge ex-Shamrock Rovers man Mikey Drennan in the penalty area and then Rhys McCabe’s firm drive was parried by Dundalk net-minder Gary Rogers in the 10th minute.
But Dundalk shook off their initial sluggishness and twice went close to taking the lead — Dane Massey tested Sligo goalkeeper Mitchell Beeney with a firm drive and then Patrick Hoban, seeking his 24th Premier Division goal of the campaign, clipped a shot into the side-netting from an acute angle.
Sligo stayed resolute with Mikey Drennan a lively presence up front, but a defensive lapse proved their undoing as the visitors took a 29th minute lead.
Winger Michael Duffy profited from the ball spilling into his path just inside the box and he smoothly side-footed a shot into the bottom corner for his 10th Premier Division goal of 2018.
The excellent Duffy had two chances in the next five minutes to put Dundalk in cruise control but both efforts were saved by Beeney.
Sligo’s tidy approach play was almost rewarded after 41 minutes. Rhys McCabe and Lee Lynch combined but the latter’s cross, which Mikey Drennan was waiting to snaffle from close-range, was deflected out for a corner.
Dundalk’s Jamie McGrath scooped a shot narrowly over the crossbar after Patrick Hoban and Michael Duffy shredded Sligo’s defence.
Sligo maintained their zest at the start of the second half — midfielder Jack Keaney was especially busy — but they failed to ask any serious questions of their former custodian Gary Rogers.
Dundalk, perhaps sensing their lead was secure against opponents lacking a cutting edge, were uncharacteristically quiet in attack for much of the second period.
Sligo veteran Raffaele Cretaro’s introduction after 70 minutes put him in the club’s history books in terms of the most league appearances for the north-west outfit.
Duffy, inevitably, was involved in Dundalk’s second goal in the 78th minute. His low shot was parried by Mitchell Beeney, the ball eventually put out for a corner. Duffy’s dead-ball delivery was headed home by goal machine Hoban, who rose unchallenged in the six-yard box.
Beeney; Callan-McFadden, McClean, Mahon, Donelon (Cretaro 70); McCabe (Morrison 82), Cawley, Keaney, Twardek (Wixted 64); Lynch; Drennan.
Rogers; Gannon, Hoare, Gartland, Massey; Connolly (McEleney 70), Shields, Benson (Jarvis 89), Duffy; McGrath (Mountney 79); Hoban.
Ben Connolly.
