Quickfire double sees Sligo Rovers past Dundalk
Two goals inside four second half minutes from James McManus and Jake Doyle-Hayes saw Sligo Rovers avoid another early FAI Cup exit at the hands of First Division leaders Dundalk at Oriel Park.
The Bit O Red, whose manager John Russell was missing due to illness, have gone out of the Cup in the early rounds in each of the previous four seasons, including following a 2-0 defeat at home to UCD last year.
A prospect of another shock appeared on the cards when Ciaran Kilduff's side bossed first half proceedings but a screamer from on-loan Bohs midfielder McManus and a header from Doyle-Hayes ensured that Sligo's dreams of a sixth FAI Cup win remain alive in 2025.
The visitors almost got off to a dream start when Will Fitzgerald slipped Jad Hakiki in on the left inside the opening two minutes but he was denied by Enda Minogue at close range at the expense of a corner.
That would prove to be Sligo's only noteworthy attempt of the opening half, with Dundalk slowly growing into it after a nervous opening.
Goalkeeper Sam Sargeant was one of Sligo's star performers on the night and he was called into action on 24 minutes when he pushed Harry Groome's effort away from long range.
The former Bray Wanderers midfielder then should have given the Louth men the lead in first-half stoppage time when he was picked out by JR Wilson but he could only pull his effort wide.
Sligo then hit the front within six minutes of the restart with a stunning strike from McManus, who met a partially cleared corner at the edge of the box with a stunning right footed strike that flew past Minogue to the top right hand corner.
It was then 2-0 on 54 minutes with Will Fitzgerald's cross from the left flicked on by the head of Doyle-Hayes and into the bottom right hand corner.
To their credit, Dundalk didn't throw in the towel with Sargeant denying both Gbemi Arubi and Daryl Horgan either side of an attempt from Andy Paraschiv that dipped just over.
Dean Ebbe also had a big chance to set up a tense finale but despite beating Sargeant with six minutes to go, his effort lacked the power to cross the line.
DUNDALK: Minogue; Wilson, Leonard, Sean McHale (O'Keeffe 22), Keogh (Spaight 71); Dervin, Tracey (Parashiv 61); McDaid (Kenny 61), Groome, Horgan; Arubi (Ebbe 61).
SLIGO ROVERS: Sargeant; Reynolds, Denham, McClean, Fitzgerald; Doyle-Hayes (Patton 66), McManus; Elding, Hakiki, O'Kane (McDonagh 77); Waweru (Quirk HT).
Referee: Aaron O'Dowd.
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