Early FAI Cup exit as Dundalk FC leave their shooting boots behind

Irish Independent

2 days ago

Friday's FAI Cup tie was billed as a good chance to see the potential difference between the top of the First Division and the bottom half of the Premier. On the basis of this game there is very little – apart from in front of goal.
While Dundalk may well have won on points had this been a boxing match, not for the first time in recent weeks Ciarán Kilduff's side lacked power in their punches.
By contrast, a Sligo Rovers side whose manager John Russell was missing due to illness were able to deliver two killer knockout blows in the space of four second-half minutes from, firstly, James McManus and then Jake Doyle-Hayes.
While Bit O Red goalkeeper Sam Sargeant was certainly in the shake-up for the man of the match award, having pulled off a number of fine saves, it will be of concern to the Lilywhites that for the second week running they created a plethora of chances without taking any.
Harry Groome's effort just before half-time was as gilt-edged as they come and perhaps had that found the net then a shock might have been on the cards.
However, a screamer from on-loan Bohemians midfielder McManus rattled the Lilywhites, with a soft header conceded just three minutes later from Doyle-Hayes effectively ensuring that there would be no early-round exit for Sligo for the fifth year running.
Dundalk, to their credit, did their best to avoid a first home FAI Cup defeat in 17 matches stretching back to their quarter-final defeat against Shamrock Rovers in 2014, but the closing 35 minutes or so were almost a reminder of last season's relegation campaign when there was plenty of hustle and bustle without much real belief that something could be rescued from the game.
While the Lilywhites weren't looking for silver linings, they can take some heart from the way they conducted themselves either side of the Sligo goals.
The men from The Showgrounds came into this game on a real high following a 2-0 victory over Derry City the week before. They named an unchanged side in Oriel Park and, with a bit more of a cutting edge, could have been upset.
It would be dangerous to read too much into one 90-minute game, but the fact Dundalk were competitive showed that maybe the gap isn't that big , if they were able to secure promotion. Either way this will surely have whet the appetite to get back to playing against some of the country's bigger clubs.
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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.
Their own first attempt arrived on 16 minutes when Daryl Horgan's corner found Vinnie Leonard, but his looping header was comfortable for Sargeant to deal with.
The former Waterford goalkeeper was then called into action again eight minutes later when he was forced to spring to his right to push Groome's long-range attempt away.
The former Bray midfielder should have given the home side the lead in first-half stoppage time. Good work on the right by Declan McDaid, Shane Tracey and JR Wilson saw the latter pull back for Groome 10 yards out, but he curled his effort just the wrong side of the post.
Sligo then hit the front within six minutes of the restart with a classy strike from McManus, who met a partially cleared corner at the edge of the box with a stunning right-footed effort that flew past Minogue to the top right-hand corner.
It was then 2-0 on 54 minutes, with Fitzgerald's cross from the left flicked on by the head of Doyle-Hayes and into the bottom right-hand corner.
Dundalk almost responded five minutes later when Shane Tracey's ball in from the right was met first-time by Gbemi Arubi, but his low effort was brilliantly turned around the post by Sargeant low to his left.
Andy Paraschiv then let fly from distance on 68 minutes with an effort that dipped just over the bar before fellow substitute Dean Ebbe let the visitors off the hook on 84 when he latched onto a slack back pass to beat Sargeant, but his effort lacked the power to get across the line.
Horgan then forced another fine save from Sargeant a minute later as Sligo held out for the win.
Dundalk's Cup dreams are over at the first hurdle for the second year running. The main target, though, is promotion to get back to having nights like this more regularly in Oriel.
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 46).
Attendance: 2,083