Rovers held by bottom-of-the-table Dundalk
Fabrice Hartmann of Sligo Rovers during the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division match between Shamrock Rovers and Sligo Rovers at Tallaght Stadium in Dublin. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile
It finished honours even in the meeting of Sligo Rovers and Dundalk last Friday evening in the Showgrounds.
Rovers had taken the lead through a first half strike from Fabrice Hartmann but bottom side Dundalk earned a point thanks to a second half penalty from Jamie Gullan.
Rovers, who were unchanged from the side that had been beaten by Shamrock Rovers, went into the game on the back of two successive 3-0 defeats and they would have been hoping to get back to winning ways against the bottom side in the league. They started brightly and took the lead on 16 minutes. Ollie Denham came forward from defence and passed out right to Hartmann. He then cut inside before rifling home a left shot that gave Dundalk keeper Geroge Shelvey no chance.
Instead of building on their lead Rovers took the foot off the pedal somewhat which allowed the visitors time to regroup. Dundalk could have gone in level at the break as right on the stroke of half time Scott High dinked a ball over the top which came to Gullan and he was denied from close range by Rovers keeper Ed McGinty.
Four minutes into the second half though and the sides were level when Dundalk were awarded a penalty. Sam Durrant had sent over a corner from the right and Wilson was adjudged to have fouled Gullan. The Scottish striker got up to take the resulting spot kick himself and managed to squeeze the ball between the post and the outstretched hand of McGinty.
Rovers were struggling to build momentum now with Dundalk happy to sit back and absorb any pressure that came their way. They nearly caught Rovers out with a quick thinking counter attack on 71 minute. The ball being played out of defence to Daryl Horgan on the right. He crossed into the box where Wilson could only chest it into the path of Gullan who was unable to make a proper connection and Rovers were able to clear.
That chance seemed to focus Rovers as two minutes later they had their first chance of the half. Kailin Barlow picked out Reece Hutchinson on the left and his cross found Wilson Waweru whose header flashed across goal and wide of the upright. They had one last chance in stoppage time when McGinty's kick out was taken down by Stefan Radosavljevic who played it into the path of Barlow, but he drove his resulting shot wide of the post.
Rovers were in back in action last night (Monday) as they took on Galway United in the Showgrounds and will be away to Drogheda United this coming Friday in Weaver's Park at 7:45pm.
