Michael Duffy’s 89th minute winner means Dundalk will play Shamrock Rovers in this year’s FAI Cup final after the Lilywhites finally saw off Sligo Rovers at the Showgrounds. Duffy struck late on after a sustained period of pressure to break Sligo he
Michael Duffy’s 89th minute winner means Dundalk will play Shamrock Rovers in this year’s FAI Cup final after the Lilywhites finally saw off Sligo Rovers at the Showgrounds.
Duffy struck late on after a sustained period of pressure to break Sligo hearts and propel the Lilywhites towards a date with Shamrock Rovers in October’s decider.
Aiming for a fifth cup decider on the spin, it was the holders who started on the front foot. Applying the pressure down the Lilywhites’ left, Michael Duffy pulled an early save from a busy Rovers goalkeeper, Ed McGinty.
While the Sligo net minder threw his cap on a direct set piece from the same man shortly after. Sligo’s game plan required an early tweak when they lost top scorer Romeo Parkes to a knee injury.
Despite the setback, Liam Buckley’s men might have had the lead 22 minutes in. John Mahon meeting David Cawley’s free from close to the corner flag, but his free header flashed past Gary Rogers’ far post. Dundalk then lost winger Patrick McEleney, but not before he had McGinty on his toes with a bending free-kick which the Scot had to watch sail narrowly over his goal.
At the scene of their last domestic defeat back in April, Dundalk manufactured the first chances of note of the second half. Jamie McGrath wasn’t not too far away with his right footer, which flew across the face of the Sligo goal three minutes in. While McGinty was again on hand to keep Dundalk at bay, when he threw an arm at Pat Hoban’s close range effort on 54.
Rovers enjoyed sporadic spells early in this game without actually producing a shot on target. Substitute Sean Murray should have settled the game five minutes from time with Dundalk dominating the closing stages. But he could only blast over from six yards with the goal gaping and McGinty grounded. Murray needn’t have worried though as Duffy struck in the 89th minute.
