Teahan strikes late to earn Dundalk a point at Sligo

Dundalk FC needed a last-gasp equaliser from Ronan Teahan to secure a 1-1 draw with Sligo Rovers at the Showgrounds on Saturday night, a result that lifted the Lilywhites back into fifth place in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division with two games remaining.

Kaiyne Woolery had given Sligo the lead less than a minute into the second half, but Teahan struck in the 90th minute to rescue a point for Ciaran Kilduff’s side in their battle to avoid a relegation play-off.

Dundalk made the brighter start and fashioned the first opening after six minutes when Teahan found Daryl Horgan, whose first-time effort drifted wide.

Sligo responded five minutes later when Archie Meekison’s pass sent Woolery in behind the Dundalk defence, but the forward dragged his shot narrowly wide of Enda Minogue’s post.

The visitors registered the first effort on target when Trevor Clarke’s shot from outside the area was pushed away by Liam Hughes.

Cian Dillon went down in the ensuing scramble, apparently claiming a foul by the Sligo goalkeeper, but referee Daniel Murphy was unmoved.

Dundalk continued to threaten, with Horgan playing Dillon through on goal, only for Hughes to deny the striker at his near post. Clarke then sent another effort straight at the goalkeeper before Teahan found space to shoot wide.

Tyreke Wilson also tried his luck, his speculative effort taking a deflection off Daire Patton before being gathered safely by Hughes.

At the other end, a Meekison header from Sean Stewart’s cross failed to trouble Minogue. Dundalk almost broke the deadlock in the final action of the half, when Horgan’s delivery found Keith Buckley at the back post, only for Gareth McElroy to clear his effort off the line.

Sligo, who had entered the fixture without a league win since May, needed less than a minute of the second half to take the lead.

Stewart got away from Burns before delivering a cross that Woolery met with a powerful header, the ball striking the underside of the crossbar before crossing the line.

Dundalk struggled to find an immediate response, with their next meaningful opportunity arriving around the hour mark. Clarke delivered a cross for Egor Vassenin, whose towering header was turned around the post by Hughes.

Teahan then saw a volley kept out by the Sligo goalkeeper, but the visitors found it difficult to establish a foothold as the half progressed. Sligo appealed unsuccessfully for a penalty when Luke Pearce went down inside the area under a challenge from Burns.

Just as Dundalk’s hopes appeared to be fading, they found an equaliser in the 90th minute. Tom Grivosti sent a long ball forward that the Sligo defence failed to deal with, allowing substitute Declan McDaid to tee up Teahan for a close-range finish.

There was still time for Dundalk to threaten a dramatic winner deep into stoppage time. McDaid slipped a pass through to Harry Groome, who came close to snatching all three points, but Hughes again came to Sligo’s rescue.

Sligo Rovers: Liam Hughes; Aidan Gabbidon (Seb Quirk HT), Gareth McElroy, Ollie Denham, Sean Stewart; Daire Patton (James McManus 67), Luke Young; Kaiyne Woolery (Luke Pearce 70), Archie Meekison, Jack Shorrock; Cian Kavanagh

Subs not used: Richard Brush (gk), Kyle McDonagh, Ross Ruane-Dalton, Reuben Gillespie, Conor Cannon, Kevin Zefi

Dundalk FC: Enda Minogue; Bobby Burns, Mayowa Animasahun (Egor Vassenin 25), Tom Grivosti, Tyreke Wilson; Aodh Dervin (Shane Tracey 62), Keith Buckley (Harry Groome 73); Trevor Clarke (Declan McDaid 62), Ronan Teahan, Daryl Horgan; Cian Dillon (Leo Gaxha 73)

Subs not used: Sammy Safaei (gk), Harvey Warren, Luke Mulligan, Norman Garbett

Referee: Daniel Murphy (Dublin)

Attendance: 1,821