Gary McCabe fired home a 62nd minute winner as Sligo Rovers overcame Dundalk by a goal to nil at the Showgrounds on Saturday evening.

 

McCabe found the bottom corner of Peter Cherrie’s net after being released by Joseph Ndo’s pass just after the hour-mark, as the home side deservedly secured the three points.

 

Rovers dominated possession for the opening half, with debutant goalkeeper John Gibson left with little to do in the Rovers goal.

 

But Dundalk defended well, and half-chances for Padraig Amond, John Russell, Joseph Ndo and Eoin Doyle were all Rovers could muster in the opening 45 minutes.

 

Former Rovers striker Fahrudin Kuduzovic went close for Dundalk early in the second half with a shot from outside the area, but Rovers could have taken the lead five minutes into the half when Ndo found McCabe, who fired across the face of goal and wide.

 

The home side went close again when McCabe’s cross picked out the run of Amond, but his powerful header flashed the wrong side of the post.

 

But McCabe fired home the winner on 62 minutes, after another smart piece of link-up play by the industrious Ndo, who picked out the unmarked winger in the area to fore home.

 

The win moves Rovers up to fourth in the Airtricity League Premier Division, at least until Sporting Fingal play Shamrock Rovers on Sunday.

 

Sligo Rovers: Gibson, Keane, Foran, Lauchlan, Davoren, McCabe, O’Grady, Russell, Doyle (Dillon 70), Ndo, Amond (Blinkhorn 70).

 

Dundalk: Cherrie, Madden, McGuigan, Hatswell, Kelly, McGowan, Maher, Miller, Gaynor, Kuduzovic, Tipton.

 

Referee: D Hancock (Dublin).