The Patrick Hoban-Daniel Kelly goalscoring double-act is becoming a regular feature at Oriel Park.
Two weeks after their strikes downed UCD, they were at it again tonight to see off the challenge of a Sligo Rovers side that can’t seem to find anything other than a reverse gear right now.
Despite Max Mata’s late headed effort, the Bit O’ Red are now five games without a win, while Dundalk are up to third in the Premier Division.
The visitors gave as good as they got in the entertaining early stages, but Hoban and Kelly were clinical, while Sligo failed to take their chances.
It was end-to-end stuff for a while, with Sligo’s Ed McGinty and Dundalk’s Nathan Shepperd both showcasing the art of narrowing the angle in denying Darragh Leahy and Mata respectively.
Aidan Keena, Steven Bradley and Kelly all had chances in a breathless opening.
And when Shepperd made a rash decision to leave his line in pursuit of a 16th minute through-ball, Keena should have done better with a lobbed effort that comfortably cleared the crossbar.
The same could be said for Kelly when he was picked out in lots of space on the edge of the Rovers area by Greg Sloggett. His first-time strike was straight at McGinty.
Hoban was involved in the build-up to that opportunity and for much of the opening half-hour the Dundalk dangerman dropped deep, won headers and tried to bring teammates into play.
But when he first got a sniff of goal - with 34 minutes on the clock - Hoban showed once again why he remains the most feared attacker in the League of Ireland.
He was unmarked beyond the back post when McGinty could only get a fingertip to Steven Bradley’s cross, but it was far from an easy finish with Garry Buckley between him and the goal.
With a first-time finish on the volley, however, Hoban made the execution look devastatingly simple as he squeezed the ball between the centre-half and the upright.
Greg Sloggett was denied on 40 minutes by McGinty, who saved the former UCD and Derry man’s 20-yard effort at his near post.
However, Dundalk managed to double their lead three minutes later when Bradley served up another assist; this time with a through-ball to Kelly, who confidently slipped the ball past the advancing Sligo ‘keeper.
Visiting boss Liam Buckley reacted by making two changes at half-time, including the withdrawal of Keena for David Cawley.
And just after the hour mark, he let fly from 20 yards, but could only direct his strike at Shepperd after good link-up play with Mata.
Mata handed Rovers a lifeline with four minutes remaining when his looping header dropped inside the far post.
It wasn’t a corner or a free-kick or a cross from play that teed up the Kiwi, but a throw-in from Paddy Kirk that floated all the way into the centre of the Dundalk penalty area.
Tonight’s win came at a cost for Dundalk, with midfielders Robbie Benson and Dan Williams both going off injured.
Benson hobbled off the pitch clutching his hamstring after just 21 minutes, while Williams was second-best in a crunching 50/50 challenge on the right touchline.
DUNDALK: Nathan Sheppard 6; Lewis Macari 6, Andy Boyle 7, Mark Connolly 7, Darragh Leahy 6; Greg Sloggett 6 (Sam Bone 80), Dan Williams 6 (Paul Doyle 60); Steven Bradley 6, Robbie Benson m6 (Joe Adams 21, 6), Daniel Kelly 6 (John Martin 80); Patrick Hoban 7.
SUBS NOT USED: Peter Cherrie, Brian Gartland, Keith Ward, Paul Doyle, Mark Hanratty, David McMillan.
SLIGO ROVERS: Ed McGinty 5; Lewis Banks 6, Garry Buckley 6, Nando Pijnaker 6, Paddy Kirk 6; Greg Bolger 6 (Niall Morahan 46), Adam McDonnell 6, Will Fitzgerald 6, Karl O’Sullivan 6 (Mark Byrne 79); Max Mata 6, Aidan Keena 5 (David Cawley 46).
SUBS NOT USED: Colm Horgan, Shane Blaney, Seamus Keogh, Cillian Heaney, Richard Brush, Kailin Barlow.
REFEREE: Neil Doyle
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