FULL TIME: Daniel Kelly’s first half goal was the decisive moment in a contest that will be seen at seasons end of the year as a game that had more tension that flair in a tight contest at Oriel Park. The Lilywhites kept their quest for another season in Europe with this 1-0 victory as it keeps pace with the top four coming into the business end of the season. Sligo did have efforts to not only level the tie but quite possibly win it but were left frustrated as the goal eluded them.

YELLOW: Archie Davies is booked late on.

ADDED TIME: Five added minutes.

CHANCE: Ryan O'Kane comes off the wing and hits a low effort at the near post which strikes the side netting.

CHANCE: Yli Kokko breaks free and his low effort takes a deflection and it is easily saved.

YELLOW: Connor Malley is given a yellow for a foul.

CHANCE: A mistake at the back as the ball bounces to Yli-Kokko but the Finnish midfielders shot curls over.

SUB: Patrick Hoban and Greg Sloggett are replaced by Alfie Lewis and John Martin with eight minutes to go.

CHANCE: Pedro Martelo once again puts Dundalk under pressure with another low effort from the right by line, Sheppard mistimes the ball and it flies past him and whistles past the post.

A snap shot from Pedro Martelo sees Nathan Sheppard have to be smart with the save, any soirt of bounce and the Welsh Under 21 keeper could have been in trouble.

SUB: Double change for Sligo as Reece Hutchinson and Kailin Barlow come on for Bolger and Browning

MARTIN: John Martin being prepped for action. 3 years ago today he was here as part of a Waterford side which lost 1-0 to Dundalk in the FAI Cup. Sean Hoare scoring the game's only goal

SUB: Darragh Leahy comes on for the injured Hayden Muller.

INJURY: Hayden Muller is down and looks to be in some discomfort.

SUB: Dundalk's first chance and Daryl Horgan is off and he is replaced by Johannes Yli-Kokko.

CHANCE: Direct from a free kick Fabrice Hartmann opted to try and catch Nathan Sheppard at the near post off guard but the keeper palms it across the line for a corner.

YELLOW: Martelo is booked

CHANCE: Patrick Hoban goes close following a cross from O'Kane was met by the Dundalk striker but he heads it straight into the keepers hands.

SUB: Double change for Sligo as Fabrice Hartmann and Karl O'Sullivan come in for Brannefalk and Cawley.

SHOT: Daniel Kelly cuts in and Ryan O'Kane collects on the edge of the area and his curling effort was well saved.

YELLOW: Lukas Browning-Lagerfeldt goes into the book for a pull on Hoban.

The first sight on goal goes to the visitors with a dangerous free kick sent in by Johan Brannefalk is headed clear by Muller.

SECOND HALF: We are back for the second half, Greg Sloggett restarts proceedings.

HALF TIME: Dundalk lead in a contest but in terms of chances there have been very few - Dundalk when they have attacked with pace have looked the better.

ADDED TIME: One added minute here at Oriel Park.

SHOT: David Cawley has a snap shot on the edge of the area which Sheppard is equal to.

YELLOW: Louie Annesley is the first player in the book stopping Liivak on the way down the wing.

Dundalk looked to have had a break but to lose posession with Sligo then breaking and Archie Davies getting the ball to stop the attack.

The crowd are getting little edgy here with the lack of pace or intensity in this contest, Dundalk have a lot of the ball but very little output

CLOSE: A fantastic opportunity for Sligo after some intense pressure on the edge of the box Stefan Radosavljevic curls a brilliant effort that just goes over.

HORGAN: Dundalk have opted to play Horgan through the middle which seems to be having a little bit of joy as he has more room to work with plus Conor Malley now seems to be enjoying the link up play. In a few games this could start to bare fruit.

Dundalk continue to press with both Davies and O'Kane getting some head way down the wings, Sligo defending well at every turn but Dundalk are keen to add a second.

GOAL: And in Dundalk next attack Dundalk open the scoring, Horgan and Sloggett combine to send the ball to Davies whose cross to the back post is met by Daniel Kelly who heads it home.

CHANCE: An absolute guilt edge chance for Sligo to go ahead as a hooked pass to the back post found the head of Pedro Martelo but somehow he headed it wide at the far post. A wake up call for the home side.

Dundalk have settled into this match a little bit better than Sligo, however both sides have been poor in posession in key areas.

STRONG START: Both sides have had breaks on goal but to no avail, Daniel Kelly looking dangerous as he breaks through the middle while Frank Liivak is dictating terms for the away side.

KICK OFF: We are underway at Oriel Park, Sligo Rovers kick us off. Dundalk will shoot towards the 'Town End' for the first half evident they lost the toss of the coin!

ARRIVALS: Here are the teams - Dundalk in the usual black and white and Sligo in the 'bit of red'

REFEREE: Tonight’s referee is Adriano Reale, who was the fourth official here for the Shels game on Sunday. He is assisted by Darragh Keegan and Ciaran O’Reilly with Marc Lynch the 4th official.

CONCESSION: Only UCD (25) have conceded more goals at home this season than Dundalk (18). By contrast, Sligo Rovers have conceded nineteen on their travels, while scoring just fourteen. The Bit O Red have won just three times away from home this season, although one of those was at Oriel Park.

CAWLEY: David Cawley, who starts tonight, will have his testimonial on Saturday against a selection of former team-mates at The Showgrounds. He has played 301 games to date for Sligo Rovers, with 30 against Dundalk.

HEAD TO HEAD: Sligo’s biggest win over Dundalk was an 8-2 victory at Oriel Park in the Shield in August 1954. Their biggest league win over Dundalk was a 5-0 win at The Showgrounds in October 2011. Richie Ryan, Joseph Ndo, John Dillon and Eoin Doyle scored for the Sligo that night with Johnny Breen scoring an OG. Dundalk finished that game with 9 men with both Dean Bennett and Greg Bolger – now of Sligo – sent-off.

HEAD TO HEAD: Dundalk’s biggest win in this fixture came in August 1958 when they were 9-1 winners in the old City Cup. Dundalk’s biggest league win over Sligo was in January 1987 when they won 8-1 at The Showgrounds – a night when Dessie Gorman scored four.

HEAD TO HEAD: It’s the 248th meeting between Dundalk and Sligo Rovers this evening. Dundalk have won 114, drawn 57 and lost 76 of the previous 247 meetings. It’s league meeting number 179 between the pair tonight. Dundalk have won 76, drawn 43 and lost 59 of the previous 178 meetings.

SKIP: It is Stephen O’Donnell’s 13th time managing against Sligo Rovers tonight. In the 12 games to date, he has won 4, lost 4 and drawn 4. Prior to that he had lost two and drawn one against him. The first of those matches – a 2-0 win for Sligo – was overturned however into a 3-0 win for Dundalk due to Adam McDonnell being ineligible when the sides met at The Showgrounds on August 29th 2022.

EARLIER THIS YEAR: Sligo won on their last visit to Oriel Park on April 7th on a 2-1 scoreline when Stefan Radosavljevic scored a minute from the end after Rayhann Tulloch had cancelled out Max Mata’s opener just before half-time. That remains Dundalk’s last home defeat.

TEAM NEWS: Dundalk have made 4 changes to the side which drew 1-1 with Shelbourne on Sunday with Kelly, Hoban, Malley and O’Kane in for Martin, Elliott, Yli-Kokko & McCourt. With Luke McNicholas Wrexham-bound & Richard Brush banned, teenager Conor Walsh makes his debut for Sligo in goal

Good Evening from Oriel Park - Ciaran Callan here to take you through tonights action as Dundalk take on Sligo Rovers.