FULL TIME: Keith Ward’s late header put Sligo Rovers to the sword as the home side on another night would have been out of sight by the time the Lilywhites midfielder nodded the ball past McNicholas with six minutes to go. Before going into the contest both sides were pretty much equal in terms of form and performances this season and despite ample chances, it was a series of excellent saves and squandered opportunities that was the story of the game as the one vital killer touch was in need to be sought at the Showgrounds. On another day Rayhann Tulloch and Max Mata would have had goals galore - tonight it was Keith Ward a former Sligo player who came back to haunt his former side with a late goal.

YELLOW: Nathan Sheppard is booked

That’s Ward’s 10th league goal for the club. It comes 4334 days (11 years, 10 months and 12 days) since his first in a 6-1 win over Galway Utd at Oriel Park in June 2011

SUB: Paul Doyle is on for Tulloch

ADDED TIME: 4 minutes added

LAST MINUTE: Dundalk are in the lead but will there be late drama ?

GOAL: The deadlock is broken! A cross into the area and Keith Ward nods the ball past McNicholas to give Dundalk the lead.

As things stand if the score remains the same Dundalk will be in 5th and Sligo in 6th with both sides 1 point off Sherbourne and 4 points off Derry City.

TURNING THE SCREW: Dundalk are very much pushing for a late winner in these final minutes, it seems John Martin's arrival has given them a fresh lease of life.

SUB: Vastsuk and Cawley on for Mata and Morahan for Sligo

SUB: Keith Ward on for Yli-Kokko

SAVE: A brilliant build-up play from John Martin and Alfie Lewis collects it but his direct shot is well saved

YELLOW: Clancy is booked for Sligo

SAVE: What a stop from McNicholas as a free kick sent into the area is headed perfectly from John Martin with his first touch and its denied by a superb stop.

SUB: John Martin on for Ryan O'Kane: he has one career goal against Sligo Rovers having scored the second in a 3-2 win for Waterford at The Showgrounds in June 2018. It was the first Premier Division goal of his career.

CHANCE: Radosavljevic has a guilt edge chance as Hutchinson plays the ball into the striker and his first time effort goes wide of the mark.

CHANCE: Dundalk tried a few phases of play from a corner but the ball falls to Connor Malley and his effort goes wide.

CHANCE: Max Mata gets away from the Dundalk back four and Sheppard does brilliantly to save and Radosavljevic's second ball in the follow-up was blocked down by Williams in what was a certain goal if Williams had not made that intervention.

Rayhann Tulloch and Johan Brannefalk contest for the ball and there was a bit of afters with Tulloch not impressed with Brannefalk at all.

CHANCE: Rayhann Tulloch once again cuts onto his right coming in from the wing but his shot while curling is high over the bar.

CHANCE: Liivak comes onto his left foot on the edge of the area but his effort was easily saved by Sheppard.

DEFENSE: A good early ball into the Dundalk early nearly sees Max Mata get an opportunity on goal only for an important stop by Hayden Muller.

NICE TO SEE YOU: Liivak faces off against Dundalk for the 6th time in his career tonight having also featured for Levadia Tallinn in both legs of the pair’s Europa Conference League Qualifier in 2021 – a game Dundalk would win 4-3 on aggregate. He scored 2 in 2 against them for Sligo last season

SECOND HALF: We are back underway as Sligo restart proceedings while the home side have made two half-time changes as Eanna Clancy and Frank Livvak come in for Mahon and Hartmann.

HALF TIME: Scoreless at the break but Sligo will be wondering how they haven't scored as Max Mata, Fabrice Hartmann and Nando Pijnaker have all forced Nathan Sheppard into saves. Rayhann Tulloch and Patrick Hoban had the pick of the chances for Dundalk.

SAVE: Yet another fine save from Sheppard as Nando Pijnaker has a snapshot at the back post from a corner.

SAVE: An excellent save from Fabrice Hartmann who bobbed and weaved and struck an effort that was pretty much point-blank range for the Welsh keeper to save.

CHANCE: Hartman plays the ball to Fitzgerald with a deft ball to Mata and his header is headed downwards and it bounces over the bar.

SAVE: Conor Malley sets up Patrick Hoban on the edge of the area but his effort is well saved by Luke McNicholas.

SAVE: Fabrice Hartmann cuts onto his left and hits a low effort that Sheppard is equal to.

STATS: Pass completed - Sligo 121 vs Dundalk 91

SAVE: What a stop from Luke McNicholas as Rayhann Tulloch collects the ball and cuts onto his right and lets one fly with an excellent curling effort but Luke is at full strength to push it around the post.

CLASH: A ball sent into the Dundalk area by Fabrice Hartmann sees Mata and Sheppard clash and both are down injured - some commitment from both players to contest the ball.

CHANCE: What a chance for Sligo! Fitzgerald's cross is met by Max Mata's whose header is low and forces an excellent save from Nathan Sheppard who just about keeps it out.

CHANCE: Rayhann Tulloch takes an initial shot that strikes John Mahon but O'Kane and Hoban have a shot on goal but its tame the keeper gathers with ease.

The first sight of goal from Sligo as Max Mata plays the ball to Fabrice Hartmann but his shot goes way wide of the mark.

NEW KIT: Just five days on from wearing their new away strip for the first time against UCD on Monday, Dundalk is wearing their new blue third kit this evening. While Dundalk don't traditionally have a history of wearing blue, they did briefly sport it as part of their kit when the club first changed from its black and amber strip that it wore on entering the Free State League

HOBAN: A corner from Ryan O'Kane is sent to the back post by Patrick Hoban but his effort flies over the crossbar. If he had taken it down as he had peeled away from his marker it could have caused Sligo problems.

POSITIVE: There has been a positive opening to this game with both sides looking to take the lead early, Dundalk had the early impetus but Sligo is looking to hit them with pace on the counterattack. Max Mata will give Williams tonight a tough contest that will be intriguing to watch.

KICK OFF: We are underway at the Showgrounds with Dundalk kicking us off here at the home of the Bit O'Red

REF WATCH: Tonight's referee is Paul McLaughlin. He takes charge of a Dundalk game for the 57th time in his career tonight – more than he has refereed any other side.

On this day in 2001, Dundalk were crowned First Division champions for the first time with David Crawley picking up the trophy before kick-off at St Colman’s Park. Martin Murray’s side would then suffer a 2-0 defeat to Cobh Ramblers courtesy of Declan McGregor’s double.

IN RECENT YEARS: While the game between the sides at The Showgrounds last August was overturned from a 2-0 loss for Dundalk into a 3-0 win due to Adam McDonnell being ineligible to play, Dundalk have won just twice in their last 11 matches against Sligo Rovers on the field of play. That came courtesy of a 4-1 win at Oriel Park in September 2021 when both Sean Murray and Patrick Hoban scored twice and the 2-1 win at Oriel Park last April when Hoban and Daniel Kelly scored.

LAST TIME: The last meeting between the sides came at Oriel Park a month ago tomorrow on April 7th when Sligo prevailed on a 2-1 scoreline. Max Mata had given the visitors a 16th-minute lead before Rayhann Tulloch equalised just 44 mins with the follow-up after seeing his penalty saved. Sligo would win it a minute from the end, however, when substitute Stefan Radosavljevic hit the winner.

O'Donnell vs Bit O'Red: It is Stephen O’Donnell’s 12th time managing against Sligo Rovers tonight. In the 11 games to date, he has won 3, lost 4 and drawn 4.

HISTORY: It’s the 247th meeting between Dundalk and Sligo Rovers this evening. Dundalk have won 113, drawn 57 and lost 76 of the previous 246 meetings. It’s league meeting number 178 between the pair tonight. Dundalk have won 75, drawn 43 and lost 59 of the previous 177 meetings.

TEAM NEWS: Dundalk make one change from the side which beat UCD on Monday with Patrick Hoban coming in for goalscorer John Martin and a welcome addition of Daniel Kelly and Cameron Elliott back among the subs

Good Evening from FinalWhistle HQ - Ciaran Callan is here to bring you through tonights coverage of the only game in town as Sligo Rovers take on Dundalk in the Showgrounds.