Sligo Rovers were two goals up inside five minutes against Dundalk at the Showgrounds on Saturday night, but still had to rely on a last-minute goal by Falcon Rose to snatch a point. Dundalk's new-look defence was caught cold as early as the second minute when a cross from Neil Ogden was turned into the net by Lee Thew.

Sligo increased their lead three minutes later when Padraig Moran split the defence and the in-rushing Rose applied the finish.

Dundalk stormed back and reduced the deficit after 18 minutes when David Hoey scored with a delightful lob from the edge of the area. But the equaliser in the 28th minute came when an attempted clearance rebounded off Ian Lynch into the net.

Dundalk's sustained pressure throughout the second half finally brought a reward from Noel Melvin with just three minutes remaining only for Rose to leave it all square.

Sligo Rovers: Westhead, Southworth, Hutchison, Reid, Cubbesson, Ogden, Jones, Moran, Thew, Rose, Lynch.

Dundalk: Williams, Reddish, Crawley, Doohan, Brady, Melvin, Campbell, Carlyle, Hoey, Withnell, Byrne. Sub: McNulty for Reddish (77 mins).

Referee: A O'Regan (Cork).