Watch: Benson and Kilduff fire Dundalk to opening day win over Shamrock Rovers

Goals in each half from Robbie Benson and Ciaran Kilduff helped champions Dundalk to a 2-1 win over Shamrock Rovers in their opening Premier Division encounter.

 

The Hoops pulled a goal back midway through the first half through substitute Graham Burke, but the debutant saw red shortly after for a dangerous tackle on Jamie McGrath.

 

The visitors came out firing early doors and had a goal disallowed after 11 minutes when former Dundalk striker Michael O'Connor charged down Gabriel Sava's clearance with his hand.

 

 

The Lilywhites took the lead just after the half-hour mark as John Mountney won the ball in midfield and Michael Duffy broke into the box before laying it on a plate for Benson.

 



 

And striker Kilduff continued his goalscoring form against his former club seven minutes after the break when he headed home after Patrick McEleney caught Daniel Devine in possession.

 

 



Burke halved the deficit with 15 minutes remaining when he linked up with Darren Meenan and Sean Boyd before dinking the ball over Sava and into the far corner.

 

 

And the former Aston Villa man turned from hero to villain again three minutes later as he was sent off for a senseless two-footed tackle on a grounded McGrath.

 

 

Video courtesy of Eir Sport.

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