Sligo were on top from the start with Harps' goalkeeper Gavin Cullen forced into making a decent first minute save and Richard Ryan then hit the post.
Rovers took the lead on 12 minutes when Matthew Blinkhorn was adjudged to have been fouled by Packie Mailey inside the box and Alan Keane duly slotted in the resulting penalty.
Harps' first effort on target came on the hour with Timmy Bonner's weak header posing no problems for Ciaran Kelly.
But inspired by a speculative Kevin McHugh 40 yard effort - that landed on the roof of the Sligo net on 62 minutes - the home side took the game to Sligo.
McHugh, the only Harps player from the squad that reached the 1999 final, suddenly found a spring in his step and had appeals for a penalty dismissed as he went down on 63 minutes.
Harps produced a series of corners but with no end product before Sligo missed a great chance to seal things when Eoin Doyle burst through on goal only to be denied by the advancing Cullen.
Despite having played each other over 100 times over the past 40 years, this was the first time that the two north-west rivals had ever met in the FAI Cup.
Finn Harps: Cullen; Doherty, Mailey, Crossan, Whoriskey; McMenamin, Forker, Shields, Bonner; Brolly, McHugh. Subs: Breen for Whoriskey (76 mins), Walsh for Breen (90 mins).
Sligo Rovers: Kelly; Keane, Peers, Lauchlan, Davoren; Ryan; Dillon, Russell, Boco, McCabe; Blinkhorn. Subs: Ventre for McCabe and Doyle for Dillon (both 61 mins), Amond for Blinkhorn (76 mins).
As you can see there Amond was playing yesterday evening as he came on as a sub for Mathew.
What does this mean for his future at the club? we will have to weight and see but if there is a deal to be done it will have to be done by 6:00 pm on tuesday.
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