Maguire returns to haunt the Lilywhites
Former Dundalk player Sean Maguire continued his impressive start to the season, with his penalty on 69 minutes earning Cork City a narrow 1-0 win over his old side at Oriel Park.
It's the first time since April 2009 that City have won a league game at Oriel Park, and their first win against Dundalk in any league meeting since the two clubs began their battle for domestic silverware in 2013.
Before the game Dundalk announced that manager Stephen Kenny had signed a new contract to keep him at Oriel Park until the end of the 2018 season, but the good news wasn't followed by the psychological boost of a win over a side considered to be their likeliest threat for the title.
Perhaps not surprisingly, it was a cagey and physical affair in which referee Paul McLoughlin produced seven yellow cards, and it was decided on a controversial penalty award.
Lilywhites full-back Dane Massey was adjudged to have blocked a Karl Sheppard cross with his hand, and after the furious protests from Dundalk players had been waved away, former Oriel Park striker Maguire made no mistake from the spot.
Pats head back to joint top
Goals either side of half-time from Christy Fagan and Billy Dennehy earned St Patrick's Athletic a 2-0 win against Shamrock Rovers at the Tallaght Stadium.
It was Pats' third win in succession without conceding a goal, and their second Dublin derby triumph in the space of five days.
Although Rovers had the better of the opening exchanges, they fell behind on the stroke of half-time when they conceded their first goal of the season, former Hoops winger Billy Dennehy heading home from Graham Kelly’s corner.
Seven minutes into the second-half, Christy Fagan doubled the visitors' advantage with his fourth goal in as many games, his near post header from Mark Timlin’s right-wing cross remarkably being the sixth headed goal that Pats have scored this season from a total of seven.
Referee Tom Connolly then delivered a major talking point, when he pointed to the penalty spot after Rovers' Simon Madden went down after a challenge by Pats full back Ian Bermingham.
However, Connolly reversed his decision after consulting with his assistant and awarded a goal-kick instead, sparking a furious reaction from the Rovers players and supporters.
Three in a row for the Candystripes
Two goals from Nathan Boyle secured Derry City's third consecutive Premier Division victory, with their 2-1 win over Galway United at the Brandywell ending the Tribesmen's unbeaten start to the season.
The visitors were ahead at the break through a Kevin Devaney close range effort, but Derry, fielding an unchanged side for the third game in a row, drew level 15 minutes from time when Nathan Boyle fired a low shot into the bottom left hand corner.
Late on, Galway keeper Connor Winn produced a great save from a Josh Daniels shot, but he was beaten in stoppage time when Rory Patterson's long ball put Boyle through on goal, and his shot off the inside of the post earned Derry all three points, and moved them into a five-way tie at the top of the table with Dundalk, Cork City, St. Patrick's Athletic and Shamrock Rovers.
First points for Wexford
Wexford Youths at last picked up their first point of their inaugural Premier Division campaign, after an exciting 3-3 draw with Bohemians at Dalymount Park.
It was desperately close to being all three points, as Youths led until two minutes from time only to be denied by a late penalty from Bohs' Mark Quigley that rescued a point for the home side.
Shane Keegan's side led three times in the game, with Danny Furlong, Paul Murphy and Gary Delaney all on target, but they were denied their first ever Premier Division win two minutes from time, when a foul by Danny Ledwith on Roberto Lopes led to the referee pointing to the spot, and although Youths’ keeper Graham Doyle got a hand to Mark Quigley’s spot kick, the ball ended up in the net off the post.
Lights out at the Showgrounds
There was late drama at the Showgrounds in the game between Sligo Rovers and Finn Harps, where the referee was forced to abandon the game due to a floodlight failure.
A good sized crowd had gathered for the North West derby clash, and they had been treated to an entertaining game, in which Chris Lyons gave the Bit o' Red the lead in the first-half, but Damien McNulty volleyed home an equaliser on 83 minutes to spark wild celebration among a large travelling support.
However, as the game moved into the 87th minute, two floodlights went out on one side of the ground, and after a long delay and a discussion between the referee Padraigh Sutton and both managers, once it became apparent there was no quick resolution available the decision was taken to abandon the game.
The SSE Airtricity League has since ruled that the 1-1 scoreline at the time it was abandoned will stand as the result of the game.
Results:
Premier Division: Bohemians 3 Wexford Youths 3, Derry City 2 Galway United 1, Dundalk 0 Cork City 1, Longford Town 1 Bray Wanderers 1, Shamrock Rovers 0 St Patrick's Athletic 2, Sligo Rovers 1 Finn Harps 1 (abandoned after 87 minutes).
Division One: Drogheda United 2 Athlone Town 2, Limerick 6 Cobh Ramblers 1, Shelbourne 1 Cabinteely 1, UCD 1 Waterford United 3.
