THE irresistible force that is Dundalk clocked up their 12th win in 14 league games to extend their lead at the top of the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division at the weekend.
Stephen Kenny's Lilywhites now head the table by six points after their latest victory, a 2-0 win at Richmond Park against St Patrick's Athletic, courtesy of two goals from Daryl Horgan.
Dundalk negotiated the Pat's challenge with ease, and easily brushed aside the Saints, who had Kenny Browne sent off in the first half.
In the 28th minute David McMillan set up Horgan to fire home from 18 yards. Within seven minutes Browne was sent packing for a second yellow card, and it was backs-to-the-wall stuff for Saints thereafter, who had goalkeeper Brendan Clarke to thank for keeping them in the game.
In the second half a fine move involving Richie Towell and Dane Massey down the left ended with Horgan driving home his and Dundalk’s second of the evening.
Dundalk are now six points clear of Cork City with a game in hand, and 10 clear of Shamrock Rovers, with their evening made better by their two nearest challengers cancelling one another out in a goalless draw at Turner’s Cross.
It was the first time in 36 league games that Cork City have failed to score a goal at home, and the nearest they came to breaking the deadlock was late in the game, when Garry Buckley’s header from a Colin Healy free kick rebounded off the crossbar.
The supporters who turned up at Dalymount Park to watch Bohemians host Bray Wanderers were also deprived of any goals, with Trevor Croly continuing a good start to his managerial reign in charge of the Seagulls.
Longford Town moved up to sixth position with a 1-0 win over bottom of the table side Limerick at City Calling Stadium.
Mark Salmon's goal midway through the first half proved decisive, when he reacted quickly after inadvertently getting in the way of a Pat Sullivan 25 yarder, controlling the loose ball to score.
Derry City and Sligo Rovers shared a 1-1 draw, in a game where both goals were scored in the space of a minute early in the second half.
Estonian international Sander Puri put Sligo ahead, but within 60 seconds Seanan Clucas equalised for the Candystripes, who were later reduced to 10 men when Mark Timlin saw red. Sligo spurned the chance to collect all three points when Alan Keane hit the crossbar with a late penalty kick.
Galway United’s hopes of building on last week’s high scoring win over Bohemians were dashed at Drogheda United, where goals from Lee Duffy and Sean Thornton saw the home side through to a comfortable 2-0 win.
In the First Division Finn Harps veteran Kevin McHugh's late equaliser earned the Donegal team a 2-2 draw at home to UCD to give them a seven point lead at the top of the table.
It was a frustrating night for second placed Wexford Youths, who raced into a two goal lead at home to Athlone Town, only for the match to be abandoned at half-time after a generator caught fire and caused the floodlights to fail. The match will be replayed at a later date.
Shelbourne recorded their third win in a row, with a penalty from Gareth Coughlan 10 minutes into the second half securing them the points from a victory over Roddy Collins' Waterford at Tolka Park.
At Stradbrook, Cabinteely raced into a 2-0 lead inside 13 minutes against Cobh Ramblers, but a revival from the visitors was rounded off when Brendan Frahill scored deep into stoppage time to salvage a point from a 2-2 draw.
Results
Premier Division:
Bohemians 0 Bray Wanderers 0; Cork City 0 Shamrock Rovers 0; Derry City 1 Sligo Rovers 1; Drogheda United 2 Galway United 0; Longford Town 1 Limerick 0; St Patrick’s Athletic 0 Dundalk 2.
First Division:
Cabinteely 2 Cobh Ramblers 2; Finn Harps 2 UCD 2; Shelbourne 1 Waterford United 0; Wexford Youths v Athlone Town abandoned due to floodlight failure.
