Dundalk survive late Bohs revival
Dundalk moved four points clear of Cork City at the top of the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division table after a 2-1 win over Bohemians at Dalymount Park.
The champions were dominant in the first half and offered an attacking threat throughout, but only had one goal to show for their efforts at the break.
After a free-kick from Dane Massey had hit the woodwork, they broke the deadlock in the 24th minute, when returning centre-half Brian Gartland flicked the ball beyond Bohs' keeper Shane Supple from John Mountney's corner for his third goal of the season.
Mountney got on the score sheet himself with a low drive from long-distance doubling Dundalk's advantage 20 minutes into the second-half, but within two minutes later a terrific angled volley from Bohs' Kurtis Byrne arrowed into the top right-hand corner.
Byrne had another chance five minutes from time, but he curled a shot past Dundalk keeper Gary Rogers and just wide of the post, and the Lilywhites held out for an important win.
Candystripes draw a blank
Derry City missed a chance to go a further two points clear of Shamrock Rovers in the race for European football, as they were held to a goalless draw by Galway United at the Brandywell.
It was a result that was far more encouraging for the visitors, for whom the point ended a three-match losing streak, and Kenny Shiels’ side were left rueing a number of missed chances.
A volley from Derry's Niclas Vemmelund was blocked on the line by Galway defender Colm Horgan, on the stroke of half time, and after the break Lucas Schubert spurned a glorious chance with only the goalkeeper to beat before Rory Patterson almost grabbed the winner with an effort that hit the left hand post.
The result leaves Derry five points clear of Shamrock Rovers in the race for European football, although Rovers have two games in hand over their north-west rivals.
Dublin derby ends in stalemate
Shamrock Rovers also played out a goalless draw at home, being denied largely by a man of the match performance from St Patrick's Athletic goalkeeper Conor O'Malley in an entertaining game at Tallaght Stadium.
The game delivered plenty of talking points, with Rovers losing goalkeeper Craig Hyland to injury in the 12th minute, although it was O'Malley in the opposing goal who caught the eye with a string of outstanding saves.
He was beaten once when Rovers' in form teenager Sean Boyd struck the woodwork from a late first-half Simon Madden cross, but at the other end Pats could also have taken the lead but for an incredible miss from Graham Kelly who managed to scoop the ball over from almost underneath the crossbar.
North West derby curse strikes again
Both of Saturday night’s scheduled SSE Airtricity League Premier Division games fell victim to the heavy rain that swept across the country.
Longford Town's home game with Bray Wanderers at City Calling Stadium failed a pitch inspection shortly before the scheduled kick off time, and although the Sligo Rovers v Finn Harps game did start, it was abandoned after 21 minutes due to the unplayable conditions at the Showgrounds.
Curiously, this is the second time this season that this fixture has been abandoned, with the original game in March being brought to a premature end with four minutes of the game remaining, after an electrical fault with one of the floodlights forced the referee to end the game.
Results:
Premier Division: Bohemians 1 Dundalk 2, Derry City 0 Galway United 0, Shamrock Rovers 0 St Patrick's Athletic 0.
First Division: Cabinteely 0 UCD 2, Drogheda United 2 Cobh Ramblers 0, Limerick 4 Waterford United 0, Shelbourne 3 Athlone Town 0.
