St. Patrick’s Athletic have been suffering minor stumbles of late, losing to Shamrock Rovers in the FAI Cup and drawing with Limerick and Bohs in the league. The missed beats in league action have intermittently allowed Dundalk to strip points from their lead at the top of the table while also tempting outside observers to predict a collapse under the pressure of chasing a first league title in 14 years. Last night they strode ahead of the competition with purpose and conviction. Dundalk came to Dublin imagining their seemingly unstoppable title charge would roll through the final vestiges of fight left in the Saint's spirit as Stephen Kenny and men rounded the home stretch with the long term leaders pushed into pursuers. Pat's, however, were in title winning form.
Chris Forrester and Daryl Kavanagh were the men to deflate the hopes of the Louth side, with both scoring in the second half, while Dundalk's Stephne O'Donnell was shown a red card fifteen minutes from the end.
A huge travelling support from Dundalk entered Richmond Park in the hope their side could continue the most remarkable of seasons with another win – what would have been their twelfth in their last fourteen league games. While that charge has been derailed it isn't over and Dundalk will know the title - and dreams of a double that would almost defy belief in the greater scheme of the club’s near demise last season – remains alive for them, but, for now, the side from Inchicore know they’re now masters of their own destiny, with the most hazardous hurdle cleared.
Across the capital, Bohemians took what should be a massive step towards safety with a 3-0 win over Shelbourne at Tolka Park. A decidedly flat display from Shels left the large Bohs travelling support looking forward to another year of top flight football, while the Tolka Park faithful will now face the sobering, and ever more plausible, prospect of relegation and the potentially catastrophic financial toll that will take on their club.
Former Shels man Dinny Corcoran put Bohs ahead early on before Ryan McEvoy and Dave Mulcahy added goals in the second half that put Bohs 4 points from relegation worries and left Shelbourne wondering if the good sequence of results in the early weeks of Johnny McDonnell’s tenure will prove to be little more than the deceptive glimmer of false hope.
Sligo continued their low key hunt for an increasingly unlikely second title in a row with a 3-0 win over UCD at the Belfield Bowl. It was level until the break but Kieran Djilali, Joey N’Do and Danny North scored second half goals for Ian Barraclough’s men.
Derry City beat Bray Wanderers 2-0 at the Brandywell, with goals from David McDaid and Michael Rafter. Bray remain mired in the relegation dogfight with Shelbourne, with a one point lead over the Tolka Park side but having played one game more. With Bohs taking 3 points last night it now appears the Seagulls and the Reds are fighting for the right to attempt a playoff reprieve.
