Dundalk 4 - 0 Cork City

Dundalk won their final home game of the 2013 season in style as they cruised to a 4-0 victory over Cork City at Oriel Park.

Wonderful goals from Richie Towell and Patrick Hoban in the first half, a John Kavanagh own goal just after the break and a 25 yard strike from John Dillon in injury-time sealed victory.

It was a quiet opening to the match, which was played in torrential rain, with Towell's shot over the bar from 25 yards the closest either side came. John  Mountney then had an effort blocked before Hoban skewed an effort wide.

The deadlock was broken just past the half hour mark when the ball fell to Richie Towell 30 yards from goal and he unleashed an unstoppable shot to the top corner for his 10th goal of the season.

Dundalk were well on top and should have doubled their advantage when Mountney once again got in behind but couldn't direct his shot goalwards. It looked like it would be just 1-0 at the break however Hoban struck yet another contender for goal of the season. After a good cross from Mountney, the ball wasn't cleared by the defence and it fell to the former Mervue United man who found the net with a  sublime overhead kick.

Immediately after the break, the Lilywhites made it 3. From the re-start they went on the attack and three minutes into the second half, a cross from Mountney found the centre of the area and bounced off the head of John Kavanagh past his own goalkeeper Mark McNulty for an own goal.

The hosts didn't sit back and went in search for another. Mountney then had his best chance of the game when he capitalised on a poor backpass by Garry Buckley but McNulty got down well to save.

Towell then almost grabbed his second when he broke free just inside the box and his curling shot clipped the right hand post and bounced clear. Hoban should have added the fourth when he met Towell's corner but he headed wide when it seemed easier to score from 6 yards out.

Cork City had two chances - first through Danny Morrissey who shot from distance but blazed over and then Peter Cherrie miskicked a clearance and the ball fell straight to Ciaran Kilduff however his shot was straight back at the Scottish netminder.

Stephen Kenny's men kept probing and substitute Dillon shot wide on two occasions after cutting in from the left. The Liverpudlian would find the net though to cap off a good cameo off the bench when he picked the ball up centrally 25 yards from goal, skipped past Dan Murray and whipped a wonderful effort to the bottom left corner of the net.

The victory ensured Dundalk remain on course for 2nd place as the Lilywhites produced a first class display in front of their home fans for the final time this season.

Dundalk: Peter Cherrie; Mark Rossiter (John Sullivan 77), Andy Boyle, Brian Gartland, Dane Massey; Richie Towell, Stephen O'Donnell (c) (John Dillon 55), Chris Shields; John Mountney, Kurtis Byrne (Tiarnan Mulvenna 89); Patrick Hoban.
Substitutes not used: Simon Kelly, Vinny Faherty, Francis McCaffrey, Conor Winn (GK)

Booked: Shields (39).

Cork City: Mark McNulty; John Kavanagh (Ian Turner 57), Garry Buckley (Kalen Spillane 75), Dan Murray (c), Danny Murphy; Gearoid Morrissey, John Dunleavy (Stephen Kenny 88), Shane Duggan, Daryl Horgan; Danny Morrissey; Ciaran Kilduff.
Substitutes not used: Rob Lehane, Jason Forde, Andy O'Connell, Kevin Burns (GK).

Booked: Buckley (25), D Murray (86).

Referee: Neil Doyle
Attendance: 1,733
Extratime.ie man of the match: Richie Towell (Dundalk)