League Report: Dundalk 1 - 0 Derry City

A solitary late strike sealed the points for Dundalk on a night when it looked like Derry City had done enough to earn their share of the points at Oriel Park. John Mountney’s 87^th minute shot deflected into the net to the palpable relief of the home side and their supporters.

Top of the table Dundalk have been in a great vein of form of late and went into this game four points ahead of their nearest challengers with a game in hand.

Rival managers have been claiming that Dundalk will have to hit a bad patch soon. Worrying for them, Dundalk did hit a bad patch tonight but still managed to walk away with the three points and extend their lead at the top of the table.

The first half was not a magnificent advertisement for the league - scrappy, laced with direct ball and firm tackles putting the ball into touch. The Champions had some early forays forward in the opening minutes but their efforts were snuffed out by an alert Candystripe defence, a pattern that was to emerge as the night went on.

Just after the quarter hour mark, Richie Towell crossed and found an unmarked Ronan Finn yards out, but Finn couldn’t control the ball and headed over. That was Dundalk’s first and last real chance of the opening half as Derry crowded out the midfield area and made it difficult for Dundalk to play their usual passing game.

Peter Hutton’s men had a good headed opportunity of their own on 20 minutes when Aaron Barry found Cillian Morrison but his header was straight into the hands of Gary Rogers. The crowd fell silent as the first half petered out without electrifying, and perhaps without even entertaining, either set of fans.

If anyone expected Dundalk to come out of the blocks at a helter-skelter pace after the break they were wrong. The second half followed the format of the first, unattractive but effective defending from Derry keeping the Lilywhites at bay and attempting to break on a counter attack.

This tactic was more often than not foiled by the Dundalk defence, in particular, Dane Massey who won and controlled virtually any ball that came over the top on the left.

The Candystirpes had what looked to be a legitimate appeal for a penalty in the 65^th minute, when Paddy Barett, filling in for the injured Brian Gartland, bundled Morrison to the ground. Referee Jim McKell didn’t see any issue with the challenge though.

The chance was against the run of play, but as the game wore into its final quarter it looked as if Derry had done enough to earn a point at least.

Stephen Kenny introduced Stephen O’Donnell and John Mountney to try and give Dundalk an edge, as they had done in Longford last week, and it seemed to have an immediate impact.

With 15 minutes remaining O’Donnell connected with a dropping cross to unleash a rasping shot at goal but it was straight into the arms of Shaun Patton who started in place of the injured Ger Doherty. The Town started to move the ball more fluidly and with urgency but it seemed it would be too little too late.

The Derry boss had asked for a reaction after a poor showing at the Brandywell last week and they almost became the first team to not lose in Oriel this season.

Then the crucial chance came three minutes from time for the home team. John Mountney shot from just inside the area and it looked like Patton had it covered only for it to be deflected out of his reach. Oriel erupted.

Derry pressed for a leveller and left themselves exposed. Kurtis Byrne looked to surely make it two when he broke and found himself one on one with the ‘keeper but the run had evidently taken its toll on his legs, he tamely poked it straight at Patton just before the final whistle.

On the measure of things, the Dundalk win was harsh on Derry. The Champions  didn’t play well but they won, and we all know what they say about teams that do that.

Dundalk: Gary Rogers; Sean Gannon, Paddy Barrett, Andy Boyle (capt), Dane Massey; Chris Shields (Stephen O’Donnell 64), Richie Towell; Darren Meenan (John Mountney 68), Ronan Finn (Kurtis Byrne 83), Daryl Horgan; David McMillan.
Subs Not Used: Gabriel Sava (gk),  Shane Grimes, Jake Kelly, Ciaran O’Connor.

Booked: Finn (65), O’Donnell (90).

Derry City: Shaun Patton; Aaron Barry, Shane McEleney, Ryan McBride (capt), Dean Jarvis; Mark Timlin, Philip Lowry, Seanan Clucas, Seamus Sharkey, Barry McNamee (Sean Houston 87); Cillian Morrison (Ryan Curran 81).
Subs Not Used: Michael Lynch (gk), Shaun Kelly, Anthony Elding, Josh Daniels, Ronan Curtis.

Booked: B McNamee (16), Lowry (35), Sharkey (62).

Referee: Jim McKell

Attendance: 3,106

ExtraTime.ie Man of the Match: Ryan Mc Bride (Derry)