DUNDALK’S OFF-THE-field problems were compounded by a 4-0 defeat to Shelbourne at Tolka Park tonight.
The Louth club are currently suffering financial difficulties and were unable to pay their staff last week, which led to yesterday’s meeting with club officials, the FAI and the PFAI. Manager Sean McCaffrey would’ve been looking to put that to one side in this evening’s Premier Division clash with Derry City but his side were soundly beaten.
Striker Philip Gorman scored a header either side of half-time before Kevin Dawson added a third on 63 minutes and Lilywhites substitute Ben McLaughlin put the ball into his own net with 15 minutes remaining.
The defeat leaves Dundalk two points ahead of bottom-placed UCD, who took on Derry City at the Belfield Bowl but went down to a Stephen McLaughlin goal.
The winger took a pass from Owen Morrison on 32 minutes and advanced forward before finding the bottom corner with his strike to earn the Candystripes three points.
That moves them to within a point of fourth-placed Shamrock Rovers, but the Hoops do have two games in hand and meet St Pat’s in a rescheduled fixture on Sunday afternoon.
“We had to work very hard for it (the win),” Derry manager Declan Devine told MNS after the final whistle. “I thought the goal was a superb goal. It was an individual piece of magic from Owen Morrison for the pass and a fantastic finish from Stephen McLaughlin.
“We’ve had to really knuckle down, it’s been a frustrating period for us and we had a lot of young players out there again tonight.”
In the First Division, Waterford United came from behind to see off high-flying Limerick at the RSC.
Denis Behan had put the visitors in front but Peter White and Dylan Mernagh completed the comeback in the second half.
