Dundalk 1

St Patrick’s Athletic 2

LATE, LATE DRAMA has seen St Patrick’s Athletic close the gap in the race for guaranteed European qualification to just one point, after inflicting Dundalk’s first home defeat of the season.

Back from suspension, Chris Forrester put St Pat’s ahead, but his goal was cancelled out by Man of the Match Ryan O’Kane’s superb finish right at the end of the opening half.

The second period was a non-event for the most part, but St Pat’s took all three points in dramatic fashion, with Adam O’Reilly winning it for them with the last kick of the game.

Dundalk had started brightly, and created the night’s first attempt at goal through Steven Bradley, who dispossessed the slack O’Reilly before dragging a shot wide of the target.

Local talent O’Kane gave Sam Curtis a torrid time in the first half, and from an excellent Bradley sprayed pass, he turned the St Pat’s defender inside out before firing inches wide.

However, against the run of play, St Pat’s hit the front on 20 minutes, when a loose Sam Bone pass afforded Anto Breslin the opportunity to find Forrester, and he produced a beautiful finish from outside the box, sending the strong travelling support into delirium.

The Lilywhites desperately searched for a leveller, and a quick corner routine between Bradley and O’Kane saw the latter fire in a cross which was met by Greg Sloggett, but after an unconvincing save from Danny Rogers, the danger was cleared by Eoin Doyle.

O’Kane has arguably been Dundalk’s star performer in recent times, and after being set up by Robbie Benson, the winger found himself in space before finishing brilliantly into his bottom right corner on the edge of the box, making it 1-1 in first-half stoppage-time.

Apart from a Joe Adams effort which curled off target early in the second half, there was limited action around either goalmouth, before Alfie Lewis volleyed over on 78 minutes.

Then, in the third minute of stoppage-time, Tunde Owolabi fed Mark Doyle out on the left, and he squared it for O’Reilly, who finished to win it for St Pats right at the death.

Dundalk: Nathan Shepperd; John Mountney, Sam Bone, Andy Boyle, Darragh Leahy; Greg Sloggett (Robbie Benson 31), Alfie Lewis; Steven Bradley, Joe Adams (Keith Ward 68), Ryan O’Kane; John Martin (David McMillan 84).

St Patrick’s Athletic: Danny Rogers; Sam Curtis, Joe Redmond, Tom Grivosti; Barry Cotter, Adam O’Reilly, Thijs Timmermans, Anto Breslin; Chris Forrester (Ben McCormack 86); Serge Atakayi (Mark Doyle 64), Eoin Doyle (Tunde Owolabi 74).

Referee: Damien MacGraith

Attendance: 2,734