Dundalk held to a draw at home against Treaty

A dramatic evening at Oriel Park saw Dundalk FC’s advantage at the summit of the SSE Airtricity League First Division trimmed to four points, as a last-gasp equaliser from Treaty United secured a 1-1 draw and preserved the Limerick side’s unbeaten record against The Lilywhites this season.

Harry Groome, scoring his second goal in as many games, appeared to have clinched victory for Dundalk with an 86th-minute strike after a moment of magic from substitute Andy Paraschiv.

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Yet, in the second minute of stoppage time, Treaty captain Mark Walsh silenced the home crowd, calmly slotting home after a cross from Yousef Mahdy found him unmarked in the area.

Dundalk made their intent clear from the outset, fashioning an opening inside the first minute. Daryl Horgan’s well-weighted free-kick, earned after Aodh Dervin was felled, picked out Vinnie Leonard, whose header lacked the direction to trouble the keeper.

Treaty responded on the quarter-hour mark, with Lee Devitt’s corner from the right finding Richkov Boevi. Rising above Sean McHale, Boevi powered a header goalward, only to be denied by the razor-sharp reflexes of Enda Minogue.

Eoin Kenny, leading the line for Dundalk, showed flashes of danger. He outpaced Walsh on the left but sent his effort wildly off target, and moments later, when the ball fell invitingly at his feet, his delicate chip drifted well over.

The first half offered few moments of inspiration. Treaty’s Karl O’Sullivan delivered a teasing cross that Devitt scooped wide, while McHale’s speculative long-range effort for Dundalk, which soared high and wide, summed up the disjointed nature of the opening 45 minutes.

The second period offered little in terms of improvement. Horgan’s delivery into the area found McHale, who headed over, but it was Treaty who nearly broke the deadlock around the hour.

O’Sullivan’s venomous volley, deflected narrowly over by McHale, sparked a frantic sequence where the ensuing corner had to be hacked off the line by Dervin with Minogue stranded.

Sloppy defending from Dundalk then handed Niko Kozlowski a golden chance, but his weak finish rolled wide of the far post, sparing the home side.

As time ebbed away, Dundalk began to press. A superb delivery from Luke Mulligan found Dean Ebbe at the back post, but he turned inches wide of the mark.

Kenny then turned provider, slipping in Leo Gaxha, who, with the goal beckoning, dragged his attempt wide.

Then came the breakthrough. Paraschiv danced past his marker with aplomb on the left and laid it perfectly into the path of Groome, who kept his composure to drill through a crowded box and put Dundalk ahead with four minutes remaining.

But the night was not done. In the dying embers, Yousef Mahdy’s hopeful cross evaded all but the waiting Walsh, who, with time and space, drove the ball home to break Dundalk hearts and seal a valuable point for Treaty.

Dundalk FC: Enda Minogue; Luke Mulligan, Vinnie Leonard, Sean McHale, Shane Tracey (Andy Paraschiv 69); Harry Groome, Aodh Dervin; Leo Gaxha, Dean Ebbe (Keith Ward 76), Daryl Horgan; Eoin Kenny

Subs not used: Peter Cherrie (gk), Sammy Safaei (gk), Sean Spaight, Muhammad Haris, TJ Molloy, Shaun Platt, Calum Woods

Treaty United: Corey Chambers; Evan O’Connor, Mark Walsh, Eoin Martin, Richkov Boevi (Ben Lynch 71); Colin Conroy (Steven Healy 80), Mark Murphy (Connor Wilson 69); Karl O’Sullivan, Lee Devitt, Niko Kozlowski (Roy Lawlor 69); Yousef Mahdy

Subs not used: Carl Williams (gk), Valeriy Dolya, Joe Hanson, Benjamin Lee, Cristopher Horgan

Referee: Lucas Keating (Cork)

Attendance: 1,428