Late St Pats goal sees Dundalk defeated in Inchicore

SSE AIRTRICITY PREMIER DIVISION

St Patrick’s Athletic 2-1 Dundalk

A heated game in Inchicore saw Dundalk FC succumb to a 2-1 defeat against St Patrick’s Athletic in the SSE Airtricity League, where they have now dropped to fifth in the table.

The hosts took the lead through Mark Doyle on 30 minutes, but were pegged back early in the second half as substitute Rayhaan Tulloch levelled matters for The Lilywhites.

However, it was a St Pats substitute, Conor Carty, who would prove to be the matchwinner on the night, for it was his 80th-minute goal that decided this match.

Pats dominated the first half and had early chances to go ahead, with Mark Doyle hitting the side-netting, before Tom Grivosti forced Nathan Shepperd to save with his feet.

Mark Doyle was a frequent thorn in Dundalk’s side, and he darted into the penalty box unchallenged before forcing the visiting goalkeeper to make another stop with his feet.

On the opposite flank, Jake Mulraney’s corner was headed over by Grivosti, who was stretchered off later in the half following what looked to be a rather serious injury.

Pats, who also lost the fallen Axel Sjoberg early on, somehow didn’t go 1-0 ahead when Adam Murphy’s goalbound attempt was diverted onto his own crossbar by Paul Doyle.

Jon Daly’s side deservedly went ahead on the half-hour mark; Mulraney’s cross was flashed by the head of Murphy and pushed away by Shepperd, but only into the path of Mark Doyle, who finished easily to send the home support into scenes of delirium.

Dundalk only then grew into the game as the half neared its conclusion, with skipper Patrick Hoban forcing Dean Lyness into a superb save, before Robbie McCourt had a rasping long-range effort fizz just wide of the mark three minutes into stoppage-time.

Stephen O’Donnell made three changes at half-time, one of which saw the introduction of Tulloch, whose close-range header from a McCourt cross equalised on 48 minutes.

Things went from bad to worse after that for St Pats, who were reduced to 10 players after Mulraney was given a straight red card for throwing a punch at Connor Malley.

However, Dundalk couldn’t make their numerical advantage count, and again fell behind 10 minutes from time as Carty finished at the back post from a Thomas Lonergan cross.

St Patrick’s Athletic: Dean Lyness; Axel Sjoberg (Jay McGrath 7), Tom Grivosti (Jason McClelland 43), Sam Curtis, Anto Breslin; Jamie Lennon; Jake Mulraney, Chris Forrester, Adam Murphy (Conor Carty 61), Mark Doyle (Ben McCormack 61); Eoin Doyle (Thomas Lonergan 61)

Subs not used: David Odumosu (gk), Serge Atakayi, Vladislav Kreida, Thijs Timmermans

Dundalk FC: Nathan Shepperd; Archie Davies, Hayden Muller, Wasiri Williams (Darragh Leahy 78), Robbie McCourt (Cameron Elliott 78); Connor Malley, Paul Doyle (Keith Ward HT); John Martin (Rayhaan Tulloch HT), Johannes Yli-Kokko (Alfie Lewis HT), Ryan O’Kane; Patrick Hoban

Subs not used: Peter Cherrie (gk), Louie Annesley, Daniel Kelly, Greg Sloggett

Referee: Ray Matthews (Westmeath)

Attendance: 4,089