Improved Dundalk performance ends defeat

Additional pressure mounted on Stephen O’Donnell on Friday night after his Dundalk FC side suffered a third straight defeat in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division, this time losing 1-0 to St Patrick’s Athletic as they remained at the bottom of the table.

The Dundalk head coach cut a disconsolate figure as he entered the tunnel following the full-time whistle, his team succumbing to Ruairi Keating’s decisive goal on 30 minutes. O’Donnell would have been satisfied with how his players responded to their 5-0 drubbing at the hands of Sligo Rovers just four days prior, with an early chance created when Ciaran McGuckin had a low drive kept out by St Pats goalkeeper Danny Rogers.

At the opposite end, Jason McClelland found himself in space before unleashing a low shot which trickled safely into the grateful arms of Dundalk netminder Ross Munro. Disaster struck for The Lilywhites right on the half-hour mark when Brandon Kavanagh chased a Chris Forrester ball over the top before laying it off to Keating, whose initial attempt was saved by Munro, but the St Pats man converted at the second time of asking.

Dundalk could have levelled matters in the unlikeliest of circumstances three minutes before half-time when Scott High charged down Rogers before almost finding the net. In the second period, it was St Pats who looked more likely to find a second as opposed to Dundalk equalising, with Ardee native Kian Leavy marauding towards goal before forcing Munro into a good save as the Scottish goalkeeper pushed away from danger.

After that, Kieran Freeman’s cross was headed off target by Brandon Kavanagh, before at the other end, Daryl Horgan’s right-field ball was diverted wayward by Robbie Benson. Brandon Kavanagh had a free-kick attempt sail over the crossbar, before another set-piece delivery from the same player had to be kept out at point-blank range by Munro.

Jamie Lennon had a goal chalked off following a foul on Munro as St Pats looked to double their advantage, while Keating’s angled attempt was well off the intended target. Dundalk surely would have drawn level only for the superb intervention of Luke Turner, whose last-ditch tackle stopped Jamie Gullan right as he was about to pull the trigger.

Seconds later, St Pats substitute Jake Mulraney curled over, but it was Dundalk who did most of the attacking for the final 10 plus seven additional minutes of stoppage-time. Scott High had a shot from outside the box creep inches wide, before substitute Sam Durrant curled an effort marginally off target after teasing both Lennon and Turner. Benson’s harmless free which sailed over in the fifth minute of stoppages was the final attempt, with Dundalk still awaiting their first win of the campaign after four matches.

St Patrick’s Athletic: Danny Rogers; Kieran Freeman, Joe Redmond, Luke Turner, Anto Breslin; Chris Forrester, Jamie Lennon; Brandon Kavanagh (Jake Mulraney 69), Kian Leavy (Alex Nolan 87), Jason McClelland (Mason Melia 69); Ruairi Keating (Cian Kavanagh 87)
Subs not used: Marcelo Pitaluga (gk), Arran Pettifer, Aaron Bolger, Alfie Taylor, Conor Keeley

Dundalk FC: Ross Munro; Archie Davies, Andy Boyle, Louie Annesley (Cameron Elliott 84), Hayden Muller; Zak Bradshaw (Koen Oostenbrink 61); Ciaran McGuckin (Ryan O’Kane 70), Scott High, Robbie Benson, Daryl Horgan (Sam Durrant 61); Jamie Gullan (Robbie Mahon 84)
Subs not used: Sean Molloy (gk), Zak Johnson, Paul Doyle, John Mountney

Referee: Ray Matthews (Westmeath)
Attendance: 4,513