Andy Boyle celebrates his early goal against Shelbourne
Dundalk kept up the pressure on league leaders St Patrick’s Athletic with a 2-1 win away to Shelbourne at Tolka Park last night.
The club’s ninth away win of the season, which came about courtesy of early goals from centre half pairing Andy Boyle and Brian Gartland – keeps Stephen Kenny’s side a point behind the pacesetters, who have a game in hand still to play.
There was just 72 seconds on the watch when Dundalk hit the front as Boyle headed home Darren Meenan’s goal for what was almost a carbon copy of Pat Hoban’s second against Shamrock Rovers the previous week.
John Dillon then had a penalty saved by Lee Murphy in the fifth minute after Graham Gartland had pulled down Stephen O’Donnell in the area but the Lilywhites didn’t have to wait long for a second goal as they doubled their advantage on 13 minutes.
Another Meenan corner was not dealt with by the Shels defence, with Gartland left unmarked to power a header to the net.
Dundalk had chances to put the game to bed after that but their failure to take them meant that Shelbourne always had hope of getting back into the game.
They had penalty appeals turned away on 57 minutes after Gartland was accused of handling a shot from Sean Brennan inside the box, with Brennan then going close to pulling a goal back twice in quick succession.
The Drumcondra outfit did pull a goal back 17 minutes from time when Gartland swept the ball home from 16 yards after Dundalk failed to clear a corner from Brennan but thankfully the visitors managed to see the game out to keep their title charge on track.
Shelbourne: Lee Murphy; Pat Flynn (Darren Tinnelly, 83), Ian Ryan, Graham Gartland, Derek Doyle; Sean Brennan, Glenn Cronin, Stephen Hurley (Brian Gannon, 70), Adam Hanlon; Lee Murtagh (Robert Cornwall, h/t), Dean Kelly.
Dundalk: Peter Cherrie; Mark Rossiter, Andy Boyle, Brian Gartland, Chris Shields: John Dillon (Jordan Keegan, 74), Richie Towell, Stephen O’Donnell, Meenan (Dane Massey, 85); PatrickHoban, Kurtis Byrne (Francis McCaffrey,68).
Referee: Padraigh Sutton (Clare).
