St. Patrick’s Athletic came from two goals down to defeat Dundalk 3-2 at Richmond Park, while Shamrock Rovers stayed top after a goalless draw with Derry City at the Brandywell.
Derry City 0-0 Shamrock Rovers
Derry City put an end to Shamrock Rovers’ flawless start to the season in an entertaining encounter played in front of a sizeable crowd at the Brandywell.
The Candystripes needed a good performance to erase the memories of throwing away two points against Drogheda last weekend and they really should have come out on top after dominating the second half.
Chances were few and far between in the first half as both sides cancelled each other out. Eamon Zayed could possibly have done better with a header from close range five minutes before the break, while Derry ‘keeper Gerard Doherty did well to stop Rovers winger Billy Dennehy and gather the ball at this feet immediately after.
It was all Derry in the second half and Rovers ‘keeper Alan Mannus was called into action seven minutes in to tip a looping Danny Lafferty effort over the bar.
Gareth McGlynn also had a couple of chances to break the deadlock, but narrowly failed to get on the end of one cross, before shooting straight at Mannus with the goal at his mercy.
Derry continued to pile on the pressure but Dan Murray and Ken Oman remained resolute at the heart of the Hoops’ defence and helped Michael O’Neill’s side preserve their unbeaten record so far in this campaign.
Sligo Rovers 2-0 Drogheda United
Reigning FAI Ford Cup holders Sligo Rovers grabbed their first win in three league games with a comfortable victory over Drogheda United at the Showgrounds.
John Dillon netted twice for the Bit O’Red, while Alan Keane missed a penalty as Paul Cook’s side were far superior throughout.
Rovers took the lead four minutes in when David Quirke parried a Richie Ryan effort into the path of Dillon, who made no mistake from close range.
Sligo continued to dominate and were given the chance to double their lead after 20 minutes when Iarlaith Davoren was fouled by Gareth Whelan in the area, but Keane’s spot-kick was well saved by Quirke and a follow-up effort by Aaron Greene was cleared off the line.
Raffaele Cretaro had a number of chances to double Sligo’s lead, while Jason McGuinness also went close for the home side.
Cretaro had the ball in the net on the hour mark after Quirke parried a John Russell effort, but was correctly ruled offside. Sligo grabbed what was an inevitable second goal shortly after, however, when Dillon smashed home a rebound after Russell’s effort came back off the crossbar.
St. Patrick’s Athletic 3-2 Dundalk
Having surrendered a two-goal lead to Bray Wanderers a fortnight ago, it was the turn of St. Patrick’s Athletic to stage a magnificent comeback as Pete Mahon’s side came from two goals behind to defeat Dundalk at Richmond Park.
Pat’s looked out of the game five minutes into the second half when Mark Quigley netted his second goal for Dundalk with a superb scissors kick, having put the visitors in front 17 minutes into the game with a cracking effort after strike partner Jason Byrne had teed him up.
Two goals in three minutes either side of the hour mark put Pat’s on level terms. David McMillan pulled one back for the hosts with a fine finish after being put through by substitute Paul Crowley after 59 minutes and only minutes later, brother Evan McMillan headed to the net after Stephen Bradley’s corner had been flicked across goal by Dave Mulcahy.
Both sides had chances to win the game in what was an exciting encounter, but it was Dave Mulcahy who had the last word on his 100th appearance for Pat’s.
In the 89th minute, Dundalk failed to clear a Stephen Bradley corner and when the ball came to Bradley again, he whipped the ball into the area and after a scramble; Mulcahy got the final touch to poke the ball past Peter Cherrie and seal a memorable victory for the home side.
Bohemians 0-1 Galway United
Struggling Galway United shocked Bohemians with a deserved victory at Dalymount Park on Friday night.
Bohemians just about edged the first half in terms of chances, but Greg Fleming was rarely tested in the Galway goal and the visitors could have taken the lead before the break when Joseph Yoffe got a touch to Mark Rossiter’s effort and deflected it narrowly wide with Bohs’ keeper Barry Murphy in no-man’s land.
The Tribesmen stepped it up after the break and were rewarded with the goal their performance deserved after an hour when Yoffe finished from close range after some poor defending at the back from the Gypsies.
Bohs went in search of an equaliser thereafter, but apart from a chance that substitute David Ladola headed wide, they created few chances and Sean Connor’s side held on for a vital and deserved victory.
UCD 0-1 Bray Wanderers
Bray Wanderers’ excellent start to the season continued with a 1-0 victory over UCD at the UCD bowl on Friday night.
After a drab first half, Pat Devlin’s side took the lead in controversial circumstances in the 68th minute. Tomas Boyle was harshly adjudged to have fouled Shane O’Neill outside the penalty area and from the resultant free-kick; Danny O’Connor’s header was deflected past Ger Barron in the UCD goal.
O’Neill almost doubled Bray’s lead immediately after when he lobed Barron from 30 yards, but his looping effort dropped onto the top of the net with Barron beaten all ends up.
Matt Gregg kept Bray in the lead with a fine save from Robbie Creevy with eight minutes to go and Bray maintained their lead until the finish to claim a win which sees them go level with Bohemians and Sligo Rovers on seven points after four games.
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