Deflected John Mountney strike snatches win for Dundalk

Drogheda United 1 Dundalk 2: John Mountney’s deflected 90th-minute free-kick proved decisive as Dundalk snatched victory in an entertaining Louth derby at United Park last night.

A full-strength Dundalk lined up against a Drogheda side that included former Lilywhite Stephen Maher, whose father Eugene was killed in a hit-and-run incident during the week and a minute’s applause was observed in his memory before kick-off.

Once play got under way Dundalk immediately went on the offensive and David McMillan’s firm header forced a decent save out of Drogs keeper Micheal Schlingermann in the fourth minute, before Daryl Horgan curled a 25-yard effort well wide of the target.

But from their first real attack the Boynesiders created a clear opportunity in the 11th minute, only for Lee Duffy to mis-kick from six yards after getting in behind Brian Gartland.

The goalmouth action continued unabated as Dundalk’s Dane Massey had a free-kick deflected onto the post by the defensive wall, and a McMillan drive was hacked off the line by Sean Brennan.

Gartland continued to be troubled by the runs of Duffy, but Drogheda weren’t getting any support up to their hard-working striker and the Lilywhites finally created a clear scoring opportunity on 35 minutes when Richie Towell threaded a pass through to Darren Meenan whose low shot was brilliantly saved by the feet of Schlingermann.

The Boynesiders finished the opening half on the offensive and Robert O’Reilly had a header deflected behind from Jason Marks’ whipped free-kick.

But the champions raised their game a notch on the restart and, after Ronan Finn’s volley had forced a fine stop from Schlingermann, they finally broke the deadlock on 54 minutes.

Meenan was given too much space on the edge of the area and he drifted in-field before burying a low shot past Schlingermann.

However, five minutes later the Lilywhites’ back four was caught flat-footed as Brennan’s slide-rule pass put Duffy in the clear and he rounded Gary Rogers before drilling to the empty net.

Back came Dundalk with a driving run into the home penalty area by Finn, and the ball broke to McMillan who forced a superb finger-tip save from Schlingermann at point-blank range.

The keeper then plucked a Boyle header out of the air before denying Finn and Gannon in quick succession as Dundalk pushed hard to regain their advantage.

Dane Massey then had a shot blocked by the feet of Schlingermann and the Lilywhites had strong claims for a penalty following a clumsy Alan Byrne tackle on McMillan just inside the box. Then Schlingermann parried a fierce Towell free-kick in the 86th minute.

Drogheda’s resistance was finally broken in the cruelest of fashions in the final minute of normal time when substitute John Mountney’s free-kick from 25 yards took a deflection off the heel of Meenan to wrong-foot Schlingermann and land in the net.

DROGHEDA UNITED:

Schlingermann; M Daly, Byrne, O’Reilly, Gorman; Brady, Thornton, Maher, Marks; Brennan; Duffy. Subs: Mulvenna for Brady (76min), J Daly for Brennan (84min).

DUNDALK:

Rogers; Gannon, Gartland, Boyle, Massey; O’Donnell, Towell; Meenan, Finn, Horgan; McMillan.

Subs:

Byrne for Finn (81min), Mountney for McMillan (84min), Shields for Horgan (90min).

Referee:

Dave McKeon (Meath).