Dundalk secure victory

Drogheda United 0 Dundalk 1

Pat Hoban scored twice, though only one counted, as Dundalk also had keeper Peter Cherrie to thank as they won the Louth derby at Hunky Dorys Park to consolidate fourth place in the Premier Division table.

Though Dundalk enjoyed perhaps the better possession in an entertaining first half, it was Drogheda who created the two best openings before the interval.

Both fell to home skipper Declan “Fabio” O’Brien who fired wide early on before bringing the save of the half from Cherrie on 33 minutes with a fine shot on the turn from the edge of the area.

Dundalk were then incensed at having a Hoban goal controversially disallowed ten minutes later when a linesman ruled that the ball went out of play before he turned it home, though replays suggested it hadn’t.

Cherrie came to Dundalk’s rescue on 68 minutes with a brilliant one-handed save from Gary O’Neill’s acrobatic overhead kick.

It proved crucial as six minutes later Dundalk got their winner. Stephen McDonnell broke from midfield to set up striker Hoban who drilled a low shot to the corner of the net past a flat-footed Michael Schlingermann.

The only blot on Dundalk’s night was midfielder John Mountney’s sending off on 83 minutes when he received a second yellow card for diving.