Airtricity League wrap

Goals from Patrick Hoban and Kurtis Byrne secured a second place finish in the Airtricity League Premier Division for Dundalk as they beat Bray Wanderers 2-0 at the Carlisle Grounds in the final series of matches of the 2013 season.

Defeat for Bray condemned them to finish second bottom and they must now battle for their Premier Division survival through a play-off with First Division play-off winners Longford Town.

Hoban shot Dundalk in front with a fine strike on 40 minutes with Byrne adding the second on the hour mark when he ran through onto John Mountney's sublime pass ball to beat Darren Quigley.

Substitute Danny North hit the winner as Sligo Rovers came from behind to beat Shamrock Rovers 2-1 at Tallaght Stadium. Sligo thus finish in third place while Shamrock Rovers have to settle for fifth and no European football for the second season running.

Skipper Shane Robinson punished a defensive mix-up to put Hoops in front on 26 minutes. But Sligo were level five minutes later through ex-Shamrock Rovers' winger Aaron Greene before North came off the bench to hit a 71st minute winner, the influential Kieran Djilali providing the assist for both goals.

David McDaid scored a hat-trick as Derry City thumped Limerick 6-0 at the Brandywell to secure fourth place which will mean qualification for the Europa League next season should Drogheda United not win the FAI Ford Cup.

Michael Rafter gave Derry the ideal start with the lead goal after six minutes, heading home following a corner.

McDaid got his first two minutes into the second half when slotting home from Paddy McEleney's pullback. Topscorer Rory Patterson set-up McDaid for his second goal of the night on 62 minutes with defender Dean Jarvis rowing in to make it 4-0 four minutes later.

The hat-trick arrived for McDaid on 69 minutes as Patterson again provided the assist. Right-back Simon Madden added the sixth goal with a clever dink over keeper Shane Cusack ten minutes from time.

Cork City beat champions St. Patrick's Athletic 4-2 in a thrilling match at Turner's Cross to confirm sixth place.

Goals from Gearoid Morrissey, Daryl Horgan and Ciaran Kiduff had Cork in command by half-time. But the champions hit back with strikes from Chris Forrester and Ger O'Brien before Danny Morrissey sealed the win for Cork in the final minute.

UCD produced a fine display to beat relegated Shelbourne 2-1 at Tolka Park to secure a fifth season in the top flight.

All the goals came in a frantic three minute spell in the first half. Robbie Benson blasted home an 18th minute penalty after he'd been tripped by Robert Bayly before Shels equalised within a minute from an Ian Ryan header.

But man-of-the-match Benson set up Dean Clarke to drill the ball through the legs of Shels' keeper Lee Murphy two minutes after that for what proved the winner.

With Bohemians losing 1-0 away to Drogheda United, that meant that UCD finished in ninth place.

Drogheda's winner at Hunky Dorys Park came on 32 minutes when veteran striker Declan O'Brien was played in behind the Bohs defence to shoot high to the net past Dean Delany.

Longford Town won a dramatic penalty shootout against Mervue United to win the First Division play-off after the tie finished 3-3 on aggregate after extra-time.

Longford looked in real trouble when Jason Molloy doubled Mervue's aggregate lead after just seven minutes of the second leg at the City Calling Stadium.

But Tony Cousins' side battled back to force extra-time with goals from Daniel Purdy and topscorer David O'Sullivan as Mervue had teenage striker Ryan Manning sent off on 80 minutes.

O'Sullivan looked to have won it for Longford with a goal in the 102nd minute. But in late drama Mervue defender Paul Sinnott scored to level the tie on aggregate in the second minute of additional time at the end of extra-time to force a penalty shootout.

But Longford held their nerve the better with O'Sullivan, Derek O'Brien and Ryan Connolly scoring from the spot as Jason Molloy, Stephen Walsh and Barry O'Mahony all missed for Mervue to give the midlanders a 3-0 shootout win.

Longford now meet Bray Wanderers over two legs on Monday and Friday of next week for a place in next season's Premier Division.