Dundalk gave their survival hopes a major shot in the arm by piling the pressure on their neighbours Drogheda Utd in a Louth Derby that ended with a scrap between supporters on the pitch at Oriel Park.
First half goals from Jad Hakiki and Ryan O'Kane and a second half double from Daryl Horgan secured a huge three points for Jon Daly’s side as they moved five clear of the Drogs in ninth place.
Douglas James-Taylor had briefly given the visitors hope of getting back into the game by reducing the deficit to 2-1 before the break but his second from the spot in the 93rd minute was a case of too little, too late.
Dundalk had only scored four goals in 11 matches at home all season prior to this but found their shooting boots on the night to put some daylight between them and their Louth rivals, as well as close the gap on Bohemians above them to four points - with the two sides due to meet at Dalymount Park in their next league outing on 26 July.
For Kevin Doherty’s side this result was a crushing blow to their own survival hopes. They had opened a six-point gap on Dundalk after beating them 2-1 at Weavers Park on 6 May but they are now winless in the 10 games since, with just three draws and seven defeats.
The night ended on a sour note when a number of Drogheda fans crossed the pitch after the two sides had left the field at full-time to engage with the home support.
The hosts got off to a dream start when they hit the front after just eight minutes. O’Kane cut in from the left onto his right foot to get a shot away which Andrew Wogan could only push clear. Robbie Benson was then quickest to react to the loose ball as he crossed for the in-rushing Hakiki to head home the first senior goal of his career.
A brilliant strike by Ryan O'Kane to make it 2-0 to Dundalk!
— League of Ireland (@LeagueofIreland) July 12, 2024
DUN 2-0 DRO#LOITV | #DUNDRO pic.twitter.com/mPrEPgxKlT
Drogheda did briefly threaten a reply when a cross from the left from Shane Farrell four minutes later saw James-Taylor get up above Sean Keogh at the back post but the on loan Walsall man could only head across the face of goal and wide.
Dundalk then doubled their lead on 16 minutes. Benson’s attempt to break into the box was cut out by Luke Heeney but the loose ball broke for O’Kane to rifle a sublime first-time shot past Wogan to the bottom right hand corner for what was his 10th goal for his hometown club.
To their credit, the visitors didn’t capitulate and after Farrell had curled a free kick wide, they fought their way back into the game by halving the deficit in the 37th minute.
Darragh Markey did well on the left to pick out James-Taylor with a fine cross which the 25-year-old headed past Felix Goddard for his second goal in as many matches for the Boynesiders.
Indeed, James-Taylor threatened to level matters in first-half stoppage time when he was released by Conor Kane. Having beaten Bobby Faulkner on the end line, the Englishman managed to get a shot away that screwed just wide.
The Lilywhites then had a big chance to restore their two-goal advantage within six minutes of the restart when Sean Keogh slipped Eoin Kenny in but Wogan was quick off his line to snuff out the danger.
Having soaked up a period of pressure either side of that, Dundalk did make it 3-1 on 55 minutes. Horgan picked the ball up on the right before playing a neat one-two with Kenny to burst into the box and rifle high to the net past Wogan.Drogheda introduced Frantz Pierrot, Warren Davis and Matthew O’Brien in an attempt to get back into the game with Pierrot having an attempt on 69 minutes that was easily gathered by Goddard.
The Haitian international then tested the on loan Blackburn Rovers keeper again five minutes later when he met Farrell’s free kick but again Goddard was equal to it. Luke Mulligan fired well over for Dundalk eight minutes from the end but the home side weren’t done as Horgan curled a superb fourth to the net four minutes from time after good work by Robbie Mahon to lead a breakaway.
James-Taylor did pull a goal back in the 93rd minute from the spot after Mayowa Animasahun was adjudged to have fouled Heeney but it was scant consolation. Unfortunately a good night of competitive action was soured at the finish by the altercation amongst fans with repercussions likely to follow in the coming days.
Dundalk: Felix Goddard; John Mountney, Mayowa Animasahun, Bobby Faulkner, Sean Keogh (Daniel Pike 72); Daryl Horgan, Robbie Benson, Jad Hakiki (Luke Mulligan 78), Paul Doyle (Scott McGill 10), Ryan O’Kane (Robbie Mahon 78); Eoin Kenny (Jamie Gullan 72).
Drogheda Utd: Andrew Wogan; Andrew Quinn, Dave Webster (Frantz Pierrot 58), Jack Keaney, Conor Kane; Elicha Ahui (Ryan Brennan HT); Adam Foley (Warren Davis 58), Luke Heeney, Darragh Markey (Matthew O’Brien 64), Shane Farrell; Douglas James-Taylor.Referee: Rob Hennessy (Limerick).
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