Cobh Ramblers continue their push for the eircom LoI First Division title following this win for the second side over third placed Dundalk at St Coleman’s Park.
Two first half goals from in form striker Kieran O'Reilly, who scored a hat trick last week in Kilkenny set up this important win.
Cobh centre back Kevin Murray was sent off for a second yellow card and the home crowd of 1,200 had a tense closing when Trevor Vaughan scored for the visitors with three minutes remaining.
The home side made one change from their club record 7-0 away win in Kilkenny the previous week, with Shane Barrett returning in midfield after a four match suspension and Michael O'Shea droping to the bench.
Ramblers’ top scorer Davin O'Neill also returned to the bench after missing two games with a thigh injury.
Dundalk manager John Gill, who has just agreed a new one year contract extension at Oriel Park, brought his squad into the big game on the back of a 1-0 home win over Monaghan.
Cobh started brightly and in fact dominated the opening half and it was no surprise they went in front after 13 minutes after centre backs Shane Guthrie and Kevin Murray had close range efforts taken off the
goal line by Dundalk defenders.
Kieran O'Reilly broke into the penalty area before bravely firing a shot low past the advancing goalkeeper Chris Bennion, the striker who missed most of last season with a hip injury, picked up an another injury but was able to continue after receiving attention.
Ramblers doubled their lead ten minutes later when midfielder Michael Mulconry set up O'Reilly who volleyed a brilliant goal for his fifth strike in his last two games.
But, despite dominating the game, they had a difficult closing period when Murray received a second yellow card for hand ball and was sent off by Limerick official Mark Goough with eighteen minutes left.
Trevor Vaughan, who scored Dundalk's winning goal against Monaghan last week, pulled a goal back when his shot was half blocked before beating home goalkeeper James McCarthy.
Cobh are now six points ahead of Dundalk but the sides could meet again at the same venue if they were to finish behind Finn Harps.
The winnners will be promoted as champions, with the second in the table at home to the third side in a one match play off to see who will meet second from bottom in the Premier division in a relegation/promotion battle.
COBH: McCarthy, Carey, Guthrie, Murray, Meade, Cambridge, Barrett, Kearney, Mulconry, O'Reilly, Cummins.
Substitutes; O'Neill for Cambridge 68 mins, M O'Shea for O'Reilly 81, King, C Meade, K Coleman.
DUNDALK: Bennion, Flannagan, Crawley, Lynch, Parney, R Dunne, O'Connor, Williams, Vaughan, Hughes, K Dunne.
Substitutes; Grimes for R Dunne 37 mins, Doyle for Hughes 54, Smyth for K Dunne 66, Gallagaher, Mulvenna.
Referee. Mark Gough(Limerick).
