Chris Shields admitted Dundalk are effectively home and dry in their quest to reclaim the Airtricity League Premier Division title after their 3-2 defeat of Derry City last night.
The Lilywhites stormed in to a 3-0 lead in the first half but the Oriel Park faithful were made to sweat as a Dean Jarvis og and Ben Fisk's strike gave Derry hope.
Dundalk saw it out though and need just one point from their final four games to be crowned champions.
"It'll be hard to screw this one up," combative midfielder Shields told RTÉ Sport..
"We're very pleased just to get over the line towards the end there. In the first half we were very good, free-flowing. We'd some great moves from the attacking boys."
Shields was superb in the 1-0 win at Cork City last Friday night that killed off the Leesiders' challenge.
He's enjoyed another fine campaign with the Louth club, and though he said before the Derry game that "until it's mathematically done, I won't rest," he looks destined to lift another piece of silver.
Not that it was completely plain sailing last night. Shields said his team were caught between two stools after opening up a three-goal lead.
"It's a kind of situation as it hits the hour, do you stick or twist? Take what you have or go for more and risk the counter?" he added.
"Unfortunately we got hit for two but Stephen has rotated the squad and we had a lot of attacking players on at the end of the game.
"Maybe we were a bit open but if you had told us we were going out there to win by a goal we'd have taken that."
