Keith Ward's 92nd minute goal rescued a share the spoils for Dundalk against Sligo Rovers at Casey’s Field but the home side may well feel this was a missed opportunity to open up a proper gap in the race for third place and the final guaranteed spot in Europe next season.
It looked as though Stephen O’Donnell’s side would capitalise on St Patrick’s Athletic losing against Shamrock Rovers in Tallaght Stadium when goals either side of half-time from Alfie Lewis and Ryan O’Kane cancelled out Frank Livvak’s opener.
However, an ultra-clinical Sligo took their chances, with two goals inside eight minutes in the closing stages from Aidan Keena and Max Mata to leave the Lilywhites on the brink of back-to-back home defeats.
But upped popped substitute Ward in stoppage time to deny John Russell’s side the win and ensure Dundalk’s points advantage over Pat’s is two with two games to go.
The home side started well on top, with Runar Hauge passing a big chance to break the deadlock inside the opening three minutes when John Mountney’s free-kick dropped kindly for him in the box, but the Norwegian couldn’t keep his effort down.
David McMillan then headed just over before teeing up Hauge for another chance on 11 minutes but the on-loan Hibs man delayed too much, allowing Nando Pijnaker to get across and block.
Dundalk then had a let-off on 20 minutes when Lewis Macari almost put the ball into his own net when he chested past Nathan Shepperd in his attempt to deny Keena an opening.
It looked destined to be an own goal but the grandson of the legendary Lou Macari recovered well to hook it off the line.
Sligo would take the lead two minutes later as the hosts switched off from a corner. Kailin Barlow was unlucky not to make his full debut with a goal as he glanced a header off the post but Liivak was on hand to hammer in the rebound to make it 1-0.
Dundalk went in search of an equaliser after that and were unlucky not to find it on 36 minutes when Hauge beat Adam McDonnell to the end line on the right before pulling back to McMillan, but his effort was blocked by Pijnaker.
The leveller would arrive in spectacular fashion seven minutes before the break as Lewis let fly from 25 yards with his left foot to the top right-hand corner after Hauge’s cross had broken to him.
In the aftermath, referee Damien MacGraith sent off O’Donnell for what was the 36-year-old’s third red card of the campaign.
Lewis would go close again four minutes after the restart with another audacious attempt that had Richard Brush concerned briefly before it flashed just over.
Keena then went close at the other end with an effort that fizzed wide off the back of Darragh Leahy.
Dundalk would take the lead on 54 minutes when great work on the right by Hauge saw him cross for O’Kane, who had time to take a touch before rifling past Brush.
O’Kane would drag another effort wide on the hour mark before turning provider for captain Andy Boyle seven minutes later with a cross that the centre-half did well to steer goalwards, only to be denied by Brush.
The hosts looked comfortable at that stage but Casey’s Field was stunned into silence on 76 minutes when Keena was given too much space on the left to fire across Shepperd to the bottom right-hand corner for his 16th league goal of the campaign
.Dundalk almost responded instantly as O’Kane picked out substitute Steven Bradley eight yards out, but his effort cannoned off Pijnaker before Mountney drilled the rebound well over.
Sam Bone then had an effort just off target before O’Kane fired agonisingly wide on 82 minutes after a brilliant break involving substitutes John Martin and Ward.
That miss was to prove crucial as Sligo broke up field, with Liivak slipping substitute Mata in for a cool finish past Shepperd.
The Louth men were not to be denied at least a point though, as Ward latched onto Martin’s knock-down in the 92nd minute to slot cooly past Brush.
Dundalk: Nathan Shepperd; John Mountney, Lewis Macari, Andy Boyle, Darragh Leahy; Alfie Lewis, Sam Bone (Robbie Benson 85); Runar Hauge (Steven Bradley 63), Joe Adams (Keith Ward 74), Ryan O’Kane; David McMillan (John Martin 74).
Sligo Rovers: Richard Brush; Colm Horgan, Lewis Banks, Nando Pijnaker, Paddy Kirk; Robbie Burton (Seamus Keogh 84), Kailin Barlow (Max Mata 60); Frank Liivak (Karl O’Sullivan 88), Adam McDonnell, Will Fitzgerald; Aidan Keena.Referee: Damien MacGraith (Mayo).
