Cian Kavanagh's 79th minute header rescued a point for Derry City against Dundalk at Oriel Park to prevent the Candystripes from suffering a third straight league defeat.
Ruaidhrí Higgins’ side looked destined to bounce back from back-to-back home defeats over the Easter weekend against Drogheda Utd and Bohemians when Ben Doherty fired them ahead a minute before half-time.
However despite dominating proceedings throughout, a minute of madness midway through the half in which they conceded two goals inside 50 seconds from Robbie Benson and Johannes Yli-Kokko briefly threatened an upset from Stephen O’Donnell’s side - who themselves had lost their last three league matches.
Substitute Kavanagh would head home an equaliser 11 minutes from the end though with Derry unable to find a late winner despite the hosts finishing with 10 men following a straight red card for Wasiri Williams.
The draw will do little to ease the pressure on the FAI Cup winners, who once again failed to capitalise on dropped points from champions Shamrock Rovers on Friday. Higgins’ side are now eight points worse off than they were after 10 games of last season.
The visitors almost took the lead as early as the third minute when Sadou Diallo rattled the crossbar after Doherty’s corner had broken to him at the edge of the box.
The 26-year-old former Larne player would turn provider again for his side’s next chance on 16 minutes when his free kick was scuffed clear by Robbie Benson only as far as Ciaran Coll, who fired over from the edge of the area.
Derry passed up another big chance on 28 minutes when Doherty's corner was met by the in-rushing Ryan Graydon but he could only head wide despite having a free header.
Dundalk, who lost Andy Boyle in the warm-up, were then dealt a further blow on 38 minutes when Greg Sloggett departed with an ankle injury. They did respond to that setback with the game’s first attempt on target a minute later when Archie Davies’ half volley was turned around the post by Brian Maher.
However, it was the Candystripes who were celebrating a minute before the break when they hit the front with their own first shot on target. Sloggett’s replacement Yli-Kokko was caught in possession by Doherty, who fed the ball right to Graydon before receiving it back at the edge of the box and curling a superb left foot shot around Darragh Leahy and Nathan Shepperd to the bottom left hand corner.
Doherty went close again within three minutes of the restart when he was picked out by Graydon’s cross from the right but from just 10 yards out he couldn’t keep his effort down.
Doherty once again turned provider for the next chance on 58 minutes when his corner found substitute Cian Kavanagh unmarked at the back post but his downward header failed to find the target.
Dundalk almost got back on level six minutes later when Keith Ward’s inswinging free kick was headed towards his own goal by Ronan Boyce but fortunately for the full back Maher was able to get down to his left to prevent an own goal.
The Louth men did get back on level terms on 71 minutes though with Ward’s free kick from the left steered brilliantly to the bottom right hand corner by the head of Benson for what was his 75th career goal.
Within 50 seconds, Dundalk were in front as immediately from the kick-off Yli-Kokko caught Diallo napping in possession and nicked it off him to race through and slot past Maher.
After Rayhann Tulloch had scuffed another opening for the home side wide, Derry then levelled matters on 79 minutes with Cian Kavanagh rising unmarked to tower a header from Doherty’s free kick past Shepperd to the top left hand corner.
Patrick Hoban headed straight at Maher from another Ward free kick, before Dundalk were then reduced to 10 men on 86 minutes when Williams was shown a straight red card for a foul on Ollie O’Neill.
Former Lilywhite Michael Duffy then almost came back to haunt his old side in the 94th minute when he curled an effort just wide but the 10 men of the home side held on to avoid their slipping to a fourth straight defeat for the first time since 2012.
Dundalk: Nathan Shepperd; Hayden Muller, Darragh Leahy, Wasiri Williams, Robbie McCourt (Patrick Hoban 51); Archie Davies, Greg Sloggett (Johannes Yli-Kokko 38), Keith Ward (Ryan O'Kane 85), Connor Malley (Alfiew Lewis 85), Robbie Benson; John Martin (Rayhann Tulloch 51).
Derry City: Brian Maher; Ronan Boyce, Shane McEleney, Cameron McJannet (Ollie O’Neill 76), Ciaran Coll (Michael Duffy 76); Sadou Diallo, Adam O’Reilly; Ryan Graydon, Jordan McEneff (Will Patching 45+4), Ben Doherty; Jamie McGonigle (Cian Kavanagh 53).
Referee: Rob Hennessy (Limerick).
