Dundalk gave their hopes of qualifying for Europe next season a huge boost as they came from behind to beat their neighbours Drogheda United in the 175th Louth Derby at Oriel Park.
Things looked bleak for Stephen O'Donnell’s side when Kyle Robinson put the Boynesiders ahead on 25 minutes - the 25th time in 39 matches the Lilywhites have fallen behind this season.
However, Paul Doyle got them back on level terms five minutes before the break before second half strikes from Daniel Kelly and Patrick Hoban saw them claim their fourth victory over their county rivals this season.
The result, coupled with Shelbourne’s defeat to Shamrock Rovers, has seen Dundalk close the gap on Damien Duff’s men to just a single point ahead of their trip to Tolka Park next week.
They are also just three points behind fourth placed Bohemians, who visit Oriel Park at the end of October.
It was Doyle who had the first attempt of the game on 11 minutes but his effort sailed harmlessly over.
Sam Durrant, who scored the first goal of his senior career against Cork City on Monday, then had an incredible miss 10 minutes later when he somehow fired over from about three yards out after getting on the end of Daniel Kelly's drilled ball in from the right.
It took until the 24th minute for Drogheda to register their first attempt and they were unlucky not to take the lead from it as Adam Foley broke in from the right to beat Nathan Shepperd from the tightest of angles only for the ball to rebound to safety off the near post.
Kevin Doherty’s side would hit the front a minute later though with Robinson, who had only replaced Ryan Brennan five minutes earlier, slotting past the advancing Shepperd after being slipped in by a superb ball in from the left by Dayle Rooney which split the home side’s defence.
Dundalk would get back on level terms five minutes before the break with Doyle firing home a rebound to the bottom left hand corner from the edge of the box after Greg Sloggett’s header from Daryl Horgan’s corner had been blocked by Adam Foley.
The visitors had chances to re-take the lead before the break but efforts from Rooney and Foley were straight at Shepperd. Robinson also managed to round the Welsh goalkeeper after breaking through on-on-one in the third minute of stoppage time but took his effort too wide to apply the finish as a good chance went abegging.
Dundalk then hit the front just 53 seconds after the restart with a superb ball in from the right met by Kelly at the near post, who just had to get a touch on it to beat Andrew Wogan for his first career goal against Drogheda on his 100th start for the club.
Clear but openings were at a premium for a long stage after that but the visitors should have levelled on 72 minutes. The Dundalk defence was statuesque as Conor Kane delivered the ball in from the left from a partially cleared corner and they were almost punished as it fell to Warren Davis, who beat Shepperd only to see his effort come back off the crossbar.
That miss was to prove crucial as the Lilywhites added a third on 77 minutes. After having a good chance blocked by Jamie Egan, Hoban then rose highest at the back post from the resultant corner from Horgan to mark his 200th league start for the club with his his 13th goal of the campaign in all competitions.
Dundalk: Nathan Shepperd; Archie Davies, Greg Sloggett, Darren Brownlie, Robbie Benson; Johannes Yli-Kokko (Hayden Muller 68), Paul Doyle (Alfie Lewis 78), Daryl Horgan (John Martin 78); Daniel Kelly, Patrick Hoban (Senan Mullen 92), Sam Durrant (Ryan O’Kane 67).
Drogheda Utd: Andrew Wogan; Luke Heeney, Jamie Egan, Evan Weir, Conor Kane; Gary Deegan, Matthew O’Brien; Adam Foley, Darragh Markey (Warren Davis 62), Dayle Rooney (Luke Wade Slater 78); Ryan Brennan (Kyle Robinson 20).
Referee: Rob Hennessy (Limerick).
