Drogheda United manager Kevin Doherty rued a "ridiculous" late error from goalkeeper Luke Dennison that handed St Patrick's Athletic all three points, but insisted his shot-stopper has been the best in his position all season.
The sides looked set to be heading for their fourth goalless draw of the season at Sullivan and Lambe Park before Luke Turner’s header deep into injury-time dented the European ambitions of the hosts.
Goalkeeper Dennison conceded possession with a hasty throw to put his side under late pressure, and from Kian Leavy’s resulting corner, Turner claimed his first goal of the campaign.
Doherty cut a frustrated figure post-match – he was booked after the full-time whistle after remonstrating with Dennison.
"It was a bizarre thing," he told RTÉ Sport’s Tony O’Donoghue. "The fourth official got it wrong, like he did for most of the game, he booked me for coaching the goalkeeper.
"Luke, for me, has been the best goalkeeper in the league this year. Never mind stats, your eyes will tell you that.
"It was a ridiculous decision to throw the ball out like that. Conor (Keeley) wasn’t getting there, but that doesn’t take away how much I love Luke. If someone does something that I’m disappointed with, I’ll tell them."
Dennison was the busier of the keepers in the opening 45 minutes, but in the final 20 minutes the home side grew stronger and created opportunities to score.
"I thought we played alright, we were grand. Pat’s weren’t any better than us. We were in control of the situation.
"I’m very disappointed with the manner of the goal because it was in our control, but when you look back at it, we didn’t defend the set-piece well. It’s not like it was a header 20 yards out and into the top corner.
"We have to take the defeat and move on. We have to learn from it."
The result extends Saints’ unbeaten run to seven and are now within a point of Drogheda in fourth place.
Manager Stephen Kenny was pleased to come back down the M1 with all three points.
"The players deserved it overall. I felt we were quite dominant in the first half, but Drogheda are a very difficult team to break down. They are very well drilled and get bodies back in numbers.
"We were probing all through the game."
