For the second week running, Dundalk FC were left frustrated after being held to just their second scoreless draw of the season against Wexford FC at Ferrycarrig Park.
Having seen their lead at the top of the SSE Airtricity Men's First Division table cut from eight points to six, following their 3-3 draw with Kerry FC a week earlier, Ciarán Kilduff’s side at least didn’t concede further ground as second-placed Cobh Ramblers were held 1-1 by their Munster neighbours at Mounthawk Park.
That means that Dundalk’s lead remains at six points with just six games to go, but this could yet prove to be a costly outing with their captain Daryl Horgan pulling up just before the hour mark.
Dundalk dominated for the most part against Stephen Elliott’s side, but couldn’t find a breakthrough against a defence that was expertly marshalled by the outstanding Dean Larkin.
Indeed, the home side – without a win since 1 August – had a couple of decent chances to cause a real upset.
As it stands, a second successive draw keeps them in with a shout of catching Treaty United in the race for the final play-off spot.
For Dundalk, while this result didn’t see them lose any more ground, they will need to find a return to winning ways when they welcome third placed Bray Wanderers to Oriel Park next week.
The home side went close to making a breakthrough in the third minute when Aaron Dobbs pinged a cross right to Mikie Rowe. His first-time delivery was met instantly by Ben McCormack but Peter Cherrie – in for Enda Minogue in one of five changes to the Dundalk side which was held by Kerry FC last week – got down to his right to keep it out.
Dundalk then had a good chance of their own four minutes later. Harry Groome’s pull back from the left and found Dean Ebbe, whose shot looked to be heading wide before deflecting off Larkin, forcing Paul Martin to turn the ball around the post.
The visitors began to dominate the openings after that but none of Norman Garbett, Horgan, Groome or Aodh Dervin could trouble Martin.
Indeed, the closest the Louth men came to taking the lead before the break came on 32 minutes when Gbemi Arubi beat Larkin to a ball forward before pulling a shot agonisingly across the face of goal, with Ebbe just unable to get there to turn it in.
Dundalk almost hit the front within two minutes of the restart in somewhat fortuitous circumstances, with JR Wilson’s cross evading everyone before being pushed behind by Martin.
The Wexford goalkeeper was then called into action again on 52 minutes to make a big save at point blank range from Ebbe after he had been slipped in by Groome.
The home side’s chances were few and far between, but Cherrie was called into action once more on 66 minutes to keep Rowe’s effort out with his feet at his near post after he had beaten Declan McDaid on the left.
After Arubi fired high and wide, Groome then tested Martin once more on 72 minutes but his effort after receiving Wilson’s pass was parried by the goalkeeper, who managed to gather at the second attempt.
The ex-Bray midfielder went close again to scoring against his former club a minute later when he got on the end of Wilson’s cut back from the end line but on this occasion he was unable to keep his effort down.
Wilson then went close with six minutes to go when his looping header dropped just over from Keith Ward’s free-kick.
There would be six minutes of stoppage time added but despite plenty of late pressure, there would be no breakthrough for the visitors as Wexford stood firm.
Elsewhere in the second tier of Irish football, Rhys Gourdie opened the scoring for visitors Cobh Ramblers before Oran Crowe equalised for Kerry FC in a 1-1 draw, with both goals coming after the restart.
Bray Wanderers gained ground on the top two in the division with a commanding 3-1 home win over Athlone Town. Justin Ferizaj, Cian Doyle and Guillermo Almirall had put the game to bed long before Oisin Duffy's consolation goal.
Niko Kozlowski struck at the death as Treaty United edged out UCD 1-0, with the Students paying the price for losing Adam Verdon to a red card with a quarter of an hour remaining.
Longford Town and Finn Harps drew 1-1 at Bishopsgate after Hans Mpongo's opening goal for Harps in the second half was cancelled out by Emmanuel James.
Wexford FC: Paul Martin; Evan Osam, Dean Larkin, Robbie McCourt, James Crawford; Mikie Rowe, Zayd Abada, Conor Levingston (Matthew O’Brien 54), Ben McCormack, Kaylem Harnett (Calum Flynn 63); Aaron Dobbs (Muhammad Haris 77).
Dundalk: Peter Cherrie; Declan McDaid, Mayowa Animasahun, Conor O’Keeffe, JR Wilson; Aodh Dervin, Harry Groome; Norman Garbett (Keith Ward 67), Dean Ebbe (Shane Tracey 67), Daryl Horgan (Rohan Vaughan 59); Gbemi Arubi.
Referee: Declan Toland.
