A year ago this weekend Dundalk FC came close to going out of existence. Twelve months on and a Gbemi Arubi and Eoin Kenny-inspired performance at Oriel Park saw them coast past Bray Wanderers to take a significant step back towards the Premier Division.
Both players had a hand in a couple of goals as Ciarán Kilduff's side preserved their six point lead at the top of the table with just five games remaining.
While there is still work to be done to ensure their top flight return, with a Cobh Ramblers side who they are due to meet in St Colman’s Park on the final day not giving up the hunt, it is nevertheless a wonderful position for the club to be in considering their plight this time last year.
On that occasion, it looked like Ireland’s most successful provincial club had played its last game when financial difficulties saw then owner Brian Ainscough pull the plug on his input. Fortunately for the border town and its support, local barrister John Temple stepped in and while relegation followed shortly after, the journey back is now very much underway.
While Dundalk had drawn their two previous games, they were comfortable winners here, bossing proceedings from the outset despite Harvey Warren’s late consolation.
Indeed, this result all but ends any hopes Paul Heffernan’s side had of automatic promotion themselves as Bray now trail the league leaders by 13 points with just 15 to play for.
Having failed to score away to Wexford last week, the Co Louth side drew first blood with the game’s first attempt on eight minutes. Harry Groome released Kenny on the right with the Northern Ireland U21 cap delivering a superb cross for Arubi to head home at the back post.
Kenny, who was being watched by his dad St Patrick’s Athletic boss Stephen, then went close to doubling his side’s lead five minutes later when he beat Benjamin Fagbemi to get a shot away which Jimmy Corcoran did well to push away.
The former Lilywhites keeper was called into action again on 14 minutes when he saved from Declan McDaid at his near post, with the former Bohemians player going close again soon after when he fired into the side netting.
In between, Bray had their first chance on the quarter hour mark when Alain Kizenga managed to get a shot away after a scramble at the edge of the Dundalk box but Peter Cherrie was equal to it.
After Groome had fired high and wide, Bray then played a large part in their downfall in conceding the second on 34 minutes. After Warren failed to kick an extra ball on the pitch out of play, Killian Cantwell eventually booted it into the corner after a stoppage by referee Aaron O’Dowd. Seconds later, that same ball was picked up by McDaid after a clearance of the original ball onto the roof The Shed. His quick throw was then laid off by Groome for Arubi to rifle to the bottom right hand corner.
The former Shelbourne and Waterford attacker had two half chances to complete his hat-trick before the break but was denied by Corcoran on both occasions.
Vinnie Leonard then had a couple of headers within minutes of the restart, the second of which landed on the roof of the net before half-time substitute Sean Brennan pulled an effort just wide of the left hand post as the visitors sought a way back into the game.
The result was then put beyond doubt on 54 minutes with Kenny finishing a move he started. His ball played Shane Tracey into the box, with the teenager skipping past a couple of challenges before having his path halted by Fagbemi. However, Kenny followed in to stroke the loose ball past a helpless Corcoran for his seventh league goal of the season.
Tracey would go close to a fourth on 67 minutes when he got a shot away but Corcoran got down to deny him.
There was some consolation for the visitors 10 minutes from the end when Max Murphy broke at pace before playing Warren in to slot past Cherrie but it was a case of too little, too late for the Seagulls despite Billy O’Neill being harshly booked for what was deemed a dive in the box in stoppage time.
Dundalk: Peter Cherrie; Conor O’Keeffe (Luke Mulligan 81), Mayowa Animasahun, Vinnie Leonard; JR Wilson; Aodh Dervin, Harry Groome (Dean Ebbe 76); Eoin Kenny (Andy Paraschiv 76), Shane Tracey (Norman Garbett 76), Declan McDaid (Keith Ward 81); Gbemi Arubi.
Bray Wanderers: Jimmy Corcoran; Alain Kizenga, Killian Cantwell, Harvey Warren, Benjamin Fagbemi (Max Murphy 68); Rhys Bartley, Cian Doyle (Sean Brennan HT); Rhys Knight (Richard Ferizaj 84), Guillermo Almirall (Cian Curtis HT), Justin Ferizaj (Conor Knight 68), Billy O’Neill.
Referee: Aaron O’Dowd
Second-placed Cobh Ramblers remain six points behind Dundalk after easing to a 3-0 home win in a Munster derby against Treaty United.
Dylan McGlade opened the scoring on 15 minutes, before Barry Coffey doubled the lead shortly before half-time from the penalty spot. And McGlade put the icing on the cake five minutes after the break for Cobh.
UCD continued to cement their hold on fourth place after beating Longford Town 2-1 at the Bowl.
Jake Doyle and Ciaran Behan scored in each half, before Darragh Murtagh netted what proved to be a Town consolation late on.
