Declan McDaid's late double proved the difference as Dundalk claimed their first victory over Galway Utd since 2017 to move up to third in the table.
Ciarán Kilduff’s side largely dominated proceedings at Oriel Park but were struggling to find the breakthrough until the Scot came off the bench to score twice in the space of four minutes to kill off the visitors’ hopes of three wins in-a-row in the top flight for the first time in 17 years.
John Caulfield’s team did pull a goal back with a brilliant bicycle kick from Stephen Walsh in the 90th minute but they can have little complaint in the result having been second best for long spells.
The result means the Co Louth side are up to third and continue to defy pre-season predictions of being relegation favourites.
It was largely one-way traffic in the opening half with the home side enjoying the majority of the possession and chances.
Eoin Kenny flashed a header just wide after just two minutes before Tyreke Wilson, who had scored in his two previous outings, forced the first save of the night from Evan Watts a minute later.
Ronan Teahan then flashed a header just wide from JR Wilson’s cross before Daryl Horgan, who earlier in the day had signed a new two-year deal with Dundalk, forced a brilliant save from Watts as he cut in off the right to get a curling effort off that had to be tipped over by the Welsh keeper.
Galway would eventually register their first attempts midway through the half but efforts from Lee Devitt and Ed McCarthy were easy for Enda Minogue to deal with.
Dundalk then went so close to a breakthrough on the half hour mark when Horgan’s cross was touched onto the bar by Watts, who did well to deny Bobby Burns on the rebound.
Horgan would force another good stop from the on-loan Swansea City netminder on 40 minutes before Galway had the pick of their first half chances two minutes later when Aaron Bolger’s cross dropped to McCarthy at the back post only for his effort to be deflected over by JR Wilson.
Kenny would have another effort before the break but it was straight at Watts.
Two minutes after the restart Galway threatened to make the breakthrough when Frantz Pierrot held the ball up well for Arthur Parker to get a shot away but it was straight down the throat of Minogue.
Burns had an effort moments after that which was saved by Watts before turning provider for Gbemi Arubi on 51 minutes with the 21-year-old doing well to get a shot away at his near post that the Welsh keeper again did well to save.
Dundalk’s top scorer would go close again 10 minutes later when he got on the end of Kenny’s cross but he couldn’t get the power on it to beat Watts.
Horgan then rattled the crossbar from just a few yards out on 64 minutes before Harvey Warren had a header brilliantly cleared from off the line by Bolger.
The breakthrough finally arrived on 81 minutes when Tyreke Wilson sent a teasing ball in from the right which McDaid was on hand to bundle home at the back post.
The Scot then added a second three minutes later with a close range tap-in after Harry Groome’s effort was parried by Watts.
Walsh did set up a nervy finish when he sent a brilliant bicycle kick to the net in the 90th minute but despite five minutes of additional time there would be no late revival for Galway.
Dundalk: Minogue; JR Wilson, Animasahun, Warren, T Wilson; Buckley, Burns (Groome 73); Kenny (McDaid 73), Teahan (Tracey 68), Horgan; Arubi.
Galway Utd: Watts; Parker, Brouder, Facchineri, Devitt (Lomboto 87); Bolger (Piesold 72), Wolfe (Barratt 55); Twardek, Hurley, McCarthy (Williams 87); Pierrot (Walsh 55).
Referee: Daryl Carolan.
