Tyreke Wilson's thunderbolt strike saw Dundalk get back to winning ways as Ciarán Kilduff’s side shocked Shamrock Rovers at Oriel Park.
The Louth men had taken just a single point from their last four matches, including losing back-to-back home games against Shelbourne and Bohemians but having soaked up plenty of pressure from Stephen Bradley’s men they claimed arguably their biggest result of the season when Wilson volleyed home from Daryl Horgan’s cross in the 78th minute.
Despite seeing his brother, JR Wilson, sent off in the closing stages, they held out thanks to a couple of fantastic saves from goalkeeper Enda Minogue.
The defeat will go down as a missed opportunity for the Tallaght men after second placed St Patrick’s Athletic also lost at home to Shelbourne but they remain three points clear at the summit as a result.
The visitors were first to threaten on eight minutes when John McGovern did well to get away from Harvey Warren before getting a shot away from just outside the box which Minogue did well to turn around the post. Enda Stevens then nodded wide from the resulting corner.
In a game of few chances, Dundalk gave Rovers their first real scare on 28 minutes when Horgan’s ball was missed by Lee Grace, which briefly looked like it would allow Aodh Dervin in but having lost his bearings, the chance was gone as Ed McGinty came out to smother.
The Hoops netminder was breathing a sigh of relief a minute later when Gbemi Arubi attempted to lob him from about 40 yards out after Grace had been caught in possession but, fortunately for the 26-year-old, it drifted just over his crossbar.
The Louth men then registered their first attempt on target on 36 minutes when Eoin Kenny broke through on goal but the 20-year-old fired tamely at McGinty after getting his angles wrong in attempting to direct it towards the bottom right hand corner.
Victor Ozhianvuna would curl a left foot shot just wide at the other end on 40 minutes before the home side went close again on 43 minutes when Horgan showed Dan Cleary a clean set of heels on the left before pulling back to Kenny, who had a touch too many which allowed Grace to snuff out the danger.
The visitors introduced the experienced duo of Graham Burke and Aaron Greene at the break but it was 17-year-old Ozhianvuna who went closest to a breakthrough on 52 minutes when his shot from Jack Byrne’s pull back was deflected over by Warren.
Five minutes later Greene was played in by the Arsenal-bound youngster but he pulled his effort just wide of the left hand post.
Dundalk were under the cosh for the most part but almost found a breakthrough of their own on 67 minutes when Warren drove into the box only to see his shot clawed around the post by McGinty.
The Lilywhites then hit the front in style on 78 minutes as Tyreke Wilson sent a stunning volley past McGinty from Horgan’s cross.
The Lilywhites were reduced to 10 men on 87 minutes when JR Wilson picked up a second yellow for a foul on Matt Healy but they survived the follow up free kick as Minogue brilliantly turned Dylan Watts’ effort around the post.
The Knocklyon man then made an even better stop right on 90 minutes when he clawed Greene’s header away, almost Gordon Banks-like.
The 24-year-old had the post to thank for keeping out a header from Watts deep in stoppage time before saving the follow up from Burke.
Dundalk: Minogue; Warren (Spaight 85), JR Wilson, Burns; McDaid, Buckley (Tracey 59), Dervin, Horgan, T Wilson; Kenny (Groome 59); Arubi (Mullen 79).
Shamrock Rovers: McGinty; Cleary (Malley 80), Grace, Stevens; Sobowale, Healy, Byrne (Watts 80), Brennan (Mulraney 62), Ozhianvuna, McGovern (Greene HT); Noonan (Burke HT).
Referee: Rob Harvey.
