DUNDALK RU LATEST REVERSE
Keating’s first-half winner inflicts more pain on Lilywhites
RUAIRI KEATING delivered on a night of redemption for St Pat’s but Dundalk’s living nightmare shows no signs of ending.
Both teams had plenty to prove pitching up at Richmond Park, with the Saints having lost their previous three games on the spin.
But Dundalk’s troubles were particularly stark having arrived here on the back of a humiliating 5-0 home defeat to Sligo.
Stephen O’donnell spoke in the build-up of his side lacking identity in their play but, apart from a late flourish, they were no closer to finding one last night.
Goalkeeper George Shelvey, signed from Nottingham Forest but hooked at half-time in that Sligo game, didn’t make the squad at all with Ross Munro promoted.
But Keating’s goal on the half hour settled a full-blooded game that still lacked quality, while rock bottom Dundalk are now four games without a win or a goal from open play.
In their desperation to atone for Monday night, they had actually started well and for the opening 15 minutes at least there was only one team in the game.
Ciaran Mcguckin should have made more of his early scoring opportunity – the visitors’ best of that opening half.
And Dundalk were made to pay for failing to capitalise on that early period of dominance with Saints inflicting the only body blow.
They were building a head of steam before Keating’s opener, helped in that regard by Kian Leavy’s brilliant workrate and Chris Forrester’s silky skills.
Forrester played a role in that decisive goal on 30 minutes, hooking a big ball back into the Dundalk half for Brandon Kavanagh and Keating to carve up.
They beat offside and Kavanagh had the measure of Hayden Muller, laying a brilliant ball into Keating’s path while on the spin.
Keating fired an initial shot that Munro saved but the rebound fell kindly and he slotted home at the second attempt.
It sparked chants of ‘sacked in the morning’ from the St Pat’s fans, aimed at O’donnell, their former boss, who left the club for Dundalk in such controversial fashion.
And O’donnell could only look on as the hosts pushed for a swift second either side of the half-time break with Leavy forcing Munro into action at full stretch.
Later he made another decent save, this time keeping out Forrester’s near post header from Kavanagh’s free.
Sam Durrant’s curling shot in the 90th minute had the Dundalk bench on their feet ready to celebrate, only to see it fizz wide.
But St Pat’s at least are pointing in the right direction once again.