Gartland on hand to keep Leeside champagne iced
FINN HARPS 0 DUNDALK 2
CORK CITY’S wait for a first League of Ireland Premier Division title in 12 years just keeps going on, and on.
Defending champions Dundalk beat relegation-threatened Finn Harps in 2-0 Ballybofey yesterday to stretch out the title battle until at least next Friday, when Cork can finally seal the issue if they beat Bohemians.
Captain Brian Gartland paved the way for victory with the opener midway through the second half and Jamie McGrath fired in the second with the last kick of the game to leave the champagne on ice yet again down Turner’s Cross way.
‘It was important for us to get this win,’ Dundalk boss Stephen Kenny beamed afterwards.
‘It was never comfortable and it was a real battle. It was a really tough physical encounter on a pitch that was not in good condition.
‘Now we have to dust ourselves down and look forward to the cup semi-final replay against Shamrock Rovers on Tuesday. We want to be the first team from Dundalk to get to the Aviva three years in a row.’
Kenny’s charges were odds on to beat the Donegal side in this televised encounter.
The Lilywhites had knocked 18 goals past Harps without reply in their five league meetings since the Finnsiders got promoted.
On an energy-sapping, heavy Finn Park surface, Dundalk’s first attack of note came on five minutes when Dylan Connolly sent in a cross that was met by Robbie Benson but he headed just wide.
However, Harps matched them well early on with the everresourceful Paddy McCourt initiating a number of attacks, with the energetic Eddie Dsane also impressing up front.
However, Ciaran Gallagher was called upon to make a fine save on 18 minutes as he went full stretch to deny Thomas Stewart from firing the Louth side ahead after good work by Connolly.
Harps missed a glorious opportunity to take the lead on 23 minutes when Sean Houston did the spadework to set up Dsane inside the box but he somehow screwed his shot wide with Gary Rogers well beaten.
Dundalk showed renewed vigour after the interval and Gallagher had to save from Sean Gannon and Thomas Stewart.
They broke the deadlock on 66 minutes, with captain Gartland rising to head home a McGrath corner, which had been conceded following an incident in which Harps had felt they should have been awarded a free.
Kilian Cantwell had a header saved by Rogers on 82 minutes as gallant Harps searched for an equaliser but Dundalk scored in the last of five minutes of stoppage-time with McGrath’s delightful strike from just inside the box.