The fate of the tightest League of Ireland championship in ten years will be sealed on the end-week night. Current champions Shamrock Rovers, targeting their fifth sequential victory, are two points behind Sheldon, who have led the season. Due to a lower goal differential, Sheldon must triumph over Derry City at the Brandywell, if Rovers manage to beat Waterford at the Tallaght Stadium.
As the encounter at Oriel Park neared sixty minutes, with Rovers scrambling to maintain stride with Sheldon, Daniel Cleary managed to assist in securing possession for Graham Burke from a Jack Byrne corner kick. Burke, who represents Ireland internationally, flung the ball across the Dundalk area and was met with no interruptions until Dylan Watts thundered it into Ross Munro’s net with a half-volley.
Following the players exhausting the celebration and moving towards the pitch centre, Burke pulled in Watts to plant a celebratory kiss on his cheek, inducing a wave of relief through the Rovers squad and reverberating in the stands where Stephen Bradley received extended punishment for misusing a two-way radio during his touchline suspension.
With one match hanging by a thread, the Rovers owe their 48th goal of the season to Watts, down from 68 last year. However, these 48 goals will still satisfy the champions if Sheldon and Derry tie it up on the last Friday Night, and Rovers emerge victorious over Waterford, considering their superior goal differential compared to Damien Duff’s team.
Should Sheldon prevail, the championship will return to Tolka Park for the first time since 2006. A lively debate could be anticipated before the match among Rovers fans over which is stronger: the team that thrashed Larne 4-1 at Windsor Park during the Uefa Conference League on Thursday, or any team comprising of Watts, Jack Byrne, and Neil Farrugia.
Watts has ensured the smooth advance of Rovers throughout the season, earning a deserved position in the PFAI team of the year, alongside fellow players Josh Honohan and Johnny Kenny.
Bradley’s choice to bench Burke, following his impressive contribution to all four goals against the Northern Ireland champions, was a bold yet strategic move. No other team on the island has the luxury of benching such a talented player when securing three points would pass the championship to Duff and Shelbourne.
Even so, Dundalk initiated the title race with heightened intensity as Watts, Byrne and Farrugia showed promising intent. However, it was the early chances missed by John Mountney and Jad Hakiki that put Dundalk on the edge. Following a clearance from Cleary, it became a missed opportunity for Dundalk’s captain, Mountney, to score. He saw his shot deflected wide and Hakiki’s strike from the resulting corner hit the crossbar of Leon Pohls.
Despite securing only five victories this season, Dundalk applied a high-pressure strategy that induced mistakes from Rovers. Eoin Kenny took the lead competently. The son of St Patrick’s Athletic manager Stephen Kenny is likely to garner much interest, as indicated by exiting manager Jon Daly. Robbie Mahon shares the same fate as he troubled Cleary and Pico Lopes through strategic runs.
The exemplary performance in Belfast followed by a disoriented initial half here succinctly reflects Rovers’ season. Mahon managed a forceful save from Pohls in the extra time following a pass through the Rovers’ defence by Kenny.
Bradley, although distant, was informed of the necessary changes in the Rovers team. Burke swapped for Gary O’Neill and Darragh Burns replaced Honohan adding two forwards and removing some defensive power. Further adjustments were made when Danny Mandroiu was forced to retire due to injury, giving Aaron McEneff and Estonian international Markus Poom the opportunity to relief Byrne.
In theory, they should be in a superior position. However, in reality, it seems more like a Duff versus Bradley, and Shels versus Rovers scenario, warranting split screens between Derry and Tallaght.
Playing for Dundalk included: Munro; Mountney, Animasahun, Cann, Keogh; Dervin (replaced by Garbett at 76 minutes, later swapped by McGill at 83), Oostenbrink (Leonard taking his spot at 83), Hakiki (replaced by Hakiki at 65); Mahon (substituted by Keane at 66), Kenny, Horgan.
Referee Robert Harvey oversaw the Shamrock Rovers match. The starting line-up included Pohls in goal, with Grace, Lopes, and Cleary in defence. Fields included Farrugia, O’Neill who was substituted by Burke at the 46-minute mark, Watts, and Honohan, replaced by Burns also at the 46th minute. In attack, Mandroiu started but was subbed with McEneff during the 54th minute, while Byrne played until the 85th minute, when Poom took over. Kenny started up front and was swapped with Greene around the 63rd minute.