Tyreke Wilson’s 91st minute strike saw Dundalk take the points against Galway Utd in front of a sparse crowd at Turner’s Cross in Cork.
Just 454 turned out for a fixture that was a 414km round trip for the home side and 680km for the visitors.
The fact this game was being played so far from Galway, who had to play in Cork due to neither Eamonn Deacy Park, Pearse Stadium or any alternative venue being available on the night looked like it would be all this encounter would be remembered for.
That was until Wilson popped up with his fourth goal of the season in stoppage time to earn a deserved three points for Ciarán Kilduff’s side, whose unlikely European push continues as they now sit just two points behind third placed Bohemians who they meet in Dalymount Park next weekend.
For Galway, they never seriously threatened to claim a ‘home’ win in a different province with John Caulfield’s men now one of several sides at the bottom now nervously looking over their shoulder following Waterford FC’s second win of the season at home to Sligo Rovers – with the Tribesmen just two points clear of the play-off position and seven clear of the drop ahead of a tricky run of fixtures at home to Derry City in Salthill next weekend, followed by away trips to Shamrock Rovers and St Patrick’s Athletic.
The Louth men had the better of the early exchanges and perhaps should have had a penalty on seven minutes when SSE Airtricity/Soccer Writers Ireland Player of the Month for May, Daryl Horgan, went down in the box following a challenge from Arthur Parker but referee Kevin O’Sullivan failed to point to the spot.
The visitors went close for the first time two minutes later when Eoin Kenny’s shot was pushed away by Evan Watts before Horgan fired the follow up across goal and wide from the rebound.
Both sides went agonisingly close to a breakthrough within a couple of minutes of each other. Firstly, David Hurley’s cross on 18 minutes played Stephen Walsh in behind Rob Cornwall but the veteran striker just couldn’t reach it. Then two minutes later Horgan fizzed a ball across the six yard box after good hold up play by Kenny but Danny Mullen was also unable to get there.
Just 454 attended Galway United’s displaced ‘home’ game against Dundalk
Galway would register their first attempt on target on 22 minutes when Hurley attempted to catch Enda Minogue out from just inside his own half but it proved to be just catching practice in the end for the goalkeeper.
Five minutes later, Dundalk should have taken the lead as Mullen went close again. After Horgan’s cross from the left was headed straight up in the air by Lee Devitt, the Scottish striker was quickest to react but with Watts frozen, he could only nod wide from about four yards out.
Declan McDaid’s double decided the last contest between these sides at Oriel Park back in April but he failed to repeat the trick on the half hour mark when firing tamely wide after being released by Kenny.
Galway had the two remaining chances of what was a dull first half with Ed McCarthy firstly being denied by Minogue before seeing another effort deflect wide off JR Wilson four minutes before the break.
McCarthy would drag another effort wide shortly after the restart before Horgan trickled an effort into the arms of Watts.
Aaron Bolger had an effort blocked down by former team-mate Bobby Burns on 56 minutes after Jimmy Keohane’s corner had broken to him at the edge of the box with Hurley firing another attempt off target shortly after.
Mullen had an effort turned around the post by Watts on 59 minutes after being released by Horgan, with the Welsh keeper going on to deny Tyreke Wilson from the follow up corner.
The former Shelbourne man let fly with his left foot from just outside the box four minutes later only to see his effort spin up and over off his own team-mate Mullen.
Mullen missed another gilt-edged chance on 65 minutes when he headed wide from close range from JR Wilson’s cross.
Horgan sliced a volley wide from the edge of the box before Walsh – who scored a brilliant one in Oriel in April – had a bicycle kick attempt blocked by Ronan Teahan.
Cornwall had a long range effort drift wide on 81 minutes before Teahan had an effort turned behind by Watts at his near post four minutes later.
The Kerry man went agonisingly close to the breakthrough on the 90-minute mark when his header from JR Wilson’s cross came back off the butt of the post before going out from a corner.
The Lilywhites secured the victory in the aftermath as Axel Piesold’s tackle to dispossess Kenny saw the ball break to Tyreke Wilson at the edge of the box with the 26-year-old squeezing a left foot shot through a crowd of bodies to the bottom right hand corner.
Galway Utd: Watts; Parker (Kazeem 61), Facchineri, Brouder, Devitt (Pierrot 61); Bolger, McCormack (Williams 61); Keohane, Hurley, McCarthy (Piesold 61); Walsh (Chateau 80).
Dundalk: Minogue; JR Wilson, Cornwall, Burns, T Wilson; Dervin, Teahan; McDaid (Buckley 72), Kenny, Horgan (Groome 93); Mullen (Tracey 72).
Referee: Kevin O’Sullivan.