Dundalk 0 Shamrock Rovers 1 (Watts 58)
Down to the wire. The closest League of Ireland title race in a decade will be decided on the final Friday night as defending champions Shamrock Rovers, in pursuit of a unique five in a row, trail season-long front-runners Shelbourne by two points.
Due to an inferior goal difference, Shels must beat Derry City up in the Brandywell if Rovers overcome Waterford at Tallaght Stadium.
As the hour mark approached at Oriel Park, and Rovers quest to keep pace with Shels was running out of time, Daniel Cleary made enough contact on a Jack Byrne corner for possession to settle at Graham Burke’s left toe. The Ireland international whipped the ball back across the Dundalk box, where everyone missed it until Dylan Watts planted a half-volley into the bottom corner of Ross Munro’s net.
When the Rovers celebrations subsided and players headed over halfway, Burke grabbed Watts to plant a kiss on his midfielder’s cheek. Relief surged through The Hoops squad and into the stand where Stephen Bradley was serving an extension to his sideline suspension as punishment for using a walkie-talkie.
With one match remaining, Watts claimed Rovers 48th goal of the season. Last season they scored 68. Forty-eight goals will do the champions just fine if Shelbourne draw in Derry this Friday, and Rovers beat Waterford, as they have a superior goal difference to Damien Duff’s side.
If Shels win, the title goes to Tolka Park for the first time since 2006.
Rovers fans could have a healthy debate prematch about which is the better starting line-up; the one that thumped Larne 4-1 at Windsor Park on Thursday in the Uefa Conference League or any team including Watts, Jack Byrne and Neil Farrugia.
Watts has kept Rovers ticking over all season, earning his spot in the PFAI team of the year alongside team-mates Josh Honohan and Johnny Kenny.
Bradley was hardly showing off, but benching Burke after his outstanding involvement in all four goals to sink the Northern Ireland champions was some flex.
No other club on the island can afford to rotate such a gifted performer when nothing short of three points would hand the title to Duff and Shelbourne.
Nonetheless, Watts, Byrne and Farrugia started with intent until Dundalk set pulses racing in the title race when John Mountney and Jad Hakiki each spurned early goals chances.
Mountney really should have scored after a Cleary clearance fell to the Dundalk captain. It was deflected wide for a corner that saw Hakiki wallop a volley off Leon Pohls’ crossbar.
Dundalk, with just five wins in the league this season, executed a high press that forced Rovers into errors. Eoin Kenny effectively led the line. If this contest was little more than a shop window for an already relegated squad, as outgoing manager Jon Daly indicated, the son of St Patrick’s Athletic manager Stephen Kenny will have plenty of suitors.
The same goes for Robbie Mahon, who caused Cleary and Pico Lopes problems by running in behind Farrugia.
A dominant 90 minutes in Belfast on Thursday followed by an aimless first half here neatly showcased the Rovers season in microcosm. In injury-time, Mahon drew a strong-arm save from Pohls after Kenny cut a ball through the Rovers back three.
Bradley may have been out of bounds, but word got to the Rovers dressingroom that changes were needed. Burke replaced Gary O’Neill and Darragh Burns came in for Honohan as they added two attackers and subtracted to defensive minded players. The tactics had to be adjusted further when Danny Mandroiu limped off but Rovers could turn to Aaron McEneff while Estonian international Markus Poom relieved Byrne.
On paper, they should be out of sight. In reality, it is Duff versus Bradley, Shels versus Rovers with split screens needed between Derry and Tallaght.
Dundalk: Munro; Mountney, Animasahun, Cann, Keogh; Dervin (Garbett 76, rep by McGill 83), Oostenbrink (Leonard 83), Hakiki (Hakiki 65); Mahon (Keane 66), Kenny, Horgan.
Shamrock Rovers: Pohls; Grace, Lopes, Cleary; Farrugia, O’Neill (Burke 46), Watts, Honohan (Burns 46); Mandroiu (McEneff 54), Byrne (Poom 85); Kenny (Greene 63).
Referee: Robert Harvey.
