Dundalk 1 Derry City 2:DUNDALK AND Derry City played out an entertaining game on a night of goodbyes at Oriel Park, with Clive Delaney's late header securing a fourth-place finish for Stephen Kenny's side.
The beleaguered Derry – who according to reports in Derry are in debt to the tune of up to €1 million – look set to be relegated to the First Division after 22 years in the top flight.
The club’s existence is also very much in doubt with today’s hastily arranged FAI meeting crucial in deciding that outcome. One who won’t be around is long-serving captain Peter Hutton, who bowed out last night after 664 games for the club.
A lively first half saw Dundalk’s Peter Cherrie denying David McDaid and Thomas Stewart. At the other end Ger Doherty proved equal to blistering efforts from Chris Turner and Michael McGowan but he was left embarrassed in the 26th minute when the Scottish winger left him floundering with an unbelievable lob from inside his own half.
Derry pulled level from the penalty spot in the 47th minute when Gareth McGlynn fired home. Kenny’s men finished the stronger as Dundalk ended the game with 10 men after Darren Mansaram’s sending off and they secured the points when Clive Delaney headed home in the 89th minute.
DUNDALK: Cherrie; Simon Kelly (Duffy, 90 mins), Heary, Burns, Coburn; Michael McGowan (Martin McGowan, 89 mins), Daly, Turner, Murphy; Mansaram, Rowe (Griffin, 63 mins).
DERRY CITY: Doherty; McCallion, Hutton, Delaney, O’Brien; McGlynn, Deery, Molloy (Higgins, 83 mins), McClean; Stewart (Scullion, 68 mins), McDaid (McManus, 56 mins).
Referee: D Tomney (Dublin)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/YVIRIOZQ35EWRPZXR27KGMO6YU.png)