Updated: Friday, 24 Oct 2014 16:20 | Comments
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By Rob Wright
From their brilliant team goal in Inchicore to Brian Gartland's winner at Turner's Cross and beyond, we look at the moments that have shaped Dundalk's season.
4 April - Thrashing the champs in their own backyard
An early-season trip away to the home of the champions is always going to be a daunting fixture but Dundalk showed clear signs that they were the real deal with a thoroughly convincing 4-1 victory over St Patrick's Athletic that was rounded off by as good a goal as you're likely to see anywhere.
It had started out brightly for the Saints as Chris Forrester pounced on a loose ball in the penalty area to give the home side the lead. But it wasn't long before Dundalk restored parity through a fine free-kick from John Mountney and Daryl Horgan and David McMillan added further goals to all but seal the points for the visitors.
But the real highlight of the evening came in injury-time. In a stunning move, Dundalk passed the ball around their opponents for fun, with every outfield player involved until, after what seemed an age, Sean Gannon volleyed home from a tight angle to cap a fine evening for the Lilywhites.
Gannon scores after epic build-up
21 April - Grinding out a win in Athlone
For much of the season Dundalk have been the league's biggest entertainers, getting the ball down and playing some wonderful football.
But they also have been able to win ugly when necessary and there'll be few uglier wins than their 1-0 victory over Athlone Town.
Coming into the game on the back of a 2-2 draw with 10-man Shamrock Rovers, a game which saw Dundalk captain Stephen O'Donnell ruled out for five months with a knee ligament injury, the Lilywhites stuttered and were far from their best against an Athlone side who had lost every game of the season up until that stage.
Dundalk huffed and puffed while Athlone had chances of their own but just when it looked as if a stalemate would be the result Richie Towell stepped up to convert an injury time penalty and take all three points.
20 May - A 'Magnificent Seven' in the Louth derby
This was a Louth derby that will live long in the memories for both Dundalk and Drogheda supporters but for vastly different reasons. It was a Tuesday evening encounter where the Stephen Kenny's men served notice to the rest of the league as to their title credentials with a crushing 7-0 victory.
Dundalk, with defeat in Setanta Cup final to Sligo Rovers still fresh in their minds, and coming into the game on the back of a far from convincing 2-1 victory over Limerick, destroyed their local rivals in a stunning second-half spell.
A first-half goal from Sean Gannon was all that separated the sides at the break but Dundalk turned on the style, scoring six goals without reply in a crazy 35-minute spell.
David McMillan plundered a brace, while Daryl Horgan, Andy Boyle and that man Towell were also on the mark and an own goal from Paul Crowley compounded Drogheda's misery.
1 August - Gartland's Winner at the Cross
Goals from Richie Towell and Brian Gartland inflicted Cork's first home defeat in 14 months and put Dundalk six points clear at the top after a thoroughly entertaining encounter.
A smart finish from the edge of the penalty area on 15 minutes gave Dundalk an early advantage only for Cork to equalise with 10 minutes to go courtesy of Darren Dennehy.
But just when it seemed the impetus was with Cork to chase a winner, Gartland popped up with a classy finish to secure a crucial three points.
Mid-October - Out of form, but still claiming points
If Dundalk fail to beat Cork on Friday and the Rebels win the SSE Airtricity Premier Division, it will be these two draws in the space of four days between 13 and 17 October that many will point to when trying to figure out when it started to go wrong for Stephen Kenny's men.
Level on points with Cork City but with a vastly superior goal difference, Dundalk welcomed Shamrock Rovers for what was a long-awaited game in hand for the league leaders.
Rovers slim European hopes rested on claiming a victory at Oriel Park but it was Dundalk who did all the running and enjoyed the best chances without being able to convert any.
Indeed, it would have been much worse for the hosts had Ryan Brennan not blasted over a 76th-minute penalty.
Nevertheless that point put clear daylight between Dundalk and Cork. Four days later the Louth side travelled to Bray with the chance of clinching the title on the night if results went their way.
It was an awful night on the Wicklow coast with torrential rain and a howling wind and nothing went right for Dundalk. They went behind to goal from David Cassidy after less than 30 seconds and although Kenny's men did manage to claim a point, they ended the penultimate series of matches trailing Cork by a point.
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