Sporting Fingal 1-0 Dundalk FC

Sporting Fingal captain Shaun Williams was the matchwinner on Friday against ten-man Dundalk, hoisting his side into third spot.

Dundalk got off to a bright start with the lion’s share of possession but they failed to make the most of their early pressure.

It was the Lilywhites’ Matthew Tipton who has the first attempt on goal when he tried his luck on ten minutes but his shot is easily saved by Darren Quigley.

Following this, Fingal began to find their way into the game and Ronan Finn had their first shot on target when he struck from 25 yards which Cherrie gathered.

Kenny Browne then had a glorious opportunity when he rose clear of his marker on 18 only to head an Ollie Cahill corner over the crossbar.

Dundalk’s Wayne Hatswell stepped up from forty yards out and his free kick forced Quigley to tap the effort over hiscross bar.

The visitors pushed forward late in the half and Matthew Tipton twice found himself in excellent positions behind the Fingal defence.

First he snuck in between the Fingal back four and Quigley but he got caught in two minds and his effort was cleared easily by Browne.

His second and most gaping chance came just on the break when Tom Miller worked space down the right flank and picked put Tipton who volleyed wide with the goal at his mercy.

Fingal looked livelier in the second half and it wasn’t long before their efforts paid off just seven minutes in after Ger O’Brien won a free kick near the right touchline.

Ollie Cahill stepped up to swing in the delivery and allow Shaun Williams to pounce with ad diving header past the helpless Cherrie.

Just three minutes later it looked like Sporting would double their lead when Gary O’Neill found himself free in the box but his attempted through ball to Conan Byrne was wayward.

Ian Foster’s side were limited to long range attempts and Ciaran McGuigan tried his hand from thirty yards but once more Quigley was on hand to foil.

Miller and Faz Kuduzovic both picked up yellow cards as the frustration was beginning to show for the Louth men.

And with seven minutes left on the clock Miller picked up his second yellow for a foul on Byrne.

Sporting Fingal: Quigley; O'Brien, Maher, Browne, Frost; Williams, Kirby, Finn; Byrne, O'Neill (Crowe 79), Cahill (James 88).

Dundalk: Cherrie; Madden, McGuigan, Kelly, Hatswell; Bennett, McDonnell (Burns 74), Miller, Tipton, Kearns (Gaynor 85); Kuduzovic.

Referee: R Winter (Wicklow).