Cann Dundalk FC avoid the drop after Drogheda United compound results misery on Louth derby day?

That prospect was made all the more difficult when Hayden Cann crashed a 94th minute winner to the net at Weavers Park on Monday afternoon to earn 10-man Drogheda United a huge, Louth derby victory.

The 2-1 win for Kevin Doherty’s side leaves them five points clear of their local rivals, who are also eight points adrift of Sligo Rovers in eighth following their victory over St Patrick’s Athletic later in the day.

The term ‘six-pointer’ can be a bit of a cliché but this was a game that Dundalk couldn’t afford to lose and yet did, despite equalising in the immediate aftermath of Drogs ’keeper Jethren Barr being sent-off on 74 minutes.

While key decisions undoubtedly didn’t go the way of Noel King’s side, the nature of the two goals they gave up was poor and, in truth, they were second best in the chances stakes for long periods as well.

Dundalk will no doubt question whether Gary Deegan, who was pivotal in his side’s opener, should have been on the pitch at that stage having clattered Robbie Benson shortly after being booked for catching Paul Doyle with his elbow but there was little doubt that the visitors were the creators of their own demise.

Doyle had a warning in the first half of Deegan’s intensity in closing him down and didn’t learn from it as he was too lax in possession in the build-up to Frantz Pierrot’s opener. The Lilywhites also didn’t cover themselves in glory with the defending of the free-kick for Cann’s winner, with Scott High needlessly coughing it up with a soft foul on Oisín Gallagher.

Following Barr’s dismissal, it looked like there would only be one winner when Jamie Gullan followed it up by scoring from the resulting free-kick. However, a delay that ultimately led to 10 minutes of stoppage time as a result of Dundalk fans throwing flares on the pitch did little to help the side and they snatched defeat from the jaws of victory in the end.

With Friday’s opponents, Waterford, also recording a superb, 3-1 win away to Shamrock Rovers on the night, it was a day to forget for Dundalk.

King’s attitude after was that there is still a lot of football to be played but if his side are going to pull off the great escape, they can’t afford to be losing games like this one.

The best of the early chances fell the way of the home side with Warren Davis heading tamely into the arms of George Shelvey on 11 minutes from Luke Heeney’s cross before Dundalk were fortunate to survive a quick free-kick following a foul by Zak Johnson on Pierrot on 22 minutes which eventually broke down after the Haitian striker was unable to pull the trigger.

The visitors had another let-off three minutes later when Deegan pounced on slack play by Doyle to slip Adam Foley in but his effort from the right of goal is straight into the mid-riff of Shelvey.

Pierrot would then fire into the side-netting after Heeney’s throw-in was flicked into his path by Foley with Heeney coming to his side’s rescue at the other end on 38 minutes when he made a big block to deny Robbie Benson the breakthrough after the ball had dropped to him in the box on his left foot.

John Mountney had actually gone close to opening the scoring from Benson’s corner, before the latter had an effort of his own from the follow up saved by Barr, when Drogheda were gifted the lead on 55 minutes.

Shelvey’s ball to Doyle was pounced on by Deegan, allowing Pierrot the simplest of tasks of firing to the net for his third goal in as many home matches.

Two minutes later, Dundalk were fortunate not to be two down as they were almost caught out by a quick free by Evan Weir whose low ball into the box just evaded Pierrot before being fired wide at the back post by Foley.

Benson then had an effort comfortably saved by Barr before Heeney made a brilliant goalline clearance to keep Gullan’s effort out after he had beaten the South African ’keeper.

The custodian was dismissed on 74 minutes for taking out Cameron Elliott after the substitute had nodded the ball past him from Shelvey’s punt forward.

Dundalk levelled four minutes later from the resulting free-kick when Gullan curled a free around the wall and past replacement ’keeper Andrew Wogan.

Unfortunately, any momentum from the goal was killed by flares being thrown on the pitch by Dundalk fans and they never really threatened after that.

With 10 minutes added, Drogheda made it count with Weir’s free breaking kindly for Cann in the 94th minute for the on-loan defender to rifle past Shelvey, who himself saw red after the full-time whistle had blown in what was another kick in the teeth for the away side.

It was a big goal in the battle to avoid the drop. Dundalk can only hope it doesn’t prove to be a pivotal one come the end of the season.

DROGHEDA UNITED: Barr; Heeney, Quinn, Cann, Weir; Deegan, Brennan; Foley, Markey (Gallagher 83), Davis (McNally 66); Pierrot (Wogan 77).

DUNDALK: Shelvey; Davies, Johnson, Boyle, Muller (O’Kane 89); High, Doyle (Oostenbrink 60); Mountney (Elliott 73), Benson, Horgan; Gullan.

REFEREE: Rob Harvey (Dublin).