Dundalk close to three points - February 1,
2001
Dundalk 1 Monaghan United 0
Athlone Town's seemingly unassailable led in the Eircom League first division has been cut to just three points.
But Dundalk couldn't have left it later. Athlone looked a safe bet to take a comfortable five-point cushion into the weekend until Martin Reilly popped up with the winner two minutes into injury time.
Reilly had twice gone close in the early minutes as Dundalk started at a hundred miles an hour. But once Monaghan settled into their defensive rhythm, the home side became frustrated and looked unlikely to break the deadlock.
But Monaghan reckoned without Reilly's predatory instincts and just when the visitors thought they were home and dry, he pounced on a David Crawley cross to crack the winner in off an upright.
Dundalk: Connolly, Hill, Crawley, Broughan, Gallogley, Dunne, O'Dowd, M Reilly, Ryan, Hoey, Mullen
Subs: Flanagan for Hoey 74, Ward for O'Dowd 78, A Reilly for Ryan 86
Monaghan: Forde, Gill, Mitchell, McCarville, Carroll, Rogers, Sheils, Grendon, McKenna, Lundy, Smyth
Subs: Hannon for Forde 45, Lynch for Lundy 72, Whyte for Grendon 80
Referee: D McKeon (Dublin)