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A win from their four remaining matches is all Shamrock Rovers needs to clinch the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division title after the second-place Bohemians drew 0-0 against reigning champion Dundalk in Oriel Park.
While Stephen Bradley’s men are not in action for the next several weeks due to a series of Covid-19 cases, it now seems certain that the league title is heading to Tallaght for the first time since 2011.
This result was not of much use to either team, as Keith Long’s team needed all three points to keep the pressure on the Hoops and Dundalk hoping for a win to continue their effort to qualify for Europe next season.
While Filippo Giovagnoli’s side sit in third place with a game in hand over fourth-ranked Waterford FC, they also have the Europa League distraction to deal with next week.
The match itself was one of the few clear opportunities, but perhaps one of the biggest fell in Bohs’ path in four minutes when they really should have taken the lead.
After Keith Ward’s effort was blocked, the rebound fell tantalizingly on Andre Wright 12 yards away, but with only Gary Rogers to win, he shot agonizingly left and wide.
Cameron Dummigan then stung James Talbot’s palms with Dundalk’s first effort in nine minutes before Ward sent a dipping effort over the crossbar from Rogers at the other end two minutes later.
Sean Gannon was proving to be the home team’s best attacking start, with dangerous passes from him presenting opportunities for Patrick McEleney in the 13th minute and Patrick Hoban in the 35th minute, which neither player was able to direct to goal due to good pressure Paddy Kirk every time.
Bohs then approached twice in quick succession five minutes before the break.
Andy Lyons saw an effort as Rogers turned the post after Promise Omochere slid it. The resulting corner of Anto Breslin met Wright’s head, but was only able to head for the roof of the net.
It was the home team who threatened first at the restart, with a cross from Michael Duffy in the 48th minute that knocked out the interrupted Daniel Kelly, but the former Bohs man was rejected point-blank for blocking by Michael Barker.
Duffy would then approach himself seven minutes later after being slipped by Hoban’s brilliant piece of skill down the left, but his effort flashed agonizingly through the goal and out.
Then Duffy nearly returned the favor for Hoban in the 58th minute when he unleashed a superb free kick from the right for the forward to find, but couldn’t find the target.
Bohs came close in the 62nd minute when an Omochere cross was headed in by Wright. Ward got closer and seemed destined to find the net, but somehow Rogers kept it out.
Hoban then looked at a deflected header on the other end a minute after a Nathan Oduwa cross.
Danny Grant and Dummigan had long-range efforts at each end, the first of which went straight for Rogers, with the second flashing just off the post.
Dundalk had a great chance to win it in the 86th minute when a Dummigan cross snapped towards Gannon but cut him off and he couldn’t find the target.
Hoban tried Talbot again with a good effort in injury time, but the keeper fell short as Dundalk was limited to back-to-back draws at home without goals in the league for the first time in 15 years.
Dundalk: Gary Rogers; Sean Gannon, Brian Gartland, Daniel Cleary, Cameron Dummigan; Chris Shields, Greg Sloggett; Daniel Kelly (Nathan Oduwa 51) (Stefan Colovic 75), Patrick McEleney (Sean Murray 65), Michael Duffy; Patrick Hoban. Unused Subs: Aaron McCarey, Jordan Flores, David McMillan, Andy Boyle.
Bohemians: James Talbot; Andy Lyons, Michael Barker, Paddy Kirk, Anto Breslin; Keith Buckley, Conor Levingstone; Promise Omochere, Keith Ward (Danny Mandroiu 74), Danny Grant; Andre Wright. Unspent Grants: Stephen McGuinness, Dinny Corcoran, Ross Tierney, JJ Lunney, Evan Ferguson, Jack Moylan.
Referee: Damien MacGraith (May).
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