St Pat's Athletic surge to top after Oriel Park win over Dundalk

Four goals secured St Patrick's Athletic a 4‑0 victory over Dundalk at Oriel Park, propelling the Saints to the top of the SSE Airtricity Men’s Premier Division. The win not only leap‑frogged Shamrock Rovers but also doubled the Saints’ goal‑difference advantage to eight.

Keena's brace and second‑half strike‑pair

Aidan Keena opened the scoring after a quick exchange that saw Jamie Lennon feed him a first‑time finish in the bottom left‑hand corner. Seven minutes later he added a second, completing a first‑half double from a set‑piece. In the second half Ryan Sheridan struck from a throw‑in and Ryan Edmondson headed home from a floated free‑kick, sealing the rout.

Title race tightens as rivals await

Stephen Kenny, who enjoyed his greatest title triumphs at the Louth stadium, praised the performance, saying it gives Saints fans reason to dream of another championship. While Stephen Bradley’s side have a game in hand against Bohemians, the result puts pressure on Shamrock Rovers to respond.

Dundalk struggled to create chances, with Aodh Dervin’s long‑range effort the only clear shot before halftime. Cian Dillon’s careless possession led to a Joe Redmond pass that set up Keena’s first goal, and later his run was halted by Joseph Anang at the near post.

The match featured several HT substitutions: Brown entered for Elbouzedi at half‑time and later contributed to the fourth goal when his free‑kick was headed across by Sean Hoare for Edmondson’s finish. The referee was Marc Lynch, and the line‑ups reflected the intensity of the encounter, with both sides fielding strong XI’s.