Dundalk – Derry City

Dundalk edged Derry City 2‑1 at Oriel Park, tightening the race for the top half of the table. The win lifted the home side to fourth place with 41 points, a narrow +1 goal difference ahead of rivals, while Derry remain fifth on 37 points. Both clubs have now recorded ten wins this season, but Dundalk’s slightly better record of 11 draws to Derry’s 13 keeps them marginally ahead. In their three meetings this campaign, Dundalk have the edge, having won once with the other two fixtures ending in stalemates. The result narrows the gap between the two sides to just four points with only a handful of games left.