Dundalk 1-2 Sporting Fingal
Ronan Finn's 76th minute strike was enough to give Sporting Fingal victory at Oriel Park against a Dundalk side who look in desperate need of a mid-season break.
It was the first-ever win for Fingal at the Louth venue at the fourth attempt but a vital victory to leave them in second place heading into the mid-season break on goal difference from Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers.
Dundalk were playing their 15th game in just 60 days and it showed in the second-half as they ran out of steam after dominating the opening 45 minutes in which they had enough chances to secure all three points.
This latest defeat, Dundalk's third in four games, sent Foster's side sliding from the top of the table to fourth place going into the summer hiatus.
Foster was forced to shuffle his pack following the dismissal of three of his players in their FAI Cup exit at the hands of St Pat's last Friday night.
Shaun Kelly replaced Ciaran McGuigan at right-back with Tom Miller and Wayne Hatswell forming the centre-back partnership while Nathan Murphy, due to sit his Leaving Cert on Wednesday morning, was given a chance to take his mind off his studies with a start at left-back.
Fingal arrived at Oriel knowing that a win would lift them ahead of Dundalk on goal difference and they got off to a perfect start after just six minutes.
Conan Byrne clipped a cross just over the head of Wayne Hatswell and former Lilywhite Shaun Williams snuck his header past Peter Cherrie at the near post.
Dundalk replied just two minutes later - and in some style. Neale Fenn, restored to the starting line up, picked the pocket of Fingal defender Kenny Browne just when it looked as though a Dundalk move had broken down on the edge of the visitors' penalty area.
The former Bohs man fed Fahrudin Kuduzovic and the Bosnian lifted the ball brilliantly over Brendan Clarke from 20-yards.
Kuduzovic scored an equally impressive goal when the sides met in the EA Sports Cup at the same venue last month but he nearly topped even that with an audacious 11th minute effort from inside his own half that went wide.
Stephen Maher was next to try his luck as Dundalk took control of the proceedings.
The midfielder latched on to Fenn's pass to curl an effort just off target. Ross Gaynor then whistled a free-kick just wide of the post after being set up by Fenn yet again.
Fingal were then thankful for their goalkeeper's intervention to keep them level as the game approached the half hour mark.
Kuduzovic showed great upper body strength to hold off Lorcan Fitzgerald before cleverly turning inside the defender to get his shot away. However Fingal goalkeeper Brendan Clarke was on hand to make a great stop.
Fingal almost silenced the home crowd with two chances in quick succession. Peter Cherrie had to be alert to clutch a Ger O'Brien cross from reaching Eamon Zayed. Seconds later the in-form striker did get on the end of a cross but his looping header went wide of the post.
The home side again upped the tempo and they should have taken the lead on the stroke of half-time. Ross Gaynor played an exquisite ball across the face of goal that was crying out for Kuduzovic to smash home but the striker was perhaps guilty of being overconfident, trying to cut back inside Kenny Browne, allowing the Fingal man to make a block.
The second-half proved to be less eventful with Dundalk losing their impetus when full-back Murphy had to be withdrawn with an injury, forcing Stephen Maher to revert to left-back.
Fingal showed signs of wrestling control back from the home side and Williams put a free header over the bar in the 63rd minute.
Alan Kirby followed suit three minutes later after a Shane McFaul effort was blocked.
The winning goal arrived with 14 minutes to go when Glen Crowe's clever flick sent Finn through to smash home and even though Fingal had Ger O'Brien harshly sent-off for hauling down Gaynor in the 83rd minute, Liam Buckley's side held on for what could be a crucial win come the end of the season.
DUNDALK: 1 Peter Cherrie; 2 Shaun Kelly, 4 Tom Miller, 3 Wayne Hatswell, 13 Nathan Murphy (6 Stephen McDonnell, 52 mins); 7 Stephen Maher, 8 Alan Cawley; 23 Michael McGowan (17 Tiarnan Mulvenna, 73 mins), 9 Neale Fenn (captain), 11 Ross Gaynor (19 Johnny Breen, 89 mins); 9 Fahrudin Kuduzovic.
Subs not used: 21 John Smyth, 22 Matt Gregg (GK).
Booked: Kuduzovic, 82 mins; Cawley, 84 mins.
Sent-off: none.
SPORTING FINGAL: 1 Brendan Clarke; 2 Ger O'Brien, 5 Shaun Maher, 6 Kenny Browne, 3 Lorcan Fitzgerald; 4 Shaun Williams, 11 Shane McFaul, 8 Ronan Finn; 7 Conan Byrne, 9 Eamon Zayed (14 Glen Crowe, 73 mins), 10 Alan Kirby (13 Brian Gannon, 86 mins).
Subs not used:, 15 Kevin Dawson, 16 Darren Quigley (GK), 17 Keith Quinn.
Booked: Williams, 20 mins; McFaul, 31 mins.
Sent-off: O'Brien, 83 mins.
REFEREE: Tom Connolly (Dublin).
Report courtesy of www.rte.ie