Sligo Rovers settle for draw as McGuinness sent off

League leaders Sligo Rovers had captian Jason McGuinness sent off as they had to settle for a 0-0 draw at Bohemians.

The damage to Sligo's quest for a first title since 1977 was minimal, however, as they remain six points clear at the top of the table going into the break.

The main action came late in Phibsboro as McGuinness was dismissed on 79 minutes for a foul on Bohs' Keith Buckley, his second booking.

Sligo had dominated the second half up until then. But following McGuinness' red card, Bohs' midfielder Dave Mulcahy might then have won it with perhaps the game's best chance on 84 minutes.

Mulcahy turned well from Buckley's through ball only to see his shot saved one-handed by Gary Rogers.

Shamrock Rovers failed to take advantage as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Cork City at Tallaght Stadium.

Rovers topscorer Gary Twigg finally brought the game to life when heading home Aaron Greene' cross on 86 minutes.

But Cork responded brilliantly to level two minutes later when John Dunleavy got his head to a cross from the right to power the ball past Oscar Jansson

A late flurry of goals gave St. Patrick's Athletic a 4-0 win at Monaghan United as they leapfrogged Shamrock Rovers back into second place in the table.

Leading from Christy Fagan's 34th minute strike, St. Pat's finally killed off Monaghan with three goals in six minutes late on.

Jake Kelly rifled a shot past Chris Bennion to make it 2-0 on 83 minutes. Winger Kelly added the third two minutes later, punishing poor defending from a corner.

Midfielder Greg Bolger got St. Pat's fourth goal a minute from time.

A solitary Philly Hughes goal saw Shelbourne deservedly end Derry City's three-match winning league run at the Brandywell.

Hughes struck on 71 minutes to take advantage of defender Shane McEleney' weak back header to run through and shoot past Ger Doherty.

Jason Byrne scored twice as Bray Wanderers beat UCD 3-1 at the Carlielse Grounds.

The veteran striker, fast approaching 200 league goals, put Bray ahead on 17 minutes. Danny Ledwith levelled from a free-kick nine minutes later.

But Bray took command in the second half and Byrne struck again - with his 12th of the season and 191st in total - on 68 minutes. John Mulroy added a thrid goal in stopapge time.

Drogheda United got their first win in four league games with a 2-1 victory over financially troubled Dundalk in the Louth derby at Oriel Park.

Sean Brennan put Drogheda ahead two minutes before half-time when sidefooting home a cross from brother Ryan following a quickly taken free-kick.

Substitute Gary Shanahan equalised for Dundalk on 63 minutes.

But within three minutes Drogheda got what proved their winner as captain, and ex-Dundalk midfielder, Paul Crowley headed home at the back post from Eric Foley's cross.

Foley was then sent off in the 90th minute for a second booking