The massive title swing that was October 8th

October 8th was a massive night in the League of Ireland title race. The scene that afternoon had Dundalk with a four point buffer ahead of Cork City with seven games to play, which includes a head-to-head between the two, more on that in a bit.

Dundalk also had the superior goal difference which was +40 with City on +34 large enough to effectively be an extra point in the title race.
Cork City were away on Saturday in Galway while Dundalk hosted a Sligo Rovers side that had their European ambitions still burning although getting quite feint so needed a result. Both games kicking off simultaneously at 7:45pm. Nobody including myself could've foreseen what was to unfold in those two hours on Saturday night.

It began when Sligo's French striker Achille Campion capitalized upon Gary Rogers fluffing a clearance to give his side the lead in the first minute. A minute later on the opposite coast Sean Maguire kept up his scoring run by putting City in front against a Galway side that sacked manager Tommy Dunne the previous week. Not even 7:50pm and already movement in the table. By 8:10pm the picture got rosier for City as goals from first Stephen Dooley and then Garry Buckley had City coasting at 3-0 while Dundalk were still 1-0 down but probing.
8:21pm and a massive moment in the title race. Philip Roberts, who had replaced the injured Campion minutes previously planted a low shot past Rogers after he evaded Andy Boyle and the Dundalk defense to put Sligo 2-0 up in Oriel park, Dundalk stunned. A moment of magic from the Sligo substitute. That is how it stayed until half-time. Forty five minutes of football, City moving to just a solitary point behind Dundalk in the table but crucially a five goal swing in goal difference. It was now Dundalk +38 and City +37.
To the second half and much like the first, no waiting around for the action. 8:48pm and Maguire got his second goal of the night to put City 4-0 up. Game set and match for City the only thing not certain was on the east coast at this point. That game was to have another turn on 8:54pm when Liam Martin was given his marching orders for Sligo. Not what Sligo needed and early enough in the half for Dundalk to still turn the deficit around. Just after 9pm and massive title swing number two as Rafael Cretaro finishes off a Sligo counter attack to put the visitors 3-0 up. Sensational stuff from the ten men of the Bit o'Red.
Dundalk failed to register even a consolation goal in the final half hour while for City there was still enough time for them to register a fifth when substitute Chidozie Ogbene slotted coolly past Sam Ramsbottom. A 5-0 victory for City coupled with a 3-0 defeat for Dundalk, a massive night in the title race. That eight goal swing in goal difference also wiping out the advantage Dundalk had and actually giving City the edge in that column.

The events of Saturday night set up a mouth watering head-to-head between the top two tonight. Dundalk with home advantage with a win will put daylight between them and their challengers with five to play after tonight.
City will go top with a victory and really put the pressure on their county Louth opponents.

There will be points dropped by both sides in the remaining games. The pair have after tonight five league games which will be squeezed in before the final day of the league season on October 28th. This means games every three-four days between now and then,
Dundalk have an extra game due to their Europa league exploits with them hosting Zenit St Petersburg in between league games with Longford and Bohemians. So ahead of tonight, Come on City!.