Derby joy can galvanise plucky Drogheda - Keith Treacy

A dramatic, sweet derby defeat of Dundalk could prove the catalyst for Drogheda United to drive themselves up the SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division table towards safety, says Keith Treacy.

Treacy spent a year at the Drogs at a time when, under the guidance of Stephen Kenny, the Lilywhites were on a different level to their old rivals.

Times have changed. Dundalk came to Weavers Park on Bank Holiday Monday sitting at the bottom of the table, with the Drogs perched one place above them.

Kevin Doherty's charges had only two league wins under their belt prior to Monday's encounter, but a Hayden Cann winner in the 94th minute - after goalkeeper Jethren Barr had seen red - was an enormous shot in the arm for the Louth men.

"It was a huge win," said Treacy on the RTÉ Soccer Podcast. "Noel King, with that new manager bounce for Dundalk, seemed to be doing well for them but it's a real sucker-punch in the last minute of the game to go and lose it.

"I'm delighted for my old club Drogheda. I've played in a couple of Louth derbies where Dundalk were absolutely pumping us for a long time. It's nice to see it reversed for once. It was really good from Drogheda.

"A lot of people are tipping them to be the ones to go down this season automatically, but I just don't see it. I watched them against Pat's last Friday night. Pat's were lucky.

"Pat's had their own chances. Chris Forrester had a good header, Kavanagh had one he should have finished in that game. But the centre-half Cann, who scored the last-minute goal against Dundalk, he had a really good chance against Pat's, it was on the edge of the six-yard box and it was just a fresh-air shot, he completely missed it.

"He looked more than capable (against Dundalk), it was a really good