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DUNDALK AND HOOPS MUST MEET AGAIN IN FAI CUP
THE flares that scorched the plastic turf at Oriel Park before kick-off yesterday were a fitting preface to a feisty duel between two teams who don’t much care for one another — and neither do their fans.
When the battlefield cleared, both teams were still standing after an engrossing scrap and this keen rivalry will resume in Tallaght tomorrow week to decide who plays Cork City in the final of the Irish Daily Mail FAI Cup.
It will be the sixth meeting of the season — the score stands at two wins apiece, and one draw.
For much of yesterday, it looked as if Dundalk would claim the bragging rights after leading early on through Robbie Benson.
But the Rovers cubs refused to blink and were worth Brandon Miele’s equaliser 14 minutes from time before withstanding a late Dundalk flurry after David McAllister’s dismissal soon after.
The Rovers midfielder was shown a red card for a nasty lunge at Chris Shields, who was forced to limp off with suspected knee ligament damage a few moments after coming on as substitute.
Dundalk manager Stephen Kenny labelled McAllister’s challenge as a ‘dreadful tackle’ and expects the lion-hearted Shields to be out for several months.
This was the ninth red card for a Rovers player this season and their fourth in against Dundalk. It prompted Stephen Bradley, the Rovers manager, to acknowledge his players ‘need to be better in these situations.’
The Shields injury overshadowed an absorbing tie of cut and thrust which was controlled by Dundalk in the first half, and by Rovers in the second.
Not many teams give the champions a goal start and live to fight again but Rovers, inspired by Ronan Finn’s leadership, were worth a replay and can still harbour dreams of ending 30 years of FAI Cup hurt.
Just as Rovers leaned on Finn, so Dundalk turned to Stephen McDonnell for inspiration. When it comes to the FAI Cup lotto, O’Donnell appears to have the winning numbers.
The veteran skipper shepherded Dundalk over the line against Cork City in the 2015 final on one leg, and yesterday he drew all his experience to bear. He was the architect of the Dundalk goal and later made a vital block to deny Rovers an equaliser by Finn.
Either he or Finn deserved the Man of the Match award, as chosen by RTÉ. That Finn got the nod prompted jeers from the Dundalk diehards.
On a blustery afternoon, both teams played better into the breeze. Dundalk struck first, and what a goal it was. With O’Donnell taking five touches in a slick move also involving Sean Gannon, Patrick McEleney and David McMillan.
Michael Duffy played a key part, even though he didn’t touch the ball, allowing O’Donnell’s delivery run behind him for the inrushing Benson to blast past Tomer Chencinski, the Rovers ’keeper.
Sadly, it was the cue for more sparks to fly in the Main Stand where a phalanx of gardai quickly arrived to restore order.
On the pitch, there were fewer sparklers in a frenetic first half of few chances, almost all of which fell to Dundalk. In fairness, Rovers showed courage on the ball and refused to flinch.
They almost drew level through an unlikely source when McMillan, in attempting to clear a freekick, headed the ball towards his own goal — it bounced over the crossbar by a fraction.
Soon after, McEleney found space on the edge of the box, cut on to his right foot and forced a smart tip-over save by Chencinski.
Bradley confirmed there were words in the visitors’ dressingroom at the break — they certainly had the desired effect.
Step by step, Rovers edged possession and worked their way into Dundalk territory on a more consistent basis. Just past the hour, Gary Shaw headed on Miele’s free and Finn seemed certain to score at the far post, only for O’Donnell to make another crucial intervention.
Finn made amends in the 76th minute when he wriggled an inch of space on the right and whipped the ball into the box. Miele took a touch and then speared a low shot past Rogers, who was possibly unsighted.
At 1-1, Rovers seemed more likely to kick on but almost immediately they were down to 10 men when McAllister chopped down Shields — he will be suspended for the replay.
‘We’re going to have to do it the hard way now,’ observed Kenny afterwards. In a sense, Rovers will have to do it the hard way too.