Dundalk frustrated with tie in balance
DUNDALK have given themselves every chance of progressing to the third qualifying round of the Europa League despite probably feeling a little aggrieved not to have beaten AEK Larnaca at Oriel Park last night.
A stalemate means Stephen Kenny’s side can go through with either a win or score draw in Cyprus next Thursday. That’s something the SSE Airtricity League leaders will certainly back themselves to do having found the net in 10 of their 11 European away matches under their current boss.
While the Louth club won’t be too displeased with the position they find themselves in, there was a feeling they could, and perhaps should, have taken an advantage with them to Larnaca next week.
Michael Duffy had the pick of the chances throughout for the home side, clipping the outside of the post in the first half and testing goalkeeper Tono Ramírez numerous times.
Kenny will be happy in the knowledge that his side’s pace can cause the Cypriot Cup winners problems and while he would have been happier with a win he might just be content to have finished the game with the full compliment.
Referee Harald Lechner took centre stage on the night, even producing a red card to Pat Hoban on 74 minutes for a second bookable offence when the striker had yet to be booked. It summed up the Austrian official’s display when he had to rescind the card seconds later.
Despite a bright start from the visitors, Dundalk soon grew into the game and were unlucky not to take the lead on nine minutes. Hoban showed superb strength to hold off Joan Truyols, allowing Duffy to break, but unfortunately his curling effort shaved the outside of the right hand post.
The Lilywhites then then had a let-off on 23 minutes when Apostolos Giannou pulled the ball back to Joan Tomás in the box.
His initial shot was blocked by a superb challenge from Hoare while his follow up was blazed over the bar.
Dundalk began to pile the pressure on themselves with Larnaca having to scramble a Dylan Connolly cross away on 35 minutes before Gartland had a free header at goal from Duffy’s free kick a minute later.
He couldn’t get the power on it to trouble Ramírez.
The goalkeeper then narrowly avoided an embarrassing moment on 37 minutes when he let a Truyols pass slip under his foot before scrambling back to hook clear.
Andoni Iraola’s charges then had a major chance to take the lead within three minutes of the restart. Acorán’s free to the back post was kept alive by Ivan Trickovski with Giannou having to be denied at point blank range by Rogers. Ramírez then had another let-off on 58 minutes when a scuffed clearance was seized upon by Connolly. Just as he looked to punish the error he was taken out by Hector Hevel with Duffy curling the resultant free well over. Patrick McEleney was then introduced for the first time since returning to Dundalk from Oldham Athletic and he almost made an immediate impact on 70 minutes when he teed Robbie Benson up for a shot to the left of the area that he couldn’t direct goalwards. After the Hoban red card incident Dundalk then had another great chance on 76 minutes when Benson played Duffy in behind Igor Silva only for the Derry man to fire tamely at Ramírez.
Duffy then had another big chance three minutes later when he burst clear from his opposite number Larena to blast a shot goalwards from the edge of the box but Ramírez got down to make a fine save.
There would be another good chance for Hoban two minutes from time after he was picked out by McEleney but he couldn’t keep his effort down.
It’s still all to play for next week. DUNDALK: Rogers; Hoare, Gartland, Cleary, Massey (Jarvis 80); Shields, Benson; Connolly (Murray 84), McGrath (McEleney 67), Duffy; Hoban. Subs not used: Sava, Mountney, Chevedukas, Kelly. AEK LARNACA: Ramirez; Siliva, Truyols, González; Acorán, Larena (Nacho Cases 83), Tomás (Tete 62), Hevel, Ioannou; Trickovski, Giannou (Roushias 90). Subs not used: Christodoulou, Anastasiou, Mamas, Konstantinou. Referee: H Lechner (Austria).