FLARE FINISH BY DUNDALK
McEleney’s classy Cup winner sparks scenes of Town joy
THESE are the glory days for Dundalk. When Patrick McEleney’s winning header hit the net in the 73rd minute the Lilywhites supporters behind that goal set off several flares in celebration.
Smoke quickly filled Aviva Stadium, bodies flung in abandon in the stands and through that thick, choking fog roars of delight echoed around this most salubrious part of Dublin.
Yesterday, D4 was taken over by Dundalk. And now, with a second league and Irish Daily Mail FAI Cup double in four years, not to mention four Premier Division titles in the last five seasons, it looks as if the Louth club are set for a period of extended rule in the League of Ireland.
Their manager, Stephen Kenny, commiserated with great Cork City rival John Caulfield at the final whistle and then raced around the pitch embracing his players. With his previously pristine white shirt hanging from his trousers like a late-night reveller, he sprinted to the far side of the stadium with a turn of pace wing wizard Michael Duffy would be proud of.
Kenny punched the air with delight and when he was handed a microphone on the pitch he gave a brief, impassioned rallying cry. ‘These players, I tell you, they are a privilege to manage. I am delighted with them. The fans, they travel all around Ireland and Europe with us. Come on The Town, Come on The Town,’ he roared.
The pain of last year’s penalty shootout defeat to Cork lingered all season with these Dundalk players and they put that to bed here. Sean Hoare’s 19th-minute header was cancelled out just over 97 seconds later when he conceded a penalty which Kieran Sadlier converted.
But then McEleney delivered, meeting Sean Gannon’s pin point cross from the right with a header of his own — just the second one he has converted in his career — after substitute Jamie McGrath robbed Shane Griffin in possession.
‘It was coming in for days, the cross, it was like a film,’ McEleney recalled. ‘I got Man of the Match but personally I didn’t think I was playing that well and I just needed to do something, and luckily I did.
‘I didn’t have to move, I just had to go and meet the cross and hit the target and luckily it went in. I suppose you can look back at that, and say “he was awful but he scored the winner”. I’m just delighted. I put a lot of pressure on myself, and sometimes it isn’t a good thing, but I just wanted to win today so much. Everybody did in there. To do the double is great.’
This was the fourth successive FAI Cup final between Cork and Dundalk and they are level with two apiece. None were as good as this one and in the space of 97 firsthalf seconds this rivalry produced the sort of drama that had been missing from all of those which came before.
At least during normal time, there were no penalties this time. McEleney’s winner made sure there was no repeat of the shootout tension of previous years.
Hoare was at the centre of the chaos, savouring ecstasy with a stunning header to open the scoring before enduring the agony of immediately giving away a needless penalty with a silly foul on Karl Sheppard from the restart.
Kieran Sadlier fired under the body of Gary Rogers and just like that the all-important advantage had been surrendered.
‘When I scored I just lost my mind a bit, I had scored in a Cup final so I was buzzing with myself,’ Hoare admitted.
‘After that I got a bit eager to get the ball, it was in my box and it was a mistake, I thought it was soft enough but if I am honest it was a penalty. Any touch in the box, the striker is going to go down, it wasn’t enough to knock him over like that, but that’s the risk you run when you do that in the box.
‘When it happened I just thought “here we go again” but we settled ourselves and came out on top.’
Hoare’s goal was right off the training ground, Kenny revealing that he scored an identical one in training the day before. Beginning his run from Duffy’s corner at the back post and peeling off his marker, Sean McLoughlin, with a sprint to the near post along the edge of the six-yard box.
The Cork centre back was caught off guard and, in an attempt to make amends, dashed along the goal line to meet Hoare at the other side. It was too late. He was already in mid-flight and also beat goalkeeper Mark McNulty, who rushed off his line to punch clear, to connect with a bullet header.
He turned on his heels and dashed 60 or so yards to the Dundalk bench, sliding on his knees with his arms outstretched in celebration. Moments later his hands were covering his face after carelessly conceding the penalty.
Luckily for him he had McEleney to thank for making sure he got hold of the Cup at the end of a frantic encounter.
Dundalk were the team doing the pressing in the second-half and the loss of Gearoid Morrissy for Cork proved to be pivotal. The midfielder did a fine job of shackling the Dundalk playmaker but when he limped off with a groin injury in the 68th minute space suddenly opened up.
Five minutes later the winner arrived, McEleney having a clear run through the middle of the park to meet Gannon’s cross.
The introduction of Jamie McGrath also gave Kenny’s men added impetus and it was the Republic of Ireland Under-21 midfielder who caught Griffin in possession and got Dundalk moving forward.
‘Patrick has made a great run, I saw him running from midfield,’ Gannon said. ‘He’s more renowned for his stepovers than his headers but we’re double winners now and that’s a great feeling.’
There could be more glory days like this to come for Dundalk.