Close but no cigar for Kenny

STEPHEN KENNY last night bemoaned the fine margins that ultimately define Dundalk’s season as a disappointing one.

But goalkeeper Gary Rogers and defender

Brian Gartland insist the Lilywhites can come roaring back next year and wrestle silverware from Cork City.

Kenny hailed his players after their penalty shootout defeat to the Rebels at Aviva Stadium but admitted it was an agonising way to lose.

Adding the FAI Cup to their EA Sports Cup twinned with second spot in the league - would have been a respectable campaign after seeing their four-in-a-row push go up in smoke.

“It’s cruel, but I can’t fault the players,” said Kenny.

“They gave everything for 120 minutes and I had to take two players off injured in extra-time,

Brian Gartland and

Patrick Mceleney.

“You’ve just got to accept it - it’s cruel and there’s not a lot you can say because it’s not a lack of effort.

“You put so much into it and work so hard, but it’s a penalty shootout and very fine margins. It’s a harsh way to lose, a very harsh way to lose but we have to accept that.”

Gartland - who came off with a suspected broken nose before extratime - insists Dundalk’s defeat yesterday was all the motivation they need next year.

He said: “You can use it in two ways - it can knock you back a bit, or you can use it as motivation.

“Usually when you have a bad defeat it’s a week at the longest until the next game. It’s a long off season when it finishes like that.

“But we’ll take the positives from it because I thought we were quite good.”