HIGH & DRY
Perfect start for veteran boss
NOEL KING took a backseat role as Dundalk blitzed Bohemians on a night of firsts at a rejuvenated Oriel Park.
The new manager bagged his first win in his first game, as the Lilywhites registered their first victory of the season.
And their show of strength was ignited by a first home goal of the campaign, with Scott High scoring a screamer before Robbie Benson doubled the advantage.
The points were effectively secured by the 35th minute and Dundalk could have won by more.
Shocking
Bohs were both shocking and shell-shocked on a night when they were chasing a fourth win in a row.
King’s appointment caught almost everyone at Dundalk on the hop but fans had to strain their eyes here to catch sight of him.
He sat in the corner of the dugout for the majority of the game, only taking to his feet in injury-time to momentarily prowl the line.
He left the in-game management to
Brian Gartland, the club’s former defender and current head of football operations.
Gartland and Liam Burns had been in caretaker charge since Stephen O’Donnell’s departure, and King let them at it as he quietly got to grips with his new squad.
While the season has been a grind for the Lilywhites, there was a sense that some of their performances had offered a glimmer of hope.
And it was fitting that in the week of a left-field managerial appointment, Dundalk were right on the money with a stunning firsthalf display.
They flew out of the traps and never gave Bohs a
minute to settle with their off-the-charts tenacity and spark.
Wave after wave of white attack had the Gypsies in a spin and wide men Daryl Horgan and John Mountney were reeling in the years with their displays.
Throw in Benson’s valuable midfield contribution, and Andy Boyle at the back, and there were shades of the Stephen Kenny days with his team attacking at will.
And were it not for Bohs’ fullback Luke Matheson, the scoreline would have been a lot more damning than 2-0 for the visitors at the break.
Lead
Dundalk took the lead in the 13th minute.
A Benson cross from a short Horgan corner was cleared, but only back to Horgan who teed up High who unleashed a brilliant 25-yard drive that crashed in off the post.
Oriel Park erupted but those fans were only warming up as their team dished up a performance.
Bohs had offered little or nothing by way of attacking intent, but Dayle Rooney did smack the post with a drilled free from the edge of the box.
The Gypsies remained under intense pressure, particularly when blocking four quick-fire Dundalk attempts.
Matheson was responsible for three of those blocks, from Archie Davies, Horgan and Davies again, while James McManus thwarted Benson.
But Dundalk wouldn’t go without another goal and it arrived courtesy of Benson a minute later, and 10 minutes before the break.
Mountney found High, who in turn teed up Horgan, who fed Benson on the edge of the box, and the Dundalk stalwart curled a sublime left-footed shot high to the net.
Bohs were a mess and Alan Reyolds whipped Matheson — tormented by Horgan despite making those blocks — skipper Jordan Flores and McManus at the break.
Filip Piszczek, Brian McManus and Adam McDonnell were introduced and Bohs thought they had a lifeline when awarded a 62nd minute penalty.
Declan McDaid was clipped in the box by Benson. But Akintunde’s penalty was as poorly executed as the Gypsies gameplan, hit straight down the middle and easily swallowed up by George Shelvey.
Whatever hope Bohs had of a comeback died there and then.