Lilywhites Finn-ish strongly to sink Saints
SOCCER SSE AIRTRICITY LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION
BACK with a bang!
Despite the distractions of Euro 2016 and, in particular, Ireland’s performances in France it has been a long three weeks for League of Ireland supporters without regular football to attend.
That period will have felt even longer for Dundalk FC having lost out to their nearest rivals Cork City just before the break.
They waited a long time to be given a chance to put that game right but bounced back in style on Friday night with a hard fought victory over a St Patrick’s Athletic side who, unusually for them, looked more determined not to lose rather than trying to win the game.
For a long time it looked as though Liam Buckley’s side would get what they wanted before late goals from Ciaran Kilduff and Ronan Finn put them to the sword.
To make it an even better night for Dundalk, a 0-0 draw between Shamrock Rovers and Cork City at Tallaght Stadium also saw them stretch their lead at the top of the table to three points.
It was hardly vintage stuff but given the potential distractions of Europe and the fact that it was their first game in three weeks the result was really all that mattered.
The matches either side of Europe last year were hardly classics either but, crucially, Dundalk didn’t lose any ground to their rivals and that proved pivotal in helping them secure the league title last season.
If they can continue to collect three points in the games before and after their Champions League outing against FH Hafnarfjarðar next month then how they got there will matter little.
They had to be patient on Friday though as for a long time it looked as though Stephen Kenny’s side were on course to drop points for a second successive game as they looked destined to be held to their first scoreless draw at home since being held by Longford Town last August.
However, a late double saw them keep their three in-a-row bid on course, with Kilduff coming to life to inspire the win against his former club.
The 27-year-old wasn’t getting a game at Richmond Park this time last year but has thrived since moving to Oriel. While quiet for most of Friday’s game, he came to life to turn in a Patrick McEleney cross in the 72nd minute for what was his first league goal in his first league start since returning from a potentially career threatening back injury against the same opponents back in April.
He then turned an inadvertent provider for Finn’s second nine minutes from the end as the Lilywhites ground out a hard fought victory that once again epitomised the grit and character of the side.
McEleney came into the side for his first start since the 1-0 defeat at home to Cork City on March 18th and looked liveliest in an attack which was subdued for the most part. It was also a first start for Kilduff since April while Shane Grimes also came into the side for a rare start following a calf injury sustained by Dane Massey in training on Tuesday.
The full back couldn’t have asked for an easier came to come into in truth, with Gary Rogers largely untroubled bar an audacious shot from half way. If Pat’s do indeed possess one of the most dangerous attacks in the league, as claimed by Stephen Kenny beforehand, then they didn’t show it on Friday night and looked like a side more concerned with this week’s Europa League tie with one of Dundalk’s former opponents, AS Jeunesse Esch of Luxembourg.
The game was a slow burner with arguably the biggest cheer of the half coming in the opening minutes when referee Derek Tomney produced the vanishing spray for its debut at Oriel Park.
The same spray , which has been used in other major leagues since its introduction at the 2014 World Cup, also brought about one of the most controversial moments of the half when a brief row erupted after Pat’s Graham Kelly attempted to take a quick free kick while Tomney was still drawing the line for the Dundalk defence.
The fact the free came to nothing but was ordered to be retaken angered the home side, with several players confronting the match official in a heated exchange.
If tempers briefly flared in that incident on 27 minutes, the fare either side of it was lukewarm at best.
The champions started on top but an attempted through ball from McEleney to Ciaran Kilduff that was overhit was about as good as it got for them.
Having spent the best part of 21 minutes defending, Liam Buckley’s side threatened to take a surprise lead when Conan Byrne spotted goalkeeper Rogers off his line, with his instinctive shot from just inside his own half having to be clawed over by the backtracking netminder.
Byrne had another chance two minutes later but blazed over after being teed up by Jamie McGrath. That was, in truth, about as good as it got for the visitors.
Dundalk finally produced their first shot on goal in the 34th minute when a snap shot from wide on the left from McEleney had to be pushed clear by Brendan Clarke.
There were further efforts from Andy Boyle and John Mountney before the break but neither threatened a breakthrough in what was a dull first half.
The pressure began to mount in the second half, however, with Stephen O’Donnell prodding over two minutes after the restart after a brilliant ball in from the left from McEleney was only partially cleared.
Daryl Horgan then trashed a shot high and wide after being slipped in by Finn in the 62nd minute and after that you feared it might not be Dundalk’s night in a game where chances were at a premium.
We should know by now not to write off the Lilywhites though as just 10 minutes later the crucial breakthrough arrived when McEleney broke free on the left before squaring across the six yard box for Kilduff to squeeze a shot home with his left foot.
Dundalk then made sure of the win nine minutes from the end when Finn tapped home from close range after Kilduff’s header from a John Mountney cross struck the left hand upright before rolling across the face of goal.
It’s not a game that will stick long in the memory of either the players or the fans but the result was important. Dundalk are back on track and building up a head of steam once more.