Best may be yet to come from Dundalk’s heroes
THERE simply isn’t enough column space to do justice to all that has happened in the world of sport during the last seven days. Locally, nationally and internationally …. I just don’t know where to begin.
Well, actually, I do. Da Town’s historic Champions League win on Tuesday in Tallaght. Dundalk’s fantastic 3-0 victory over seasoned European campaigners BATE Borisov was probably the best-ever result for an Irish team in Europe.
I went into great detail in last week’s edition on the potential financial awards that were available to the Oriel Park club should they overcome BATE, but I didn’t offer any great hope that the Lilywhites could overcome the 1-0 first-leg deficit. In fact I likened Dundalk’s chances of progression to that of the Tipperary footballers winning the All-Ireland. Surely fairytales like these don’t come true?
Yes, they do. Dundalk’s display, particularly in the second half, was outstanding and they thoroughly deserved their margin of victory. There were great scenes of celebration at the final whistle amongst players, management and officials on the pitch and indeed amongst supporters in the stands as the reality of what was achieved began to sink in.
Stephen Kenny has done a truly magnificent job at the club since his arrival in November 2012. He has completely transformed the way the team play and has raised fitness standards to a level not seen before in the league.
What he has done with this group of players is amazing. Most of the squad Kenny assembled had not won anything previously, but they’ve been outstanding over the last three seasons and the best may still be to come.
Champions League play-off round draws are usually something you read about on the Sky Sports tickertape several days after the event, but not so last Friday morning. There was massive excitement around the town and its environs in anticipation of who Dundalk would draw.
The Aviva was already secured as a home venue in anticipation of a bumper crowd, with the likes of Celtic possible opponents.
As it turned out, we drew the Polish champions Legia Warsaw, with the first leg at home. Warsaw will be tough opposition and have a strong European pedigree, competing in the Europa League group stages for each of the last three seasons. Fans might also remember them knocking Celtic out of the Champions League 6-1 on aggregate in 2014, only to be thrown out for fielding an ineligible player.
They boast three players who featured at the recent Euro Finals in France, two Polish and one Hungarian, so Stephen Kenny will not be under-estimating the size of the task ahead.
Although the bookies have Dundalk as rank outsiders to qualify for the next round, they will go into the tie with every confidence of progressing following their excellent recent run of form (excluding Friday night’s result in Galway). But whatever happens, the remainder of 2016 will be a fantastic experience for the players and supporters of ‘da town’ as the European fairytale continues. €20 on Waterford at 7/2 to beat Kilkenny in Saturday’s hurling replay the early, long kickpass finding the full forward line.
A tight, gripping encounter like this was just what they needed to improve their chances of All-Ireland glory. Could this eventually be their year?
Despite losing two players to red cards, Dublin comfortably dealt with the challenge of Donegal in the other quarter-final. This five-point victory turned up very few chinks in their armour and they move on to Kerry in the semis with every expectation of reaching another All-Ireland final.
My immediate reaction as she lay motionless on the road was that she was seriously injured or dead, but thankfully she got away with just a few fractures and a concussion.