Wing wizard shows Irish boss what he’s missing
A HECTIC schedule was given as the reason why Dundalk’s Daryl Horgan wasn’t named in the Republic of Ireland squad named on Friday by Martin O’Neill for the forthcoming World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Moldova next month.
The Lilywhites might have a lot of games on their plate at the moment as they battle on three fronts in the league, FAI Cup and Europa League but it clearly isn’t affecting the Galway-born winger as he tore Derry City apart at Oriel Park later that night to help Stephen Kenny’s side to an impressive victory.
Horgan might not have scored himself on the night but he set up two goals and lit up the ground on numerous occasions as Dundalk came from behind against the Candystripes to get their title challenge back on track after Tuesday’s draw with Shamrock Rovers.
It looked like being another frustrating night for the champions when Lucas Schubert fired Derry in front after just six minutes.
However, two goals in the space of four minutes from John Mountney and Brian Gartland had the Lilywhites back in front before David McMillan secured the win after latching onto the pass of the night from Horgan on 59 minutes.
With Cork City only managing a draw away to Sligo Rovers 24 hours later it means that Dun- dalk sit seven points clear with a game more played, albeit John Caulfield’s side can reduce that back to four when they play their game in hand against Galway Utd tonight (Tuesday).
This come-from-behind display against Kenny Shiels’ side was a statement from the champions that, hectic schedule or not, they are not going to give up their title lightly and with Horgan in this sort of form they will take some stopping.
Given that this game saw Mountney score his second goal of the month, Gartland notch up his third in four matches and McMillan hit his 20th of the season in all competitions, it is a measure of just how good Horgan was that it was his name on everyone’s lips from start to finish.
He was immense in Dundalk overcoming their far from ideal start and while everyone supporting the Lilywhites would love to see him don the green jersey, if this is the sort of response he gives to being left out then hopefully Martin O’Neill can continue to postpone a call-up for another few weeks yet.
There was a high octane start to the game with the first big chance falling the home side’s way in the fourth minute when Horgan’s cross found Patrick McEleney but the former Derry City man could only head tamely at Ger Doherty.
Two minutes later the visitors were in front. Rory Patterson did well to hold the ball up under pressure from Andy Boyle, with Barry McNamee latching onto his lay off on the left to get a shot away. Gary Rogers could only push it partially clear with Dane Massey’s subsequent slip allowing Schubert to steal in to score.
If anything that angered the champions who responded with wave after wave of attack that led to a 13th minute equaliser. Horgan broke down the left, holding off Conor McDermott before beating the full back with a neat little cut back. His cross was missed by McMillan but Mountney latched onto it to take a touch and drill low and hard to the bottom left hand corner of the net for his second goal of the campaign.
Within four minutes Dundalk were in front. McMillan found space on the left with his effort from an acute angle being pushed around the post by Doherty. Mountney’s corner was then met by the inrushing Massey, whose header crashed off the crossbar only for the rebound to be nodded home by Gartland for his second of the week and fifth of the season.
The bandage he is wearing on the broken wrist he broke back in July is having a Jamie Vardy-life effect on the centre half right now and long may that continue.
McEleney then had two chances to extend his side’s lead before the break but was denied on two occasions by Doherty, with his second attempt on 33 minutes being pushed clear at his near post by the goalkeeper with Horgan unlucky not to pounce on the follow up.
Both sides pressed hard in the early stages of the second half without a real chance of note to record but Dundalk did have strong penalty appeals turned down on 54 minutes when the ball appeared to strike the arm of Max Karner in the box. Referee Paul McLaughlin wasn’t interest in the home side’s appeals though.
Within five minutes though they had made it 3-1. Horgan beat McDermott and Schubert before playing a superb ball through the middle for McMillan to latch onto with the striker beating Karner for pace to fire it low and hard first time to the bottom left hand corner for his 20th goal in all competitions this season and 15th in the league.
Dundalk pushed hard for a fourth after that with Massey having a vicious effort clawed away by Doherty on 81 minutes before Horgan conjured up another opening four minutes from time for substitute Ciaran Kilduff that the striker failed to avail of.
It mattered little. The points were Dundalk’s, the plaudits all Horgan’s.
It is a measure of just how good Horgan was that it was his name on everyone’s lips from start to finish.