Champions put pretenders in their place
A LEAGUE title cannot be won or lost in the first game of the campaign.
But a team, especially when they hold the status of champions, can send out a message to their ambitious pretenders in their first game that they are not going to relinquish their title easily.
Dundalk did exactly that on Friday night when beating noisy aspirants, Shamrock Rovers more comprehensively than the 2-1 score suggests.
They did it in circumstances that were far from ideal.
Their normal pre-season in which they build up their fitness stamina that has given them the edge over opponents in the last few seasons was severely curtailed by injuries, a shorter than normal close season, the loss of three top players, the need to bed in new players, and disruption to their schedule caused by laying of the new Oriel Park surface.
All this combined to heightened anxiety among supporters, with media experts predicting that Rovers burning ambition to register an opening game win at the home of the champions - thus setting down a marker from the start - could be realised on Friday by catching Dundalk unprepared.
This media speculation,augmented by social media contributions from Rovers fans that they were not just going to take Dundalk apart but the town itself, fuelled the tension before the match leading to a number of ugly incidents and arrests that were witnessed by many fans as they made their way to Oriel.
In many ways the hype may have backfired on Rovers for it generated additional interest in what was already a keenly anticipated fixture and brought out a greater number of Dundalk fans than anticipated, helping to swell the crowd to one of the biggest seen in Oriel in recent times.
The crowd too, played a major part in the win, showing patience when it was needed to allow Dundalk settle into the game, rejoicing in their goals, and echoing their trademark chant ‘stand up and fight’ that surfaced with great affect during the European campaign in Tallaght stadium and which sustained the team when they flagged late on in the game.
The most important part however was played by the man we should never doubt - Stephen Kenny.
He resisted the clamour to introduce more of his new signings for the departed players, and the injured trio, Gary Rogers, Chris Shields and David McMillan and instead stuck with the tried and trusted for his starting eleven with the exception of winger, Michael Duffy.
How those players rewarded that faith shown in them by their manager.
John Mountney, a squad, more than regular player in recent seasons, was a revelation - rivalling Patrick McEleney for man of the match - as he patrolled the right touchline like a man possessed, bravely winning almost every kickout as Rovers inexplicably failed to nullify the tactic that goalkeeper, Gabriel Sava was instructed to find the winger with every kick.
In midfield, Patrick McEleney - what a talent - and Richie Benson relished their new roles left by the space vacated by the departed Ronan Finn and supporters who do not always relish the contribution of Ciaran Kilduff had to acknowledge his character and courage.
No wonder his manager was so anxious to get Kilduff into his starting line-up, and lauded his desire to play despite the 17 stitches inserted in a leg wound he sustained in Cork.
Kilduff will never outstrip a defence with pace, but in a tense, attritional battle like Friday night’s, he will fight for the scraps, and against such resolute defending Dundalk needed Kilduff’s obstinacy and inexperience, a vital ingredient that Rovers lacked up front in playing the talented but inexperienced, Michael O’Connor.
Not surprisingly Stephen Kenny referred afterwards to the character his side showed in abundance and which was exemplified by Kilduff and his inspirational captain, Stephen O’Donnell.
The manager, nor supporters, should not be surprised for in winning their three in a row titles Dundalk have had to overcome many challenges, none many greater than Friday night, when the sweet taste of yet another victory of Rovers lingered well into the weekend.
Injuries and fitness will remain a problem over the coming weeks of a very demanding schedule, but if the players display the same desire to win as they did against Rovers then four-in-a-row is not beyond them.
Footnote: A supporter with time on his hands has calculated that the three points gained by Dundalk on Friday night brought Stephen Kenny’s total of points won since his arrival in Oriel Park to 300 out of a possible 390. A return few have ever matched.