Louth’s top dogs bounce back from Cork defeat
DUNDALK might be facing a real fight to retain their title as champions but their status as top dogs in Co Louth is secure following victory over neighbours Drogheda Utd in Oriel Park on Friday night.
This game was all about getting back to winning ways for Stephen Kenny’s side following the disappointment of defeat away to Cork City six days earlier that had seen them fall six points behind in the title race.
While there were good and bad moments from the Lilywhites in the game, ultimately the three points were all that mattered and despite a brave resistance from Pete Mahon’s side they never really looked in danger of not being secured.
Despite an early scare when Gareth McCaffrey got in behind the home side’s defence, it was largely one way traffic for the opening period with two goals inside the opening 26 minutes from David McMillan and Michael Duffy suggesting another steamrolling for the Boynesiders.
In two of their last three visits to Oriel Park they had lost 7-0 and 6-0 respectively and at that stage you could have been forgiven for tipping another repeat scoreline.
It was not to be, however, as another cheaply conceded goal offered Drogheda hope and brought nervousness into the Dundalk play. A combination of Gary Rogers and Sean Gannon didn’t do enough to deal with Colm Deasy’s right wing cross on 32 minutes with Marc Griffin on hand to profit against his hometown club.
That stymied the Dundalk threat for a short spell after that and despite some good chances on the break, the home side struggled to kill off their opponents. Drogheda were posing no real threat but with just a goal separating the sides there was always the fear of a sucker punch.
Their hopes of ending a run of five games without a point was ended on 74 minutes when Ciaran McGuigan was given his marching orders for a second bookable offence before Brian Gartland netted the crucial insurance goal from the resulting free kick just seconds later.
It wasn’t always pretty and there was definite room for improvement but getting back to winning ways and avoiding the potential bananaskin that a derby throws up was all that really mattered.
It was a particularly good win considering the fact that Stephen Kenny was forced into five changes from the side that lost to Cork six days earlier. Patrick McEleney was the biggest name casualty as he failed a late fitness test, with John Mountney and Paddy Barrett dropping to the bench, Robbie Benson sidelined through injury and Ciaran Kilduff suspended.
That seen David McMillan lead the line in his first start of the season with new signings Niclas Vemmelund, Jamie McGrath, Conor Clifford and Thomas Stewart all coming into the fray - the latter for his first start.
For the most part they did well but the rustiness of some - most notably McMillan, Stewart and Chris Shields - was evident at times although also completely forgiveable given their lack of game time during pre-season and in the opening games of the season.
That said, all three had big contributions to the win and the 90 minutes will stand to them going forward. All will be needed after Gannon limped out with a medial knee ligament problem that is likely to sideline him for up to two months.
The depth of Kenny’s squad is being tested at the moment. On Friday night they passed that test but tougher challenges undoubtedly lie ahead.
Despite early attempts from Dane Massey and Duffy, it was Drogheda who had the best opening in the early stages. On seven minutes McCaffrey got in behind Massey on the right all too easily but Rogers bailed his full back out with a good save at close range.
Massey then went close again on 19 minutes before turning provider for the opening goal a minute later - the left back’s first time cross from Duffy’s pass being glanced home by McMillan to the bottom right hand corner.
McMillan then went close with another header on 25 minutes but on this occasion Stephen McGuinness got down well to his right to palm the effort clear.
They did make it 2-0 a minute later though when McMillan turned provider with a low cross from the left that was swept home by Duffy at the near post.
At that stage Dundalk were cruising but then Griffin threw his side a lifeline when he profited from Rogers misjudging Deasy’s cross from the right on 32 minutes to slot to the far corner from an acute angle.
That goal temporarily rattled the champions although Conor Clifford did go close to restoring their two goal lead five minutes before the break when he robbed Sean Thornton of possession before weaving his way into the box only to be denied by McGuinness.
After having Gannon stretchered off minutes after the restart, Dundalk passed up another good opening to put some daylight between the sides when McMillan blazed over from 14 yards after being picked out by a combination of Stewart and Shields.
Stewart then passed up another good opening on 63 minutes when he raced clear of the visitors defence only to pull his attempted chip of McGuinness wide.
Drogheda’s hopes of getting an equaliser then suffered a huge blow on 72 minutes when former Lilywhite McGuigan, who had been booked just seven minutes earlier for a foul on McGrath, was sent off after picking up a second yellow card for a late challenge on Shields.
That would prove the fatal blow as from the resulting free kick Dundalk would kill the game off. Massey played it short to McMillan at the edge of the area. Despite scuffing his shot, it was seized upon by Gartland who controlled before finishing to the bottom right hand corner.
It was a 24th league goal in 103 starts for the big centre half and he almost made it 25 nine minutes from the end when his header from a corner was pushed clear by McGuinness, who was left breathing a huge sigh of relief as McMillan somehow failed to bury the follow up.
There was another big chance of a fourth deep in stoppage time when man of the match Duffy cut in from the left only to curl a shot just wide. It mattered little. The job was done. It’s on to Finn Harps next and if Dundalk can negotiate three points there they can look forward to back-to-back home matches against Bray Wanderers and Bohemians with the chance to build up a head of steam.