Dundalk freeze in Presidents clash as Cork take the cup
19 Karl Sheppard 7 (Keohane HT) 10 Steven Beattie 6 (Horgan HT) 21 Conor McCarthy 6 (Morrissey 90) 14 Tobi Adebay-Rowling 6 (Cummins 90) 29 Sean McLoughlin 6 (Sadlier 90)
23 Adam Cantwell 2 Danny Kane
Referee
Derek Tomney (Dublin).
Attendance
3,500 (est)
STATISTICS MAN-OF-THE-MATCH
Kieran Sadlier (Cork City)
The man who scored the winning spot kick in last November’s FAI Cup final shoot-out returned to haunt Dundalk once more at Oriel Park on Sunday. Sadlier was the leading light as Cork fought back from 2-0 down at half-time to run out 4-2 winners. As well as scoring the goal of the game with the 79th minute strike that put his team 3-2 up, the former Sligo Rovers man also chipped in with assists for Barry McNamee and Graham Cummins. Ronan Murray was arguably the pick of the bunch for Dundalk, who had a number of bright performers in the first half but too few in the second.
TALKINGPOINT
From Dundalk’s point of view this was a chance missed to put one over their rivals. There are greater battles ahead but a large number of Lilywhite fans are concerned about the current form of Dylan Connolly. He looked bereft of confidence on Sunday and simply couldn’t get going at all in the game. He was eventually hauled off for youngster Jack O’Keeffe. As the club’s most expensive recruit, more needs to be done to get more out of him. THERE are more important battles ahead this season than the President’s Cup but Dundalk passed up the chance to lay down a marker for the year ahead against old rivals Cork City on Sunday.
Leading 2-0 at the break courtesy of Ronan Murray’s double, Stephen Kenny’s side looked like they had one hand on the trophy. Despite missing several players, the home side were in control and it honestly would not have flattered them had they been further ahead.
Then came a second half capitulation.
In the proverbial game of two halves, Dundalk effectively stopped playing when the snow melted and allowed John Caulfield’s side to dish out the first psychological blow of 2018.
The President’s Cup might be little more than a glorified friendly whose main purpose is to provide a stern test ahead of the opening league game but given the Lilywhites’ recent history against Sunday’s opponents it was a little more important than that.
It’s now just one win from 11 matches against John Caulfield’s side in all competitions and no wins in seven dating back to October 2016.
Given the fact that the head to head battles between these sides has been so pivotal in recent years, that’s something that Kenny and co will need to change if they want to get their hands back on the title come the end of October. Even last year, despite the Rebels’ stunning start to the campaign, the end gap between the sides was seven points - the exact number that Cork gained against Dundalk.
Of course the home side had their injury problems on Sunday, with a number of players laid low with flu but that’s even more reason why a win would have been such a psychological boost. For much of last season Sean Maguire was the difference between Cork and everyone else. It’s no secret the champions looked at Murray to replace him. Had his brace on Sunday paved the way to victory it might just have plant- THE ARGUS ed a seed of doubt at Turner’s Cross that the tide had turned.
Instead, the Cork side of 2018 will arrive at Oriel Park for the pair’s opening league match in less than a month’s time knowing they still have what it takes to beat their nearest challengers on their travels.
For Dundalk it may be a well needed kick up the backside ahead of Friday’s league opener against Bray Wanderers. It’s perhaps unfair to read too much into pre-season form but Kenny can’t be happy that their six matches to date have yielded just one clean sheet, with miscommunication and unforced errors - something we have seen in the past - a contributory factor in more than a handful of the goals conceded.
That said, it wasn’t all doom and gloom. Cork’s team and squad was much stronger than Dundalk’s on paper with Kenny only able to name six substitutes, three of whom were kids. You’d like to think the Lilywhites will be a different, meaner beast when they’re closer to full strength. Georgie Poynton performed well, Murray got off the mark and Pat Hoban returned so it wasn’t a complete disaster.
In fact, it looked like being anything but in the first half - a half in which Dundalk dominated.
With snow swirling in all most blizzard like conditions, the home side warmed their supporters’ hearts with some scintillating football.
They were on top right from the off and arguably should have taken the lead after just 10 minutes. Poynton released Dylan Connolly on the right with his cross being met by the head of Michael Duffy, who couldn’t direct his header on target.
There was a half chance for Kieran Sadlier at the other end moments later but it was Dundalk who deservedly hit the front on 19 minutes. A ball in from the left towards Duffy wasn’t dealt with and when it broke for Murray he made no mistake in placing his shot to the bottom right hand corner.
Within two minutes it was almost 2-0. Peter Cherrie came out to clear but sliced his kick, allowing Duffy a shot at goal. Fortunately for Cork, Colm Horgan was back to clear off the line.
The visitors did have a good chance to level on 31 minutes when Sadlier pulled the ball back from the left to Jimmy Keohane, who pulled his effort just wide on the turn.
Connolly then had an effort deflect just wide before Duffy shaved the foot of the left hand upright with a long range effort as Dundalk looked to turn the screw.
The second goal did arrive on 40 minutes though. Dane Massey’s ball in from the left wasn’t dealt with and Murray was on hand once again to pounce with an effort high to the roof of Cherrie’s net.
Jamie McGrath then went close twice in stoppage time with long range efforts that forced fine stops from Cherrie on both occasions.
A key moment in the game perhaps came seven minutes before the break though when Sean Hoare limped off with a hamstring injury. That forced Dundalk into a reshuffle with Chris Shields moving to centre back and the flu-ridden Robbie Benson pressed into midfield action.
This gave the Dundalk side a very offensive look and Cork punished that in the second half as the home side simply failed to emerge from the dressing room in the early stages of the restart.
The sun came out for the second half and Cork came out of the traps too, pulling a goal back within four minutes. A flick on by Cummins wasn’t dealt with by Chris Shields or Stephen Folan and that mix-up, coupled with Gary Rogers’ hesitancy, allowed substitute Karl Sheppard to nip in and score.
The wind was now in Cork’s sails and they pulled level on 56 minutes when Sadlier found space on the left to hang a cross up for Barry McNamee to head home at the back post.
It could have got worse for Dundalk a minute later as Sheppard crossed to Graham Cummins only for the former St Johnstone player to head straight at Rogers.
The home side had a couple of penalty appeals after that, the second of which on 76 minutes looked fairly clear cut. Murray’s cross was hung up to the back post for Hoban, who went down under a challenge from Alan Bennett but referee Derek Tomney was having none of it.
That decision, along with one minutes later when the referee overruled his assistant that Connolly had been fouled in front of Pictures: Seb Daly/SPORTSFILE
the Cork dug out, would have a major say in the outcome. Dundalk never really recovered possession as the sublime Sadlier fired them 3-2 ahead in the 79th minute with a rasping shot from all of 25 yards to the top left hand corner.
Murray then passed up a chance to level almost immediately when he pulled a shot wide having been teed up by McGrath. Cork then broke downfield with Sadlier crossing for Cummins to head home.
Dundalk fans were by now cold and miserable. They know there’s more to come from their side and plenty of key men to return but this will have stung a little. A chance to lay down a marker had been well and truly missed.