Goal makes it proud day all round for the Hobans
SOMETIME on the way home from Sligo on Saturday night the clocks changed but for Dundalk FC another step forward had already been taken some hours earlier at The Showgrounds.
A first away win of the season is a monkey off the side’s back and moves them back up to second, just a point off Cork City.
There are still improvements to be made, of course, but ahead of the final game of the first series -postponed Derry City game aside - at home to Bohemians on Friday, the side are in a good position.
Despite a number of scares against Ger Lyttle’s side, the clean sheet run has been extended to seven matches and a few players are showing signs of beginning to really click into gear. Perhaps chief amongst them is Michael Duffy, who followed up a man of the match display in the victory over Waterford FC with another scintillating performance in the north west.
He made the first goal, scored the second and posed a real threat throughout.
Pat Hoban also showed fantastic instincts for the opening goal. With half a dozen games now under his belt after missing pre-season, his return of four goals to date is a good return for a player who will only improve with each game.
There are elements that Dundalk need to work on, particularly their creativity in the centre of midfield, but they’re in a good place right now for a side that only really look to be warming up. Still the only team unbeaten so far this season, it is impressive that this has been achieved without experienced campaigners such as Brian Gartland, Stephen O’Donnell and John Mountney having any real input. New arrivals such as Marco Tagbajumi, Karolis Chevedukas, Krisztián Adorján and Sam Byrne have also only been used sparingly to date as they all look to get up to fitness after long spells without playing. Matches such as the EA Sports Cup tie away to St Patrick’s Athletic on Easter Monday and the forthcoming Leinster Senior Cup match at home to Bohs will be crucial in bringing them on. If they can settle in and begin contributing to the first team then Dundalk look a serious prospect to challenge for the title again this season.
To their credit, Sligo took the game to the visitors early on. Just 28 seconds had elapsed when Gary Rogers was forced to turn a Callum Waters shot around the post after a heavy touch by Daniel Cleary had put his side in trouble.
A minute later Adam Morgan managed to get a shot away following a game of head tennis in the Dundalk penalty area but again Rogers was equal to it.
The shaky start continued on eight minutes when a mistake by Robbie Benson allowed Caolan McAleer to burst in from the left but the former Finn Harps man’s shot was straight at Rogers.
Dundalk slowly began to grow into the game and conjured up their first real chance on 13 minutes. Sean Gannon’s angled free to the back post was headed back across goal by Cleary but the inrushing Dane Massey was unable to beat Micheal Schlingermann, who palmed the ball off him and out for a goal kick. Schlingermann was then called into action again on 24 minutes to save a Ronan Murray free.
Sligo were still a threat om the break and two minutes later Cleary had to block at close range from Morgan with Jamie McGrath doing well to nick the ball away from David Cawley on the follow up.
Dundalk then availed of a stroke of luck to take the lead on the half hour mark. Duffy’s ball into the box was poor but it managed to slip under the foot of Seamus Sharkey to gift Hoban a chance from eight yards which he planted past Schlingermann to make it 1-0.
The setback rocked the home side initially with Dundalk going close to adding to their advantage in the moments afterwards as long range efforts from firstly Benson and then Murray had to be saved by Schlingermann.
Sligo were unlucky not to be level themselves two minutes before the break. After Cleary blocked a Patrick McClean shot, the resultant corner from Rhys McCabe was met by the head of Cawley whose effort shaved the outside of the left hand upright.
Dundalk started the second half brightly with Hoban testing Schlingermann with a shot on the turn seven minutes after the restart.
Then came the second goal three minutes later. Sligo and Sharkey were guilty of failing to clear their lines once again and when the ball broke to Duffy at the edge of the area he drilled a low first-time shot past Schlingermann to the bottom right hand corner.
It should have been 3-0 soon after when a free from the right by Duffy was missed by Schlingermann but Cleary could only head over with the goal at his mercy.
The priority after that was maintaining the club’s unbelievable record of clean sheets, which now lies just one shy of the club record of eight in-a-row held by Alan O’Neill from the 1990/91 season.
Rogers showed his determination to challenge that record by making a superb stop on 66 minutes to turn away a low drive from McClean.
Then McAleer blazed wide on 75 minutes after being played through following a neat one-two with substitute Lewis Morrison.
If that was a let-off then Sligo fans will still be scratching their heads as to how Ally Roy didn’t score four minutes later. The former Hearts man looked destined to find the net after being picked out by McClean’s pull back but somehow he fired to the left and wide.
When Cawley then volleyed over with a minute to go the clean sheet was safe.
This wasn’t perfect but it was another step in the right direction. Dundalk are slowly building up a head of steam. If this is how they play in getting there then the rest should be worried when they reach their destination.
Just like the clocks changing,