Eight clean sheets in a row for Lilywhites
DUNDALK’S own version of the super eight was completed at Oriel Park on Friday night.
A third straight win in-a-row continued the club’s unbeaten start to the season while an eighth successive clean sheet equalled the club record of successive shut outs set by Turlough O’Connor’s title winning side of 1990/91.
It will hopefully prove a good omen to Stephen Kenny’s side that on that occasion the Lilywhites famously pipped Cork City to the title.
That title win of 27 years ago this month was built on a solid defence that kept a league record 23 clean sheets throughout the season and conceded just 17 goals in 33 matches, with five of them coming in an opening day 5-1 defeat against Shelbourne.
While that title success was built on a solid back five of goalkeeper Alan O’Neill and a defence of Dave Mackey, James Coll, Martin Lawlor and Ronnie Murphy, the Dundalk side of 2018 has been nowhere near as consistent in terms of personnel.
An early injury to Gary Rogers on Friday night meant that Gabriel Sava was called on to help preserve a clean sheet run that has been bettered by no other side in League of Ireland history at the start of the season. That means that eight different players have now played in their part in the back five to date - Rogers, Sava, Sean Gannon, Dane Massey, Daniel Cleary, Sean Hoare, Stephen Folan and Dean Jarvis.
The fact that three of those are new recruits is testament to how well Dundalk have defended.
There was another upheaval even before kick-off on Friday night when Hoare failed to overcome a knock that seen Folan recalled having been part of the first three shut outs.
It was another change that perhaps got the Lilywhites purring on Friday night with Krisztián Adorján coming in for Ronan Murray, who had picked up an injury in training in midweek.
On what was his full league debut, Bohs tried to bully the Hungarian initially but he stood up to it before dictating the game. He barely put a pass astray as he showed a unique ability to either slow things down or speed things up as required. The wingers of Jamie McGrath and Michael Duffy were probably more eye catching overall but their performances were aided by the manner in which Adorján made the side tick on the night.
There will be bigger tests ahead for him than the one Bohs posed on Friday night but this was a good start.
Whether by accident or design - or even a little bit of both - Dundalk are becoming incredibly difficult to score against. Even going back into last season, the Lilywhites have now kept an incredible 23 clean sheets in their last 30 league games - nine more than the next meanest defence, Cork City’s.
Given the success of the club’s recent takeover will largely be judged on progress in Europe rather than domestic honours, this is telling. While no one has outclassed Stephen Kenny’s sides in Europe over the years, most of the goals their opponents scored were down to Dundalk mistakes.
The standard in Europe is obviously higher but as a preparation for that in the summer, the disciplined defending shown so far is superb.
Sometimes a mean defence can lead to problems in attack and Dundalk could be accused of having that at times this season. It has looked more like a case of players settling and getting up to speed rather than a long-term thing and there was further evidence of their progression against Bohemians on Friday.
Both full backs bombed forward at will, the two wingers were a constant threat while Pat Hoban looks to be getting sharper with each game.
If Adorján can build on a full debut which seen him warmly applauded off then he is another superb option to have given that fellow newcomer Murray has more assists than any other Dundalk player so far this season.
It’s exciting times when you consider that three of the squad’s most experienced players - Brian Gartland, John Mountney and Stephen O’Donnell - have had little or no impact to date due to injury while new signings Karolis Chvedukas, Sam Byrne, Marco Tagbajumi and Jarvis have yet to be given a real chance to shine.
Such a big squad will be needed going forward with the early calf problem picked up by Rogers immediately justifying Kenny’s decision to bring in Ross Treacy as third choice keeper at the start of the season.
It was a cruel blow on Rogers to have to go off so early but in truth he could have probably played out the remainder of the half on one leg such was the lack of attacking threat from Bohs, who registered just one shot on goal in the opening 45 minutes - a shot that was well off target.
Dundalk toyed with their opponents in the early stages and could have taken the lead on 22 minutes following a mix-up at the back from the visitors. A poor back pass by Dan Casey put Shane Supple into trouble with the goalkeeper scuffing his attempted clearance straight to Hoban, who couldn’t adjust his feet in time to keep his effort down.
The breakthrough did arrive two minutes later. After a neat interchange of passes on the right involving himself, McGrath and Gannon, Adorján broke into the box only to be upended by Casey. Referee Graham Kelly immediately pointed to the spot with Hoban dispatching his fifth goal of the season low to the bottom left hand corner as Supple dived the wrong way.
The Lilywhites then doubled their advantage in the 31st minute. A superb slide rule pass from McGrath slipped Gannon in behind the Bohs defence to the right of goal and he showed superb composure to slip his shot under Supple.
It was almost 3-0 six minutes later with what would have been one of the goals of the season. Karl Moore’s corner was cleared at the near post by Robbie Benson with Duffy breaking from the edge of his own box past two Bohs defenders into the opposition penalty area but unfortunately for the Derry man Supple managed to save his effort at the second attempt.
The visitors were almost given a way back into the game within a minute of the restart when Keith Ward’s long range effort looked to catch out Sava. Much to the keeper’s relief it came off the crossbar before he gathered at the second attempt.
The Gypsies had a let off of their own on 53 minutes. Adorján’s ball from right to left released Duffy in space but the winger’s first touch was a little heavy allowing Supple to come out and smother bravely at his feet.
Supple then had to come to his side’s rescue again five minutes later when he clawed a long range attempt from Adorján around the post.
Gannon then went close to his second on 66 minutes with a drilled shot from wide on the right that fizzed just past Supple’s near post.
Bohs did go close to scoring a minute from the end when Dinny Corcoran’s effort was blocked before almost being turned into his own goal by Chris Shields. Dundalk’s clean sheet record was preserved however by the alertness of Sava.
The Lilywhites then put the game to bed in the 92nd minute when Gannon’s cross picked out Duffy who created space for himself with a clever Cruyff turn before drilling to the net.
At the end of the first series, Dundalk are well primed to regain their title with the side ominously looking like there’s a few gears for them yet to find.