Grounds for concern as League is dogged by bumpy pitches
IN a week in which there was much talk in the media about the development of League of Ireland stadiums there was some irony in the fact that Dundalk found themselves in Bray Wanderers Carlisle Grounds, a ground in which they seldom play well, and for Friday night’s encounter the surface was in very poor condition.
The combination of those two factors taken with the renewed determination of the Bray players to impress their new manager in waiting, Martin Russell resulted in perhaps Dundalk’s worst performance of the season.
Indeed they were quite fortunate not to drop two more points to the Seasiders, having drawn 0-0 with them in their opening game of the season at Oriel Park - the only point Bray have collected in their ten games to date.
Why Dundalk struggle so badly in Bray is no real mystery for the tight confines of the pitch, which is both narrower and shorter than almost all LOI playing surfaces, does not suit the style of attacking wing play that Stephen Kenny prefers.
In addition the playing surface was both heavy and bumpy which contributed in many respects to very erratic passing from normally assured players on both sides.
The obvious temptation is to blame Bray for the poor condition of the surface, but given the club’s much publicised financial problems and the fact that it is a community pitch that has to be shared, it would be harsh to do so.
Undoubtedly the exceptionally cold and wet Spring has made it very difficult to properly maintain grass surfaces not just in Bray, and while Brian Kerr the former Irish manager and pundit continues to express his dislike to artificial surfaces - as he did recently when commenting on Oriel Park - such a surface may be the only solution for Bray if they are to continue in the League and share their ground with others in the community.
Of course the surface, or indeed the tight confines of the pitch, cannot be entirely blamed for the poor quality of football witnessed on Friday night, but the reality is that unless more is done to improve playing surfaces in the League then the exodus of the very best players seeking the best facilities in the UK will continue.
With St. Patrick’s Athletic floating their plans for a new 12,000 Richmond Arena Stadium last week to replace their current home in Inchicore, and with plans already in the pipeline to build a new Dalymount Park, with a 8,000 seater capacity, not to mention the additional 2,000 seats now being installed in Tallaght Stadium, at least there is the prospect of better days to come for the League.
Those improvements cannot come quickly enough not just for the players to be able to exhibit their full array of talents, but also for the much neglect- ed hard core of domestic soccer fans in this country who have to endure quite disgraceful facilities in the grounds that they frequent.
Those hard core of supporters includes a solid base from Dundalk who go to great lengths and expense to support their team and comprised more than half the 800 who attended Friday night’s game.
Those Dundalk fans were rewarded with a hard earned 2-0 win which sees the team take an overall lead of two points at the top of the Premier Division following Waterford’s defeat by Derry City who are rapidly becoming title contenders on the back of their excellent home form at the redeveloped Brandywell, which incidentally also has an all weather surface.
That lead at the top of the division that Dundalk now enjoy will not be sustained if there is not a big improvement of Friday night’s display, for, even making allowances for the pitch, the team’s passing was slow, lacking accuracy and penetration.
To compensate for the lack of width, the tactic employed was to have Jamie McGrath play in a more central role, allowing more space for Sean Gannon to exploit on the right, but the full-back’s attacking ambitions were deflected by the considerable task of keeping Bray’s tricky and fast winger, Cory Galvin quiet.
Indeed Bray were causing Dundalk so much concern down the right flank that Dundalk withdrew Krisztian Adorjan - who looked out of sorts following a heavy collision - at half time and introduced John Mountney to provide more cover for his full-back.
McGrath, and all of the Dundalk players found it difficult to find space in the crowded midfield, but not Gary McCabe, for he was by far the outstanding player on the field, hardly wasting a ball, and making time and space for himself time and again.
The decision to play McCabe in a more advanced role in the first half caused Dundalk all finds of problems for he was dropping off striker Aaron Greene to open up gaps, one of which Greene should have taken when he fired wide with only Gabriel Sava to beat.
In the second half McCabe dropped back to his more accustomed role deeper in midfield and continued to dictate with one audacious lob from 45 yards almost catching Sava off his line.
Dundalk didn’t get real control in midfield until Stephen O’Donnell was introduced in the 84th minute and why his introduction was delayed was a mystery as both Chris Shields and Robbie Benson were giving a lot of ball away.
It was no surprise that the goal that clinched the points arrived in the last minute when the team took more control in midfield and Michael Duffy who had been suffering from lack of support and the consequences of a very heavy knock he took in the first half, opened the resolute home defence with an exciting run along the back line from which he picked out Mountney to crash home the clinching goal.
That goal, and Pat Hoban’s right foot strike in the 26th minute when he cleverly guided the ball into the bottom corner when Bray failed to clear a corner where moments of real class in the game and fittingly were the difference between the sides.
They were sufficient to see off a very highly motivated Bray team who, according to local fans, played well above their recent form. But improvement is needed from Stephen Kenny’s charges for the many stern tasks ahead, starting with Derry on Friday night.