WE MUST BE BETTER IN BIG GAMES

DUNDALK defender Brian Gartland has called on his side to improve their results against their main title contenders following two defeats in their last three matches.

The 2-1 loss away to Waterford FC at the RSC on Friday night came on the back of a 1-0 defeat to table toppers Cork City in their previous away fixture at Turner’s Cross a week earlier.

Gartland only returned to the side for the first time this season when he featured in the 5-0 win over St Patrick’s Athletic on Monday night but despite a raft of new faces at Oriel Park and a number of enforced changes due to injuries, he says the side cannot afford to wait as long as last season before clicking into gear.

“We’ve a lot of new players again. Last season things clicked in at the break and we were as good or in better form than in any year we won the league after that.

“We’ve had a better start to the season this year but we can’t wait until then to really get going. This month is absolutely massive and there’s five or six games in this month alone so we need to pick up all the points that we can.

“Ultimately it doesn’t matter how you play, it’s points that matter and that’s two of the top teams we’ve played away now in the last week and we’ve come away with no points. We drew away to Rovers as well and drew at home to Derry so we’ve got to be better against the top teams,” said Gartland.

The 31-year-old said he was hoping that club captain Stephen O’Donnell could make a comeback from the leg break injury which overshadowed the game but refused to use it as an excuse for Dundalk conceding twice in stoppage time.

“The result is bad for us because they’re up the top with us but the other really disappointing thing is the two injuries we got to two vital players in the squad, Dan (Cleary) and Stevie. I’m hoping Stevie’s isn’t as bad as we think.

“I know people will always look to an event and it did come after that but it was just a mistake, we all make them. Them things happen. It’s how we respond after it and for the second goal we didn’t respond well. Argus this week.

“It brought a lump to my throat and it was very nice of them but I really put it in when I played for them.

“It was all new stuff for me going there to play. Dundalk had a smashing team at that time. There was the likes of Ben Hannigan, Paddy Turner, Tony O’Connell, Tootsie McKeown, Mick Millington, Tommy McConville, Jim Burke and even Foxy (Alan Fox) at centre half was a good player.

“I really enjoyed myself at Dundalk and the people were so nice there. The supporters there are no mugs and when you put it in for them they respect you.”

Hale would also go on to win the respect of Derry City supporters too. He joined the Candystripes from Dundalk towards the end of the 1967/68 season and would go on to score 103 times in just over three seasons to leave as big a mark at the Brandywell as he had at Oriel.

Hale’s influence continues to this day with his grandsons Ronan and Rory Hale, current Irish U-21 internationals, a pivotal part

“We responded well then with a cracking free kick and that gave us a lifeline. In the second half then we stuck to what we’re about. We used the ball better, got it wider quicker and we created chance after chance but we were guilty of missing some and then there were a few that just came off people’s shins.”

Gartland questioned whether the free for Izzy Akinade’s opener should have went the other way though.

“The first goal, if anything, it’s a free to Shieldsy (Chris Shields) and he has given a free against him. I talked to the ref about that but the reason he gave made no sense because Shieldsy was only on the pitch two seconds. He actually got one in the jaw from it.

“Their striker is walking away with me and he was laughing about it saying I don’t know how we got it but that’s the nature of the league. You still have to defend it. We were wasteful with a free kick then coming up to the second goal. Ultimately, we gifted away two goals and then we missed good chances so you’re not going to win games if you do that.”

The centre half also couldn’t believe his side failed to win a penalty on the hour mark when Michael Duffy looked to have been fouled by Dylan Barnett.

“From my end it looked like a penalty,” he said. “I can’t believe what I’m after hearing that it was the linesman on the other side of the field was the one who called it. Even if he felt he had to book Michael for simulation, the lad for them has gone down twice theatrically but nothing was done. You’d just like a bit of consistency.”

Gartland has now challenged his team-mates to respond with six points this week when they welcome Sligo to Oriel Park on Friday followed by a trip to the Brandywell to face Derry City on Monday.

“It’s not easy. Fans look at it and say you should beat them but when you have games in quick succession it’s a big ask. We’ve got such a big squad. We might have picked up a few injuries now but we’ve got lads that can come in and fill in straight away so there’s no reason why we can’t pick up six points this week.” of Kenny Shiels’ side this season.

“My two grandsons are at Derry at the minute and my daughter drives me up to the games. I’ll be going to the game with her. I always get a great welcome in the Brandywell too.

“It’s nice to be remembered by supporters. At Dundalk they were coming up to me, shaking my hand and saying it’s nice to see you and that goes a long way.

“I hope the boys are on that night as I love watching them. They’re chipping in with a few goals and that’s great to see.”

Hale has great memories of his time with Dundalk, pointing out he was amongst the first players to score for the club in Europe when he netted in the 8-1 second leg European Cup defeat to Vasas, but he wasn’t aware that he holds a club record to this day.

Hale holds the record of having scored in the most consecutive number of league games for Dundalk FC, having scored in seven matches in-a-row back in his heyday.

“You’re joking. that,” he beamed. I didn’t know DUNDALK finally found their shooting boots in the second half as they brushed aside St Patrick’s Athletic in some style at Oriel Park on Monday night to briefly return to the summit of the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division table.

Coming into the game on the back of Friday’s defeat away to Cork City, Stephen Kenny’s side took the game to their opponents right from the off. However, despite 12 attempts at goal in the first half they could find no breakthrough.

Patrick Hoban could have had a hat-trick as he was denied by Barry Murphy at point blank range after just five minutes before putting two further efforts wide while Michael Duffy put two good chances into the side-netting as the Pat’s goal lived a charmed life.

Liam Buckley’s side rarely threatened but almost hit Dundalk with a sucker punch in the 37th minute when Dean Clarke skinned Sean Hoare on the left only to see his goalbound shot come off Jake Keegan, who was in an offside position meaning the effort was chalked off.

Given the number of efforts they missed in the first half, the home side had a huge stroke of luck in taking the lead just 29 seconds after the restart with Hoban’s scuffed effort coming off the helpless Kevin Toner to wrongfoot Murphy and creep to the net.

Duffy then headed onto the crossbar before the second goal arrived on 53 minutes. A shot from Duffy came off Brian Gartland before dropping kindly to Hoban who swooped quickly to slot under Murphy.

Hoban then turned provider for his side’s third on 66 minutes when he laid off to Ronan Murray to curl a shot high to the net.

The pick of the goals then came on 83 minutes when Duffy made it 4-0 by cutting in from the left to curl a superb right foot effort to the top corner.

He then turned provider for the fifth as he squared for McGrath to tap home five minutes from the end. Jamie McGrath celebrates after making it 5-0 against St Pat’s.