Dundalk focused on Tallaght mission
DUNDALK FC will head for the Aviva Stadium this Saturday when they are guests of club owners Peak6 at the Republic of Ireland’s friendly match with the USA. For manager Stephen Kenny though the only match of note this week is Friday night’s trip to Tallaght Stadium to face Shamrock Rovers (kick-off 8pm, live on eirSport).
The Lilywhites will be aiming to make it six wins from six against the Hoops but Kenny is well aware they will have to be firing on all cylinders to achieve that.
‘The only game we’re interested in is Friday. Saturday is irrelevant, it’s all about Friday,’ he said when asked about the day out in the old Lansdowne Road.
‘Saturday is neither here nor there. We’re going to watch a match but our world centres around Friday. That’s the main thing for us.
‘We played Rovers in the second match of the season there and it was 0-0 but I just felt that both teams would be close enough this year. We’re 19 points clear of them now so probably no one would have believed that because it looked like they had a strong squad.
‘They have got a good squad and they’ve shown that there’s a big difference between their home form and their away form. They beat Cork 3-0 there and St Patrick’s 3-0 there. I was at that game last week myself so they’ve had a couple of emphatic wins at home.
‘I feel that we’re really finding our rhythm now and you can see the improvement in a lot of players. We’re playing with confidence and we have to take that confidence into the game on Friday
‘They have some very good players and players who can hurt you but from our point of view we’re finding our rhythm. We’ve got a great team ethic and the players have been expressing themselves in the way that you’d want. Individuals are starting to really flourish which is what you need. We’re starting to play really well,’ said Kenny.
Few are playing as well at present than the league’s leading scorer Pat Hoban and his manager feels he can surpass his previous record of 20 for a season having already bagged 14 so far this term.
‘I’ve not set him any targets because of where he was. He hadn’t been able to train for a long period and he hadn’t the miles in his legs from his injuries. He has worked very hard and been very professional. He prepares meticulously and he’s had a good reward. He has the capacity to get more goals so we’ll see how he goes.
‘He was the first striker since Peter Hanrahan to get 20 and no one has done that since. I know Richie (Towell) did it but apart from him Pat is the only one to do it. It’s a hard thing to do but he’s well on the way to that.’
Kenny also said he was delighted to have a full week to prepare for a game and said it would help a number of players who are looking to get back to fitness.
‘It’s a long time since we’ve had the week so we can get a proper week’s training in. Karolis Chvedukas will benefit from a full week’s training and come into the picture as well. Sean Gannon also did his first bit of jogging last week so we’ll have to see how he goes.’
Asked about the dwindling support at home matches – just 1,877 attended Friday’s victory over Bray while the attendance hasn’t passed 2,200 for the past four league games – Kenny said he could not pinpoint why it was as low as it was but admitted there were ‘mitigating circumstances’.
He said: ‘The team is performing really well at the moment and there have been some terrific performances at home and away. We’re unbeaten at home so the players have been doing really well. They’re playing terrific stuff and I appreciate their efforts.
‘The away support has been fantastic but at home it takes a while to get going. I remember in previous years we had a huge number of flags and people were singing early at matches.
‘I’m not sure of the reasons why that hasn’t happened lately but listen we appreciate everyone who comes to the matches and we value all the support. If you drive around the town you see everyone in Dundalk gear and that’s great to see. It’s all walks of life and all ages.’
Kenny said he had little doubt that a new or revamped stadium would go a long way to increasing the number through the turnstiles at Oriel Park.
‘I do think it would attract more,’ he said.
‘There’s no doubt in my mind it would. Turner’s Cross, the new Brandywell and Tallaght are just much better places to go. They’re much better environments for supporters but listen that’s where we are.
‘It’s not just about that. We’re doing our best and we’re very focused on winning matches. We appreciate the support that we have. People are very good to us and get behind the team. Maybe when it gets back to one match a week now and becomes a bit more regular it will improve again. There are other mitigating circumstances.
‘The schoolboy league programme seems to clash with our matches all the time because my own sons have been playing matches the same nights that we have. There have been Gaelic matches on too so there are a lot of factors I suppose.
‘The only thing we can do is keep performing well and keep showing a good attitude. I think the supporters have enjoyed the games because we’ve had a couple of late wins as well at home. The two Waterford wins, beating Cork at home and beating Rovers at home.
‘From my point of view I just need to focus on the team itself and not get side-tracked. It will be interesting to see what happens when we go back to one match a week what will happen. The European games will elevate things as well. We shouldn’t have to wait for that but we’ve Rovers on Friday, then we’re at home to Limerick, then away to Derry and Cork straight after the break so there are some good games ahead,’ he said.
The manager also confirmed that he was looking at organising a training camp for three or four days before the side returned after the mid-season break next month.
Saturday is neither here nor there. We’re going to watch a match but our world centres around Friday. That’s the main thing for us.