Hoare thorn in side of Bohs

SEAN Hoare marked his 50th Dundalk appearance with just his second league goal for the club on Sunday evening.

Both the defender’s league goals this campaign have come against Bohemians, having also scored against Keith Long’s side in the 2-0 victory in Dalymount Park back on May 18th. Sunday was also Hoare’s 20th league start of the season, a figure he achieved in 2014, 2015 and 2016 but one which he has never surpassed. PAT Hoban’s 22nd league goal of the season on Sunday was also the 22nd penalty scored in the league by Dundalk under Stephen Kenny.

The country’s top scorer now has 23 in all competitions having also scored against Levadia Tallinn in Europe. Hoban’s penalty on Sunday was his 65th goal for Dundalk and his 40th in Oriel Park. It saw him move level with Jim McArdle into joint 12th in the club’s alltime leading goalscorer list for goals in all competitions. THURSDAY night was only the 11th clean sheet Dundalk FC have kept in 67 European matches and the first at home since beating Maccabi Tel Aviv 1-0 in the Europa League group stages in September 2016.

In total the Lilywhites have kept eight clean sheets in home games in Europe - three of them now with Gary Rogers in goal. He now has five clean sheets in Europe for Dundalk. The two shut outs this week have taken Dundalk’s number of clean sheets in all competitions this season to 21. SEAN Gannon’s absence from the squad with a calf injury last Thursday saw Dane Massey overtake him as the Dundalk player with the most European appearances in the club’s history.

The left back is the only member of Stephen Kenny’s squad to have played in all 23 European matches under the manager since 2014.