PENALTY HEARTBREAK FOR DUNDALK IN FINAL
EXTRA.IE FAI SENIOR CUP FINAL
DUNDALK head coach Vinny Perth said his side would “learn lessons” from their FAI Cup final defeat to Shamrock Rovers on Sunday.
The 43-year-old also hinted that his side are close to strengthening their midfield options ahead of next season.
While the game was ultimately decided on penalties after a 1-1 draw after extra-time, it was the winners who bossed proceedings as the Lilywhites struggled without the influential pairing of Chris Shields and Patrick McEleney.
Perth admitted the number of injuries in the centre of the field had been an issue for his side this season but hit out at the FAI for scheduling the league game with Shamrock Rovers - which Dundalk won 3-2 to clinch the league title in September - before the FAI Cup semi-final away to Sligo Rovers, where McEleney picked up a hamstring injury that has ended his season.
“We lost Patrick on Thursday,” said Perth.
“We knew he was out. Patrick got a grade two hamstring strain in the semi-final and that’s really the one that I’m most sorest about. There were mistakes made on other things but putting that Rovers game in was a bloody disgrace and I said it at the time. I challenged the league.
“We only played four games in the last month and you’re putting players in jeopardy, but I don’t want to make excuses today. I accept players will miss out through injury but that’s the first player who has walked off a pitch with a muscle injury all season so that’s disappointing and disappointing for Patrick because these moments don’t come along very often and you shouldn’t be putting players in jeopardy.”
Perth also took responsibility for Chris Shields missing the game having picked up an eighth yellow card in a nothing game away to Cork City last month.
“As head of the football club I accept responsibility for what has happened.
“There are loads of different things that could have happened differently. We’re not happy about it. It is what it is. I accept it, but it has cost us.
‘‘Twelve months ago we were sitting here and it was a different FAI. The administration side of it needs improvement, but the football on the pitch this year has been brilliant and I’m very proud of our players. Shieldsy could have missed it for a multitude of reasons, but it’s just disappointing for him as a person that he has missed out today.”
Perth admitted his side needed to strengthen in midfield ahead of their bid for a third league title in-a-row next season.
“We’ve been decimated in the centre of midfield all season and if you want to sum it all up you just look at what happened out there.
“If everybody was fit it wouldn’t have been as big an issue but there’s no doubt midfield has struggled. Sean (Murray) even struggled there again today. He’s not been able to get 90 minutes for different reasons. That’s one of the areas where we think we can improve.
“There are areas of improvement in that squad and I’ve said that from the get go. Myself and (club chairman) Mike Treacy have spent the last month doing bits and pieces around the club and we’re very close to fixing a couple of issues in the squad that we’ve found.
‘‘We’ll get that done but there’s a lot of positivity around our squad. There are a few areas where we can improve but we’re very close to making them changes.
“I was very proud to lead this club into this stadium today and be the head coach of what is a brilliant club and I’m equally proud leaving the stadium.
‘‘It just didn’t go our way today. We weren’t at our very best from an attacking point of view but to win a treble everything has to go your way and it just didn’t today. It just didn’t happen for us. I’m very proud of what the players have done, but we take it on the chin.
“They deserve their day in the sun. Let them enjoy it and we’ll move on to Linfield next week,” he said.
Dundalk’s season isn’t over with the first leg of the Unite the Union Cup final against Linfield in Windsor Park this Friday (kick-off 7.45pm), followed by the return leg the following Monday in Oriel Park (kick-off 7.05pm).
It’s a trophy Perth said his side wants to win.
Myself and Mike Treacy have spent the last month doing bits and pieces around the club and we’re very close to fixing a couple of issues in the squad that we’ve found
“I’m really looking forward to it and no matter what happened today we were always going to be respectful of the Linfield game.
“The All-Island League got a knock this week, but I hope that this spectacle will at least let people know what it could be, so I hope it’s a good game.
‘‘We’re very much focused on it from tomorrow afternoon when we’ll recover and then we’ll train on Tuesday with the Linfield game in mind. That was always the plan and it hasn’t changed.”
The PFAI awards are also taking place this Saturday night when Dundalk’s Sean Gannon and Michael Duffy will battle it out with Shamrock Rovers’ Jack Byrne for Player of the Year. Perth is also expected to be nominated for Manager of the Year.