DUNDALK OFF TO A WINNER IN THE IRISH DAILY MAIL FAI CUP
Mayo man is on the double for Lilywhites
THEIR Premier Division crown may be slipping, but Dundalk showed their intent to become the cup kings of Ireland once again with this stirring victory over Derry City.
What the Lilywhites hope will be the first stop on their road to the Aviva began with an impressive dismantling of the side seven points below them in third place in the league table.
That gulf looked far greater here and this Irish Daily Mail FAI Cup first round tie, which ended 4-0, might have been more embarrassing for Kenny Shiels’ side had the hosts been more clinical in front of goal. Still, they hit Derry for four and while two came in the last 10 minutes the score-line was fair.
John Mountney struck a sublime double, David McMillan delivered from the penalty spot and Michael Duffy showed the power of persistence with a fourth in the 90th minute having fluffed his lines all evening.
Dundalk made exactly the sort of start which manager Stephen Kenny would have been hoping for. After just 41 seconds they were ahead and the Oriel Park crowd had something to rouse them from their post Sunday dinner slumber.
The move was swift, precise and lethal, exactly what the regulars in this part of Louth have become accustomed to under Kenny since he took charge in 2013, and it’s what they can expect until 2020 after he agreed a new deal last week.
This was Dundalk’s first game since he put pen to paper and the home fans cheered him just that little bit louder than usual when he emerged from the tunnel ahead of kick-off. Less than a minute later they were back on their feet in celebration when Mountney cleverly converted with a side-foot finish inside the six yard box from Sean Gannon’s cross, after Patrick McEleney split the Derry defence with a neat ball in behind left-winer Ronan Curtis.
He only returned to Derry on Friday after a move to Swedish club Ostersunds collapsed but Shiels refused to point the finger of blame. ‘Well he had three flights over, up in the sticks, and three flights back. There was a wee bit of fatigue in his play which you can see but young boys, mentally, that stuff doesn’t labour on them so it would be unfair to say that it affected him,’ he said.
Derry offered little in the way of an attacking threat until five minutes before half-time when Aaron McEneff curled a deft shot against the crossbar from 30 yards and Lucas Schubert’s followed up with a volley from the edge of the area which was deflected wide.
Between falling behind and until that moment of adventure, though, the Candystripes were second best and Shiels cut an agitated figure on the touchline. Right-back Schubert was having a nightmare dealing with Duffy who, had he brought his shooting boots, could have helped himself to at least a brace.
As well as cutting inside on his right boot and letting fly with two dangerous attempts which drifted off target, the former Derry star also curled a delightful free-kick off the top of the crossbar before blowing a golden opportunity in the 35th minute when he fired wide in a one-one situation.
Dundalk were almost punished 60 seconds later by that McEneffSchubert double act but the curtain came down on Derry’s hopes six minutes into the second-half when Dean Jarvis dragged McMillan down at the back post.
‘That was the killer goal,’ Shiels admitted. ‘It was very hard to take, it was a silly challenge, that’s poor play by Dean. I have to say I was disappointed.’
McMillan stepped up with a good aul’ lash down the middle to seal Dundalk’s place in the second round draw which takes place today. Just for good measure, though, they kept the entertainment coming and Mountney provided a sensational third with a half-volley from 30 yards which rocketed into the bottom corner.
‘I said to him before the game you’re on the front of the programme, next week you’ll be on the front page of Tatler,’ Kenny laughed afterwards.
‘He’s got the hardest shot at the club, we measure the velocity and his is the hardest. He’s been threatening to do it and it’s just a brilliant strike, an unstoppable strike, an incredible strike.’
There was more of a subtle nature to the fourth, right on the stroke of the 90th minute, when substitute Thomas Steward slipped in Duffy who finally got in on the fun.
A Europa League spot is virtually assured through the league for Dundalk, so the Irish Daily Mail FAI Cup can now inject fresh life into a season which still has a famous piece of silverware up for grabs. DUNDALK: Rogers; Gannon, Gartland, Vemmelund, Massey; Mountney, O’Donnell (c) (McGrath 85), Benson, Duffy; McEleney (Shields 78); McMillan (Stewart 80). Booked: O’Donnell 43, Benson 87 Scorers: Mountney 1, 81, McMillan 51 pen, Duffy 90. DERRY CITY: Doherty (c); Schubert, Cole, Barry, Jarvis; Boyle (Dolny 58), Low, McEneff, McNamee, Curtis (Doherty 69); Patterson. Booked: Jarvis 51, McEneff 55, Barry 70 Referee: N Doyle (Dublin)