Lilywhites are far from being Dun’ for
THEY DIDN’T climb out of the bottom two, but Dundalk last night put Waterford and Finn Harps on notice.
Clearly lifted by their FAI Cup quarter- final win over Finn Harps 72 hours earlier, and by a handful of returning players, the Lilywhites sent Sligo Rovers packing.
They scored four — with Sean Murray scoring the first two and Patrick Hoban also netting — but it could so easily have been more.
What a difference 10 days makes. It’s just over a week since Vinny Perth’s side left the Showgrounds having lost their fifth game out of six.
Waterford’s win over Drogheda last night means Dundalk spend at least another couple of days in the relegation play- off zone.
However, they can climb above the Blues when they play their game- inhand against Bohemians on Monday.
And if last night’s performance is anything to go by, Dundalk should be nowhere near the relegation conversation.
Waiting
You could play David Attenborough commentary over footage of Murray’s first goal, because he resembled a lion in the long grass, waiting for that moment when his prey’s guard drops.
As the play built up around him, he inched forward, his eyes firmly on the prize. Will Patching sprayed the ball wide right to Sami Ben Amar and he whipped in a cross towards the near post.
By the time the ball had left Amar’s boot, Murray had already taken off at full speed.
The midfielder sprinted between centre- halves Lewis Banks and John Mahon to drill the ball high into the roof of the net from six yards.
His second, to restore Dundalk’s advantage after Johnny Kenny had levelled, was another example of his invisible man routine.
Amar was involved again, this time sending Raivis Jurkovskis racing down the right.
The Latvia international drilled the ball across to Hoban at the far post, his shot was blocked and the rebound fell to Murray, who was left unattended 12 yards from goal.
Options
Murray had all the time in the world to size up his options, before he fired low inside the right- hand post.
As for Sligo Rovers’ goal, which had briefly restored parity, the contrast in styles between Murray and Kenny could hardly have been more pronounced.
While Murray’s were all about stealth, Kenny’s was pure power.
Still in his teens, he managed to control Niall Morahan’s wonderfully weighted pass despite having
Dan Cleary hanging off his left shoulder.
Kenny ignored the attention of the former Liverpool prospect and finished confidently on the half-volley.
Dundalk made it 3-1 on 63 minutes when substitute Michael Duffy’s low cross ended up in the back of the net — either off the boot of Hoban or luckless defender Mahon.
While there were question marks over Hoban’s claim on that goal, no one could take Dundalk’s fourth away from the free- scoring striker.
Deep into the fifth minute of injury-time, he let fly from 20 yards and sent the ball arrowing inside the left- hand post.
DUNDALK: Peter Cherrie 7; Raivis Jurkovskis 7 (Sonni Nattestad 88), Daniel Cleary 6, Darragh Leahy 7, Cameron Dummigan 6; Greg Sloggett 8, Will Patching 7 (Mark Hanratty 88); Sami Ben Amar 7 (Mayowa Animasahun 71), Sean Murray 8, Han Jeongwoo 6 (Michael Duffy 54); Patrick Hoban 7. SLIGO ROVERS: Ed McGinty 6; Colm Horgan 6, Lewis Banks 6, John Mahon 5, Regan Donelon 6; Niall Morahan 7, Adam McDonnell 6, Ryan De Vries 6 (Melvyn Lorenzen 46); Andre Wright 5 (Romeo Parkes 74), Johnny Kenny 7 (Seamus Keogh 84), Walter Figueira 5 (Mark Byrne 74).
REFEREE: Robert Harvey