Late Grimes goal sees Dundalk suffer defeat

THE ARGUS

DUNDALK LONGFORD TOWN 0 1

DUNDALK’S pre-season campaign ended in defeat as an 89th minute Dylan Grimes strike saw Longford Town snatch victory at Oriel Park last Tuesday night.

Dundalk had the pick of the chances throughout with American trialist Josh Gatt going close after eight minutes after a good run up the left but his shot was deflected out for a corner.

Chris Shields then tested Lee Steacy from range before Georgie Kelly failed to make contact with a pass from Gatt when the goal was at his mercy.

Steacy then denied Kelly with his feet following a good through ball from McEleney on 24 minutes.

Cammy Smith did have the ball in the net from Sean Gannon’s cross five minutes before half-time but referee Paul McLaughlin ruled it out after adjudging the Scot to have handled before finishing.

Longford then enjoyed a purple patch before half-time with Gary Rogers called into action to save from Dean Byrne before Niall

Barnes fizzed an effort just wide of the right hand post. Byrne then teed up James English for an effort on the right just before the break but his effort flashed to the left and wide.

Daire Doyle’s side again went close two minutes after the restart with Rob Manley lifting the ball over Rogers after a short header back to him from Daniel Cleary but Andy Boyle got across to cut out the danger.

Kelly was then denied at close range by sub keeper Luke Dennison before Gatt’s header from the resulting corner went just wide.

Gatt then went close again on 54 minutes when he seized on a loose pass across the Longford back four but Dennison was sharp off his line to smother at his feet.

Longford then went agonisingly close to taking the lead themselves moments later when a Joe Gorman effort was pushed onto the underside of the crossbar by Rogers.

The same player then denied Michael Duffy the opening goal on 62 minutes when he cleared his effort off the line.

Gatt was then denied by Dennison once again on 65 minutes before being carried off four minutes later after injuring his knee. Given he has had four ACL surgeries in his career to date, that could prove to be the end of his aspirations of a contract at Oriel.

When play resumed Dennison turned a Duffy free kick around the post before youngster Jamie Wynne was denied an almost certain goal when his shot from Val Adedokun’s pull back came off his team-mate, Greg Sloggett.

Adam Evans was then denied by Rogers before Aaron McCabe pulled a shot wide from close range with seven minutes to go.

Longford would steal the win a minute from the end, however, when Dennison’s punt forward saw Gabriel Sava caught in no man’s and with Grimes nipping in past him to finish to an empty net. DUNDALK: Rogers (Sava 84); Gannon, Cleary (Quinn 84), Boyle, Leahy (Hanratty 68); Shields (Kilkenny 84), Sloggett; Gatt (Wynne 69), McEleney (Adedokun 76), Smith (Duffy HT); G Kelly. Sub not used: Barry.

LONGFORD: Steacy (Dennison HT); Chambers, Hand, Gorman, Abulu (J Manley HT); English (Grimes HT), Zambra (Verdon 60), Dervin (O’Brien 60), Byrne (Doherty 60), Barnes (Evans HT); R Manley (McCabe 75). Sub not used: Keller.