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■ Poor start
Dundalk’s return of just three points from seven matches is the same as they had at the start of the 1998/’99 season when it took until match day 10 to claim a first win. The Lilywhites were relegated at the end of that season. Avoiding defeat to Drogheda on Monday at least meant that the side avoided the indignity of what would have been the worst start to a league campaign in the club’s history.
■ Scoring drought
While Robbie Benson’s stoppage time header against Shelbourne on Friday night ended a run of 544 league minutes without scoring, ending the club’s worst spell since September/October 2011 when they had gone six matches in-a-row without hitting the net, the fact the side has failed to score in Oriel Park so far this season is their worst run in 59 years. While there was a run of five matches in-a-row without scoring at the end of the 2005 and start of the 2006 seasons, those games took place in Gortakeegan in the First Division. The last time the club had four games in-a-row at Oriel Park without scoring came in December 1965/January 1966 when the side lost 1-0 to Waterford, followed by three successive 2-0 defeats to Drumcondra, Shamrock Rovers and Limerick.
■ Red mist to derby
The red cards issued to Luke Heeney and Archie Davies on Monday means there has now been 21 dismissals in the last 32 games between Dundalk and Drogheda Utd in all competitions. Fifteen of those red cards have been issued to Drogheda players with Heeney the first to be sent-off since Freddier Draper in Dundalk’s 2-1 win at Weavers Park last June. Davies, who picked up a second yellow card in stoppage time, became the first Dundalk player to be sent-off in a Louth derby since March 2014 when Simon Kelly – who had been on the bench – was sent-off for a scuffle with fellow unused sub Philip Hughes at half-time of Drogheda’s 4-1 win at United Park. Previous to that Darren Meenan and Chris Shields were sent-off in the game prior to that – the 1-0 FAI Cup semi-final defeat to Drogheda at United Park in October 2013.
■ Rare scoreless draw
Prior to Monday afternoon, there had been just five scoreless draws in Louth derbies in the league in the history of this fixture. The previous one came over 12 years ago when the sides played out a 0-0 draw at United Park on March 16, 2012 – a night when Paul Crowley (69) and Eric Foley (77) were sent off for Drogheda. There had only been one scoreless league draw between the sides at Oriel Park and that came over 32 years ago on March 15, 1992.
■ Mountney’s return
After making his long awaited comeback from a second cruciate knee ligament injury off the bench against Shelbourne on Friday night, Dundalk captain John Mountney started a game for the club for the first time in 521 days against Drogheda United on Monday since October 28, 2022. Dundalk were 2-1 winners over Bohemians at Oriel Park that night with first half goals from David McMillan and Runar Hauge securing European football for Stephen O’Donnell’s side. Ethon Varian got an 89th minute consolation for the visitors. His comeback appearance against Shels – the side he suffered his injury against in a pre-season friendly in January 2023 – was the 250th league appearance of his career and his 320th for Dundalk.
■ First start for Oostenbrink
Koen Oostenbrink started his first league match for Dundalk against Shelbourne on Friday. It was also the Dutchman’s first league start in 525 days (one year, five months and eight days) since playing 55 minutes of FC Eindhoven’s 3-0 defeat away to Heracles Almelo on October 21, 2022. The midfielder is the second Dutch player to play for the club in its history after
Eddie van Boxtel.
■ Benson’s landmark
Having marked the 350th league appearance of his career on Friday – on the 15th anniversary of his debut – with a stoppage time goal in Tolka Park, Robbie Benson started his 150th game for Dundalk against Drogheda on Monday. The midfielder has now scored 34 goals for the Lilywhites. Daryl Horgan had also made his 150th start for the club against Shelbourne on Friday night.
■ Clean sheet for the birthday boy
Ross Munro (inset) marked his 24th birthday on Monday with a clean sheet against Drogheda United. It is the Scot’s second clean sheet in-arow at Oriel Park having previously kept his first in the scoreless draw with Waterford FC on March 15.
■ Muller own goal
Hayden Muller’s own goal against Shelbourne on Friday night was the first of his career. It was also the first that Dundalk have conceded since Louie Annesley put through his own net in the 2-1 win away to Cork City on June 9 last.
■ First red for Davies
Archie Davies picked up the first red card of his career against Drogheda United on Monday. The right back had made the 125th start of his career against Shelbourne three days earlier.