Mulligan makes his Dens dream finally become reality

JOSH Mulligan achieved a boyhood dream after scoring his first goal for Dundee at Dens Park.

The 19-year-old put in a man-of-the-Match display in the 3-1 win over Hibs, scoring the vital second goal.

On top of that he had a header ruled out in the first half with replays suggesting he wasn’t offside and had two efforts cleared off the line in the second period.

It was an all-action performance as the teenager came of age in the top flight.

He had spent the first half of the season on loan at Peterhead, where he lit up League One.

Since returning he had made 11 appearances before Tuesday, though most were from the bench.

Mulligan did find the net against the Blue Toon in the Scottish Cup in February but admits scoring at Dens Park was a special moment for a boyhood Dee.

“It was a dream come true to score my first goal at Dens,” he said.

“All the hard sessions growing up, everything leads to that.

“Scoring in front of the fans was great, I ran over to them to celebrate and it was a brilliant feeling.

“The first one, I’ve been told it wasn’t offside which is really disappointing because I felt it was a goal at the time.

“I put my head in my jersey afterwards because I thought I’d be getting a bit of stick for celebrating like that when it wasn’t a goal.”

It may have been a first for Mulligan at Dens Park but the Hibs clash could also have been a last for a player at the other end of his career.

Skipper Charlie Adam rolled back the years with a thunderbolt third to seal the victory over Hibs.

With his contract expiring and uncertainty over the managerial situation next season, it may have been Adam’s final Dens appearance as a Dundee player.

And Mulligan says Adam has had a huge impact on his fledgling career.

“Charlie has been brilliant for us and it says everything about him that he scored a goal like that,” the youngster added.

“Last week at St Mirren it was one mistake but he’s been brilliant for us, so to come on against Hibs and score one like that said it all.

“When he stepped up to it I could see it coming, I knew if he hit it clean it would be in the back of the net.

“Charlie has been great for me and he’s been the same with all the young boys.

“He’s played at the very top, he’s been there and seen it all so having someone like him to play alongside and learn from is brilliant.

“He’s been great to have around the changing-room too.

“It will be up to him whether he wants to stay because he’s got the quality, but it’ll be down to him what he does and whether he’s playing here next year.

“He gives us that bit of extra quality from that left foot – it’s something else.”