THEY’RE THE ONLY undefeated team in the Premier Division this season but there’s still much more to come from defending champions Dundalk.
That’s the verdict of defender Brian Gartland, who captained his side to a 1-0 victory against Cork City on Friday night.
Dundalk have defied the injury absences of key midfield trio Chris Shields, Robbie Benson and Patrick McEleney to ensure that Vinny Perth has yet to experience defeat in a competitive game since taking over as head coach.
However, in the early stages of their bid to retain the title, the Lilywhites find themselves seven points adrift of an in-form Shamrock Rovers outfit who have benefitted from playing two games more than their rivals.
After five consecutive seasons of battling with Cork City, the initial signs in this campaign suggest that Dundalk are likely to face fresh competition if another two-horse race develops. However, Gartland isn’t concerned by Rovers’ promising start, which has seen them collect 22 points from a possible 27.
“To be honest, I don’t care,” he said of the Hoops’ seven-point buffer, which Dundalk will have the opportunity to reduce with their two games in hand.
“We look after ourselves. They can do what they want. Cork aren’t out of it and we’re not out of it. We have two games in hand. Rovers got a couple of [Finn] Harps games moved forward and it obviously paid off for them. But we don’t worry about other teams.
“I say it every year but we look after ourselves. At the end of the year, if you’ve looked after yourselves and you get your results, you’ll be there and you’ll be champions. But if you’re not, you haven’t done enough.”
When asked if he expects Rovers to sustain a title challenge this year, having struggled to establish consistency in recent seasons, Gartland said: “Like I said, I don’t really want to talk about them. I don’t talk about other teams. We look after ourselves.”
Both Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers face difficult challenges on the road this Friday night. Four days after winning in Inchicore in the EA Sports Cup, the champions return to Richmond Park to play St Patrick’s Athletic. Stephen Bradley’s side go to Cork, looking for their first win at Turner’s Cross since 2013.
Despite beginning life after Stephen Kenny by being held to draws by Sligo Rovers and Finn Harps, Gartland has been satisfied with what Dundalk have produced so far under Vinny Perth, particularly in the context of so many notable absentees.
“It’s a brilliant start for him [Vinny Perth] and for all of us,” said the 32-year-old central defender. “It’s been a great season so far. I think we’re only at about two-thirds of our potential reach. We’ve got so much more to give, so much more to do and so much more to improve on.
“We’re going nicely but we’re not content and we’re not set in our ways. There’s a lot more to come from us and we’re hoping to show that over the next month or two.”
– Reporting by Keith Wallace
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Here we go , 4 in a row.
Poor enough game and poor performance from Rovers, but after the intensity of the derby on Friday it is probably excusable. Great 3 points though on the road to title number 21. #mindthegap
Derry came for a belly tiddle and went home with their bellies tiddled.
The defending for the goal was criminal, 4 players around Gaffney but Boyce who’s half his size was the only one who’d tried to get a tackle in. The Derry keeper was poor for the goal as well, too slow to react.
May as well call the season off, nobody is gonna catch Rovers now.
KOH