Dundalk 3
Shamrock Rovers 2
Keith Wallace reports from Oriel Park
MICHAEL DUFFY RIFLED in a Goal of the Season contender as Dundalk put the seal on a record-breaking campaign in style by clinching their fifth SSE Airtricity League Premier Division title in six years with a 3-2 win over Shamrock Rovers at Oriel Park on Monday night.
The champions are now unbeaten in 23 league games, a sequence including 21 wins – eclipsing their previous record which stood since the early ‘90s – and it’s a run that has seen them power 15 points clear at the top with just four games remaining.
Rovers, who had led the league race by 13 points back in mid-April, started well here, but they were rocked close to the half-hour mark after a costly mistake from Gary O’Neill. Dundalk took full advantage with Duffy’s corner hammered home by centre-half Seán Hoare.
The hosts made it 2-0 in first-half injury-time as Patrick McEleney’s cross was met by a brilliant header from Robbie Benson who found the net for the first time in over a year.
Rovers reduced the deficit ten minutes into the second half when Aaron Greene lifted the ball over Gary Rogers, whose run of home league clean-sheets dating back to May came to an end.
Dundalk restored their two-goal cushion four minutes later when Duffy unleashed a 25-yard rocket, a wonder-strike which appeared to make certain of the three points.
However – after Dane Massey struck the post – Rovers responded once again through Aaron McEneff’s deflected shot. McEneff went close a 91st-minute equaliser but Rogers produced a superb save and then Seán Gannon cleared off the line as Dundalk got the job done with a month to spare.
Vinny Perth had recalled Hoare, Massey and McEleney to his team in three changes from Friday’s 1-0 win over Waterford, as Andy Boyle, Dean Jarvis and match-winner from the RSC Daniel Kelly dropped out.
Stephen Bradley also brought in three fresh faces, following their scoreless draw with Saint Patrick’s Athletic at Tallaght Stadium. Ex-Lilywhite Ronan Finn, McEneff and O’Neill came in for Ethan Boyle, Greg Bolger and Dylan Watts.
Rovers, wearing pink, started brightly but in the opening 10 minutes they could only manage tame attempts from McEneff and Graham Burke.
McEleney tried to spark Dundalk into action and his left-wing cross was headed into the path of Jamie McGrath on the edge of the box but, off-balance, the ball flew off target.
The Hoops almost hit the front on the quarter-hour when Jack Byrne’s corner went all the way to Burke at the back post. He picked out Roberto Lopes in the centre but, with a free shot, he fired over the bar.
There were some handbags after that following a foul on O’Neill by Daniel Cleary, who went into the book along with Burke and home captain Patrick Hoban.
Dundalk’s 28th-minute lead came following a gift from O’Neill, who sloppily conceded possession close to his own box, with the former UCD midfielder recovering to block McEleney’s shot behind for a corner. From Duffy’s pinpoint delivery, Hoare struck a bullet header past Alan Mannus.
It was 2-0 in the only added minute at the end of the half. McEleney swung in a delightful left-footed cross which was met by a stunning header from Benson, who will have enjoyed this even more having endured such a frustrating season through injury.
Rovers found a way back into the game 10 minutes into the second half when Seán Kavanagh opened the Dundalk defence with a well-placed through-ball for Greene to run onto and he lifted the ball over Rogers.
Dundalk made it 3-1 four minutes later when Duffy produced a moment of magic as he struck an unstoppable shot past Mannus.
Massey almost added a fourth but his strike bounced back off the upright, and then Rovers got back into the game when McEneff’s strike from the edge of the box took a deflection on the way to the net.
Dundalk nearly killed their rivals off on 85 minutes when substitutes Seán Murray and Daniel Kelly combined, but the latter’s drilled shot was touched behind by Mannus at his near post.
Rovers threw everything at Dundalk in the final moments, with McEneff’s strike met by a super save from Rogers, who was then relieved to see Gannon clear Lopes’ header off the line, as the Louth men were crowned champions for the 14th time.
DUNDALK: Gary Rogers; Seán Gannon, Daniel Cleary, Seán Hoare, Dane Massey; Chris Shields, Robbie Benson (Seán Murray 68); Jamie McGrath, Patrick McEleney (Daniel Kelly 78), Michael Duffy; Patrick Hoban (c) (Georgie Kelly 87).
SHAMROCK ROVERS: Alan Mannus; Lee Grace, Roberto Lopes, Daniel Lafferty; Ronan Finn, Aaron McEneff, Gary O’Neill (Brandon Kavanagh 79), Seán Kavanagh; Jack Byrne, Graham Burke (Dylan Watts 75), Aaron Greene.
Referee: Paul McLaughlin (Monaghan)
As a Mayo fan I’m actually happy with what they are doing
@Oisin Walsh: it’s great. FairPlay to them. 9000 is plenty for a game like that. I think Mayo have roughly 4000 season tickets so plenty for home team
Its not going to just effect Kildare and Mayo it’ll also effect Tyrone and Cavan because there’s no way that are being taken to croke park on their own. Gaa needs to get the finger out and move that game to newbridge and Cavan v Tyrone to clones. Instead you have 4 teams in limbo not knowing what’s going on
@Mel Roberts: that would make sense at this stage in all fairness. Will be interesting to see how it pans out!
@Joe Kennedy: I doubt HQ will move on it. I don’t think mayo will give a Monkey’s where the game is played and Kildare are entitled to their home advantage. Madness taking Cavan and Tyrone away down there as well, they’d get 20000 in clones on a Saturday evening for it especially with the weather predicted for the weekend.
@Mel Roberts: I would have to agree really. Clones an obvious choice for the Ulster game for sure too.
@Joe Kennedy: 17s are playing monaghan in Armagh on Saturday. Double header maybe. Kildare are well in their rigth to want home advantage.
@Lorcán Coyle: both Cavan and Tyrone u17s are to play in Armagh at 5 and 7 on Saturday evening. Move the 2 under 17 games go clones along with the senior game and that solves another problem. Could have the 3 games on Saturday in clones and Cavan and Tyrone fans can seen their under 17s and seniors.
@Lorcán Coyle @mel Roberts: whole lot in Clones would work alright. Would be great atmosphere there.
@Joe Kennedy: feel like Clones won’t do it though. Would be alot for the pitch to take.
@Lorcán Coyle: ffs its the middle of summer and its one of the best surfaces in the country. It was immaculate on sunday. Its not like its 3 league games in January. I’ve been in clones where they have had a hurling game, minor football and senior football all on one day
About time someone took a stand against this type of bs
Dead right
Money grabbing clueless ba$tards up in HQ
@Paulie Little Balls: tell us what you really think of them paulie! Cmon!!
I really hope Kildare hold their ground on this. The GAA at a local level is a fantastic organisation but at the top they are increasingly behaving like a multinational corporarion in how they do things and are completely losing touch with the grassroots. Yes the finances need to be in order but at this stage its just greed, at the expense of everything the association is supposed to be about
*Corporation, better clarify that before the spelling police are on my back again
Fair play to Kildare hope they stick to their guns against the Grab All Association, this purely a money decision made by Sky to show the double header at Croke Park. Surely a neutral venue could have been found in Ulster for Cavan and Tyrone supporters and not have to travel far to see their team.
Hope the teams stand their ground, ridiculous to change it at this stage.
The GAA have been doing this for years, especially when a team is drawn out first against Dublin (not the Dubs fault) home advantage is taken and the game is then brought to Croker. I hope Kildare stick to their guns.
Ok, as a new arrival from England taking a keen interest in GAA…….wtf is it with so many games scheduled for Croke Park?
Why on earth is Kerry v Galway plus another super eight game being played there? I’d assume fans would want to get the chance to see their team on home turf where possible, not trail four hours and back up to Dublin.
And given the money that must be swilling around in the GAA why is it not possible to provide Dublin with a seaparate stadium rather than give them the home advantage of Croke for every big match?
It really is FIFAesque.
@Philip Exley: Well said Philip!
@Philip Exley: why do people stupidly have to bring in Dublin to every argument,you’re ignorance is only surpassed by your inability to spell.First of all Dublin do have a perfectly good home ground (look it up)they play in Croke park at the behest of the GAA
@Thomas Devlin: Gosh Thomas, thanks for highlighting the spelling error resulting from typing on a very senile tablet.
That apart if you’d care to re read what I wrote my argument was directed at the GAA rather than at Dublin. The fact remains that, whoever makes the decision on venue, it is unfair to everyone else that Dublin get to play all their big games on what is effectively their home pitch.
@Thomas Devlin: p.s Thomas, you might want to check your own use of grammar and spelling. It’s appalling.
@Philip Exley: as G.B.Shaw said why can’t the English teach their children how to speak? Or in your case write!
@Thomas Devlin: You are a toolbag!
@Thomas Devlin: thomas whether its at the behest of croke park or not are you seriously trying to say its not an advantage to Dublin? Its an absolute joke they get the hill to themselves on top of that. Not suggesting its in any way shape or form Dublin’s fault or doing but they are given every advantage that they don’t even need because they are so far ahead of everyone else
@Thomas Devlin: Really! You’re funny.
I came on here to impartially make a comment about a sport I enjoy and admire and from your quarter I get a childish and churlish response.
Your issue, not mine. Enjoy the chip on your shoulder.
Actually think it would benefit Kildare playing in croker, considering the injuries and mileage on the Mayo team. Either way, fair play to them for standing their ground.
Fair play to Kildare. The official draw was made, stick with it.
Fair play to them – I hope it turns out good for them – I wish waterford had the same resolve in the hurling qualifiers – Mexican stand off guaranteed at GHQ
@Brian: ah come on now. Walsh park is both a poor stadium and a poor pitch. The county board can hardly put a strong argument in when they cant put a decent county ground together. And I’d be a supporter of Waterford hurling.
This is a problem of the GAA’s own making. A big faux pas
Is anybody else’s app crashing regularly recently or is it all the dodgy stuff I’ve been downloading causing my phone to act up
@Clay Davis: develop a no porn policy
@John O Reilly: easier said than done.
Good for Kildare – about time a county took a stance !
So Mayo will come out on Saturday and the ref will throw in the ball in Croke park, if Mayo score a goal or a pint then it’s game over. Mayo could give the two fingers to GAA HQ and kick it wide on purpose… with no one to kick it out the game ends in a a 0-0 to 0-0 draw and a replay is needed
Good luck to Kildare, hope they stand firm on this. It stated quite clearly that the teams drawn first would be at home.
MEANWHILE SKY Sports are waiting in the long grass (or should that be the short grass) as they still have TBC emblazoned on their programme schedule
What next , move the game to limerick… oh wait a moment …
If Mayo have one ounce of respect they should show up in new bridge.
i don’t see it happening as mayo are so desperate at this stage to try and win sam they will accept the walkover.
thats the stuff Kildare. I’d only be delighted to see the game played in the home kildare GAA, from a mayo man.
So mayo get a walk over then!!! Or??
@tim dawson: dose mayo really want to accept a walkover and in the unlikely event of them winning sam this year have is throwing at them that they just won it as they accepted a walkover ??