Kenny delighted with back to back wins

Dundalk finally managed to end their barren run at Oriel Park on Friday evening with a 2-0 win against Cork City. Goals in the final 15 minutes from John Mountney and Patrick Hoban gave the Lilywhites a deserved three points. Speaking to extratime.ie after the match, Dundalk manager Stephen Kenny was understandably delighted with the result.

"I'm absolutely delighted. Delighted with the second half performance in particular. Certain aspects of the first half were good. We did some good things but we were careless as well in that first half. In the second half, we were comprehensively the better team. We played with a lot of fluency before the goal and it looked like it wasn't going to come but then it did and we're pleased with how it did through John Mountney.

"Then a nice finish from Patrick Hoban got his first goal for Dundalk which is great for him but overall, it's a great victory."

The former Shamrock Rovers boss was full of praise for his defence who he feels have given away some cheap goals this season but is delighted with how they played in the last two matches, keeping clean sheets in both.

"The main thing for us has been our defending. We have given away some cheap goals this year. Matches that we have been much the better team but have been let down by our defending. We've drawn and lost matches this season because of our defending. The first half against Derry City we were excellent and should have got something. The two games against Bohemians and Cork City we haven't conceded a chance in either game. 

"Earlier in the season even when we were winning we were giving away too many chances. Now, we have defended better in the last two games and the players are getting used to playing with each other now."

At the full-time whistle, the 41 year-old was visibly overjoyed by the win and made it clear that winning gives him great satisfaction.

"I enjoy every win. It's so hard to win games in this league. There are so many draws and it's hard to get them into wins. When you have a defeat it hurts so much. It has an impact on every aspect of your life. When you win matches, you must get satisfaction. If you don't enjoy them, then you shouldn't be in this game. You have to enjoy them, absolutely!"

Dundalk managed to win two league games in a row for the first time in almost two years and the Dublin native confessed that it was not good enough before vowing that the side have to go and win again next week against Bray Wanderers.

"It is the first time this year that we have put back-to-back wins together and we were talking about it the other day. It's not good enough to win one match and not back it up. We can't just win, get satisfaction out of it, and not win next week. So we have to rectify that but it is easier said than done. 

There haven't been many teams can win matches back-to-back. Sligo went on a run there that seemed like forever when they won a few but not many teams do it. We need to that and back it up again away to Bray."