League Report: Dundalk 0 - 0 Longford Town

See a slideshow of pictures from the game by Larry McQuillan here.

Longford looked like they would be undone by a first half red card but weathered a white tornado to hold Dundalk to a nil all draw in Oriel Park.

Dundalk started brightly and had much success marauding down the wings, although with half time approaching it was still scoreless. Yet, you would have fancied their chances of nipping this given their chances. Then just before the break, Mark Salmon was sent off for a robust tackle on David McMillian. It was a sure yellow but perhaps a harsh red. Had Longford capitulated in the second half, there was a sure scape goal.

The first half was characterised by Dundalk’s wide men recalibrating their passes. Early efforts worried the Longford defence but didn’t connect with anyone in a white jersey. Then there was a glut of chances around the twenty minute mark. In the space of three minutes; a fantastic piece of skill from Darly Horgan freed McMillian who drew his shot wide. Then Finn headed to the left of the goal and Meenan almost made it third time lucky when his header looked goal bound but for the heroics of netminder Paul Hunt.

Having a man sent off can make teams very difficult to break down, and that certainly seemed to be the case here. Dundalk had plenty of possession in the second half but were finding it hard to get chances of real substance. That was until the last ten minutes, when wave after wave of assaults on the away goal were repelled.

Stephen Kenny introduced both of his new strikers, Ciarán Kilduff and Seán Maguire, and both nearly had instant impacts. Kilduff was menacing and got on the end of a header which would have teed up any player rushing into the box, but on this occasion there was none. Seán Maguire got on the end of a ball yards out after Gartland headed on for him. He controlled it when maybe he should have buried it, his second touch shot was pushed away by Hunt.

Horgan, Towell, Gartland and Finn all came agonizingly close in the dying embers of the game. On another night they might have all been match winners but the Gods of football were shining on Longford’s goal it seems. Certainly Tony Cousins’ men deserve credit for their application, particularly in the second half, but they needed to be fortuitous too to take a share of the spoils tonight.

The implications of this game overshadowed the actual performance. With Cork playing tomorrow they will have a chance to shave three points off Dundalk’s seven point lead if they can dispatch with struggling Sligo Rovers.

Dundalk FC: Gary Rogers; Sean Gannon, Brian Gartland, Andy Boyle (capt), Dane Massey, Stephen O’Donnell (75 John Mountney), Richie Towell; Darren Meenan (61 Ciaran Kilduff), Ronan Finn, Daryl Horgan, David McMillan (66 Seán Maguire).

Subs not used: Kurtis Byrne, Paddy Barrett, Gabriel Sava, Chris Shields.

Booked: None.

Sent off: None.

Longford Town FC: Paul Hunt, Kevin O'Connor, Conor Powell, Stephen Rice,  Lorcan Shannon (72 Don Cowan), Pat Sullivan, Rhys Gorman, Martin Deady,Ayman Ben Mohamed (78 Kaleem Simon), Mark Salmon.

Subs not used: David O'Sullivan, Dean Kelly, Jack Doherty, Keith Beirne, Paul Skinner.

Booked: Paul Hunt, Pat Sullivan, Ayman Ben Mohamed.

Sent off: Mark Salmon.

Referee: Tomas Connolly.

Attendance: 2,709.

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Paul Hunt (Longford Town).