League Report: Dundalk 4 - 0 Bray Wanderers

 

Surprisingly it wasn’t the rainfall that broke records; it was Dundalk’s first time ever winning back to back titles. Furthermore, they set a club record for goals scored in a single season and Richie Towell equalled Glen Crowe’s season tally of 25 league goals. 

 

The league champions grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck before the clock managed to hit double digits: They were 1-0 up after just five minutes through Ciaran Kilduff. Daryl Horgan pinged a fantastic crossfield ball that found Darren Meenan’s run, he cut into the box and squared for Kilduff who couldn’t miss.

 

It was 2-0 after nine minutes, Horgan turned goalscorer this time. Richie Towell’s ambitious through ball looked to be snuffed out by the Bray defence but Horgan was dogged and stole the ball back inside the box, he reacted quickly to poke home past former Dundalk ‘keeper Peter Cherrie. 

 

Bray must have been sweating there could be a repeat of their 8-1 rout at the same venue earlier in the year. They dusted themselves off and worked their socks off to contain Dundalk At times their high pressing game was successful in keeping Dudalk at bay, when that didn’t work and the Lilywhites broke with whip-cracking passing, fortune favoured the Seasiders. 

 

The rain hurtled down in the second half and plenty of passes were misplaced as a result. Dundalk were sloppier all over and they just lacked the threat they showed in the first half. Bray for their part seemed happy to keep the score as it was. 

 

The most exciting updates of the early second half came from elsewhere as local rivals Drogheda and played leapfrog for relegation with Limerick. There was also murmurs as to Stephen O’Donnell’s early substitution on 25 minutes. The Dundalk captain would be a big casualty ahead of next fortnight’s cup final. His return, sans limp or any outward sign of injury to collect the trophy at the end only added to fans’ confoundment. 

 

At last, the closing ten minutes rivalled the opening ten minutes for action. David McMillian replaced Kilduff and on 79 minutes, referee Paul McLaughlin deemed Niall Cooney’s shove to be worthy of a penalty. Towell faced off against former team-mate Cherrie but showed no mercy as he dispensed a rocket into the bottom right of the net. 

 

 

With time running out for the home side to set goalscoring records, despite their dominance and crafting plenty of chances. – not all that bad with the promise of a league trophy regardless of the result, but the Lilywhites smelled blood and could’t but pursue it. McMillian’s stinging shot on the 89th minute was well saved by the Seasider’s custodian in what looked to be the last clear cut chance, but there would be one more. 

 

The breakthrough came through the tenacious  Richie Towell. Meenan retrieved an overhit cross and found Towell who hit home to secure his, and his team’s, place in Oriel folklore.

 

That’s two trophies lifted in Dundalk’s last two game and that’s quite the form wanted heading into a match that could make it three for three in the season’s showpiece match: The FAI Cup Final versus Cork City. 

 

 

Dundalk FC: Gary Rogers, Sean Gannon, Brian Gartland, Andy Boyle, Dane Massey, Stephen O’Donnell (Chris Shields 25), Daryle Horgn, Ronan Finn (John Mountney 60), Richie Towell, Darren Meenan, Ciaran Kilduff ( David McMillian 71).

Subs not used: Gabriel Sava, Shane Grimes, Paddy Barrett, Kurtis Byrne.

Booked: None

 

 Bray Wanderers: Peter Cherrie, Micheal Barker, Hugh Douglas, Alan McNally, Niall Cooney, Luke Fitzpatrick (John Sullivan 45), Ryan McEvoy, Adam Hanlon, Adam Wixted (David Cassidy 45), Graham Kelly, Chris Lyons (David Sully 63).

Subs not used: Sean Fogarty, Gareth McDonagh, Luke Galagher, Daniel O’Reilly. 

Booked: None

 

Referee: Paul McLaughlin

Attendance: 3,419

Extratime.ie Man Of The Match: Richie Towell (Dundalk FC: Two second half goals to set a club record of goals in a season and individual goals scored is hard to argue with).