Dundalk dramatic draw felt like a win for Kenny

From Caoimhin Reilly in Alkmaar

After Dundalk’s dramatic late draw with AZ Alkmaar in the AFAS Stadion on Thursday, the Lilywhites manager Stephen Kenny was unsurprisingly full of praise for his team when he spoke to extratime.ie after the final whistle. Having come from behind, playing with a man less than their Dutch opponents for half an hour, Kenny called his team “courageous” and highlighted the importance of goalscorer Ciarán Kilduff to his team.

The elated Dundalk boss was in reflective mood having watched his team level matters a minute from full-time. “I said to the players after the game that we didn't win the game but it felt like a win,” said Kenny, “because we were 1-0 down with a goal that we probably didn't need to concede.

“Then to have our captain sent-off, to still have the belief to come back and get an equaliser. I thought my players were extremely courageous and I can't speak highly enough of them.”

The Lilywhites, who played in front of a very vocal 800 or so travelling support, put it up to the home side and got their reward with the late Kilduff goal. “AZ are a quality team. They've got a lot of pace in the team. We had some good chances tonight and didn't take them but Ciaran showed why we signed him.

“He has got a lot of important goals since he has come in. He has a fractured vertebrae and a knee ligament injury which robbed him of the game in Poland. He was a big loss for us and he showed why by coming on tonight and doing what he did.”

The Lilywhites had fallen behind to an AZ goal on the hour through Stijn Wuytens, with the goalscorer left unconscious following a clash with Gary Rogers in the process of finishing to the net.

Kenny was insistent that his players didn’t deserve to be trailing particularly following their excellent first-half showing. The Dundalk supremo also reserved special words of praise for his winger, Daryl Horgan.

“I felt our first half display had a lot of good play and some mistakes also. Daryl Horgan was exceptional, he lit the place up with a dazzling display of wing play and our passing was quite good at times.

“The second half obviously changed on the goal and the sending off (of Stephen O'Donnell). AZ looked to get a second goal a few times but out of nowhere our defenders just put their bodies on the line.

“We've had that spirit for the last three seasons and that's why we've won league titles because the players are willing to put their bodies on the line for each other. You can't win anything without that determination to fight for each other.”

The result, the first point gained by an Irish side in the history of European football, puts Dundalk in good stead to mount a challenge to progress from the group stages. The Lilywhites’ manager though played down the hype, and insists that it is still a very difficult task.

“We'll have to wait and see. We've got two home games now and after those we’ll be able to review it and we'll have a better idea then. For people in Ireland, it's very important for them to know that that's not it for us. We didn't just qualify for the group and then say that's it. It doesn't have to end here.

“We want to show we can do well in the group and try to get some results and we hope that they really get behind the team against Maccabi and Zenit over the next month. It's an important result in that regard.”

Dundalk’s relentless schedule continues with two league games down for decision in the next eight days starting with Shamrock Rovers in Oriel Park on Tuesday night.

“We have a tough league campaign and we've got to go again and bounce back Tuesday and Friday. We know that we've risen to the occasion consistently. Ultimately the next team in the league are trying to beat you.

“(Our fitness) is a testament to the players and the coaching staff. Vinny (Perth) and Graham (Byrne) have been terrific.”

Kenny also showed his integrity by wishing AZ’s Stijn Wuytens the best with his recovery following his horrific clash with Gary Rogers, saying: “(His injury) didn't look great. It looked like it could have been a catastrophe but thankfully he's okay. He deserves credit because it was an incredibly brave goal that he scored. It was an exceptional goal really.”