EIRCOM LEAGUE DIVISION ONE

30th January

Cobh Ramblers 0

Dundalk 3

TONY IZZI 40, 85

PAUL WHELAN 47

St Colmans Park has turned out to be a very kind ground to Dundalk this season. Back in September a 1-0 win gave the Lilywhites a real kick start into good form after a demoralising and simply awful home defeat against Monaghan the previous week. Coming into this game the visitors were in exactly the same situation and again came away with all three points. If this kickstarts Dundalk into another run of victories, then St Colmans Park will again be remembered as the turning point of the season.

Terry Eviston, who has made some poor selections in the last few weeks finally gave the team a proper overhaul in certain areas. Brian Morrisroe, so talented but so inconsistent was dropped after a shocking run of form. Paddy Quinn was introduced onto the left wing. John Sharkey, who has probably been the teams best outfield players in the last three weeks was dropped because of the likely physical nature of the game. Finally, John Flanagan and David Hoey were moved into central midfield to play alongside each other. When the pair have started in central midfield, Dundalk have never lost. Paul Campbell lined up on the right side of midfield, with Padraig Staunton reintroduced at right back.

The first half hour was very dull. A driving wind, in Cobhs favour during the opening half was having an impact on matters and playing conditions were difficult. The Dundalk defence was ragged during this time as high balls were causing confusion. Pat Keane definitely should have scored after 9 minutes when released by Paul Coughlan. Staunton was exposed as Keane got in behind him but Connolly came out to save. Wild efforts from Paul Coughlan and Wille Bruton did not trouble Connolly in this period while Keane again came close with a volley from outside the box. These were all ambitious efforts but luckily for Dundalk none of them sailed in. The space which Cobh were having was worrying. However Dundalk were not without chances. After winning a corner, the visitors got forward in numbers and Paul Whelan and John Flanagan both spurned good shooting chances. Tony Izzi looked lively whenever he got the ball on the ground while David Ward was also playing well, despite getting booked early on for a rash challenge. He diced with danger five minutes late when getting into a skirmish with a Cobh defender but escaped a second yellow card at the time. In fact it was to be the Izzi-Ward partnership that were the orchestrators of the opening goal that came out of the blue somewhat on 40 minutes. A ball up to the Dundalk area held in the air but Tony Izzi managed to get a crucial flick onto Ward who from inside the box shot at Donegan who parried his effort but only into the path of Izzi who had continued his run and with clinical accuracy fired home with his left foot first time from 8 yards. At half time the Lilywhites went in one up after playing into the wind in the opening half.

The wind was definitely a crucial factor in the second goal which came after half time. A free kick was awarded 25 yards out and while David Crawley put enough on it with his left foot to get it over the wall the wind gave the shot extra pace and it rattled off the crossbar and into the path of John Flanagan who mishit his shot into the path of Paul Whelan who turned it past John Donegan from six yards. Suddenly in a game which looked like it was going to be tight, Dundalk had established a two goal lead. Cobh created half chances after that but in truth never really threatened the away goal with any real danger until after the third goal. John Flanagan was outstanding in the centre of the park, proving to be a real addition to the side in that area. Paddy Quinn was also doing very well on the left side of midfield and while his touch was not that of a left winger he used his strength to give the Cobh defenders nightmares. He is definitely going to be a big addition to the side in the coming months and his emergence alone is like a new signing. David Hoey did not play spectacularly well but won some good possession at vital times and is the perfect partner for Flanagan. David Crawley returned to something like his form before Christmas with a good display and was unlucky not to score from a free kick five minutes after the second goal and nearly in an identical position. He forced Donegan into making a vital save. Tony Izzi, ironically was responsible for the miss of the season midway through the period and possibly the miss which inspired him to his magical third goal. The miss came about when David Ward who seems to always play well here chased down John Donegan after a poor backpass from a home defender. Ward won possession and pulled the ball back into the path of Izzi who with only a Cobh defender on the line to beat fired over the crossbar when he had space either side to make it three nil and put the game beyond doubt. However a comeback was not to be forthcoming.

Izzi in fact played even better after the embarassment of his open goal miss. He did not waste the ball when he got it and made space for himself with his good first touch, bringing Flanagan and Hoey into the game. On the far side Paul Campbell did not really get into the game in the second half but battled hard and covered back to help Padraig Staunton. However Staunton's part in the game would end on 75 minutes. His exit was preceded by the sending off of David Ward seven minutes earlier. He seemed to lunge into a tackle but did not make contact with a player. Whether it was for showing his studs is debatable but he received a second yellow card and made the walk down the tunnel. Staunton then turned over on his ankle after 75 minutes and was replaced by Padraig Gollogley at right back. The extent of Stauntons injury is unknown but it looked serious at the time. Now down to ten men the emphasis was on not giving away the lead, however Mr Izzi had other ideas and five minutes from time popped up with a goal worthy of any arena. Picking the ball up at halfway he tried to beat two Cobh defenders who tried to hack him down. All three players ended up on the ground but Izzi rose and emerged with the ball and set off on a darting run on his own into the Cobh half. Flanagan made a decoy run as the Italian weaved past two defenders and shot brilliantly past John Donegan into the top left half corner of the net to send the travelling support and the bench into raptures. Izzi is going be the most crucial player in Dundalks quest for promotion and his performance on the day was all the more admirable because he played the match with his hamstring heavily strapped. He came over with 2 minutes left and told Eviston to replace him, which he did with Brian Honan. Izzi has his sights firmly set on another former club, Limerick , next Friday. Cobh had several chances in the last few seconds and could easily have scored but a clean sheet was pleasingly attained after the referee blew up after 8 minutes of injury time.

This win, probably because it seemed to so unlikely could give the side an immediate confidence boost. All over the park there were heroes on the day with Izzi the star aided by Flanagan, Melvin and even Paddy Quinn. While the defence still lacks the solidness it had earlier in the season, players such as Paul Whelan are suited to a tight pitch and found it easier to cope with the pace of the disappointing Paul Coughlan than they would in the vast areas in Oriel Park.

Definitely, this trip could be the one that gives Dundalk's promotion hopes the shot up the arm they needed. Those who had given up hope after last weeks debacle will look at the League table and wonder why they gave up so easily. There are 13 games and 39 points to play for and this side, is more than capable of doing it. This Fridays game in Limerick could again lay the foundations for another winning run, a further two games in the following seven days against Athlone and Bray could be significant in the long run. For the moment however, Dundalk fans can bask in the magical moments they enjoyed over the weekend and that marvellous third goal by Tony Izzi.

DUNDALK FC

1 John Connolly 7

2 Padraig Staunton 6

3 David Crawley 7

4 David Hoey 7

5 Paul Whelan 7

6 Noel Melvin 8

7 John Flanagan 8

8 Paul Campbell 6

9 David Ward 7

10 Tony Izzi 9

11 Paddy Quinn 7

SUBS

14 Padraig Gollogley 6 for Staunton

15 Brian Honan 6 for Izzi