FAI CUP SECOND ROUND

8th January

Kilkenny 1

JOHNATHAN PRIZEMAN 62

Dundalk 1

DAVID HOEY 29

Dundalk came away from Buckley Park for the second time this season with a satisfying result after a 1-1 draw in this Cup tie will see both sides return to Oriel Park on Wednesday for the second of three meetings between the sides in a week. While before the game the result would have been more than satisfactory, at half time it did not look like a replay would be required as the visitors looked to be well on top. However, just like the League game in September, Kilkenny raised their game in the second period and laid siege to the Dundalk goal.

Two enforced changes were made to the visiting side that triumphed 4-1 over Longford in Oriel Park last Monday. John Connolly is cup tied so Brendan Murphy made his first start since September while Padraig Staunton missed out with flu, and was replaced in the right back berth by Paul Campbell. Kilkenny had several injuries, and lost one of their strikers early in the first half and he was replaced by Johnathan Prizeman, who was later to be the hero.

The visitors started the brighter however and got on top of Kilkenny in the early stages. Tony Izzi continued from where he left off last Monday by showing some deft touches up front and holding up the ball to allow John Sharkey and the other Dundalk midfielders to move forward. Sharkey was especially prominent in the opening 20 minutes where he made some promising raids down the right hand side. He could even have put Dundalk ahead after 15 minutes when he again showed his ability to be in the right place at the right time. Brian Morrisroe, who was otherwise very disappointing found some room on the left wing and swung in a deep cross to the far post where Sharkey was totally unmarked. The ball was dropping nicely onto his head but he elected to try and control it and the chance was gone. David Ward did not cover himself in glory on the evening either, showing neither the touch or pace which has troubled First Division defences all season. He was well marked by Kilkenny but on the few occasions which he broke away he hesitated and squandered good chances, notably in the first period when he had two clear shooting opportunities. The first came when he was left with one Kilkenny defender to beat but instead of shooting when he made the opening he elected to try and round the defender again and the chance was gone. On the other occasion he again stopped when the shot was on and passed the ball to Sharkey. In defence of Ward, both chances fell on his left foot which would not be his favoured foot, in fact it was typical of the luck Dundalk had in the penalty area all evening that none of the good chances created fell to Izzi or even to Ward on his right foot. The lead goal came on 29 minutes and it was another good team effort, inspired by Tony Izzi. Picking the ball up from John Flanagan near the endline he made space for himself with a quick first touch and showing good strength he held off his marker and managed to slide the ball into the penalty box into the path of David Hoey who steered the ball home with his right foot past stranded Kilkenny keeper Robert Forde. Again this goal showed how Izzi's touch allowed the Dundalk midfielders to make forays forward. More chances came for Dundalk during the last fifteen minutes in the half and it even looked as though Kilkenny could be heading for a thrashing. Unfortunately for the large travelling support, not one of these chances were converted despite players getting into some wonderful positions and when Kilkenny went in at half time, they knew that they were lucky to be going in only one goal down.

The first five minutes of the second half saw Dundalk again on top. The insurance goal should have come at the end of this period where a cross from the left dropped invitingly in the area to David Ward but from eight yards with just Forde to beat he scuffed his shot, again with his left foot. This gave Kilkenny hope that maybe this could be their evening and they started to push forward in numbers and began to make inroads into the Dundalk half. Morrisroe and Sharkey faded from the game and Paul Campbell who had a good first half at right back had to retire injured and was replaced by Padraig Gollogley who slotted in at an unfamiliar position of right back. Kilkennys chance to get back into the game came on 62 minutes after a free kick was awarded outside the visitors box, 20 yards from the goal. Johnathan Prizeman stood up and hit a cracking shot to the top left handed corner of the goals beyond Brendan Murphy. Murphy had looked rusty in the first period and did not inspire confidence in his defence but he did not stand a chance with this effort which woke up the Kilkenny fans who had been almost deathly silent before that, with only an occasional chant coming from the Kilkenny fans behind the goal which the Cats were attacking in the second half.

After the goal, the forward players with Dundalk were virtual spectators and when the ball came up to them possession was lost and the Kilkenny attack continued again. Paul Whelan was outstanding in the centre of the Dundalk defence with the 37 year old more suited to the tighter confines of Buckley Park as his pace was not brought under scrutiny. In fact he was the Lilywhites' best performer on the day and performed heroics in the last 20 minutes, along with Melvin. John Flanagan was again very impressive in the centre of midfield which is without a shadow of a doubt his best position. David Hoey came back into the game later on and for the last ten minutes helped Dundalk to block any potential Kilkenny attacks. For all the Kilkenny possession however Brendan Murphy did not have to make any crucial saves with the defending of Whelan and Melvin and also Gollogley blocking them from getting a shot in. Frustratingly for the defenders when they cleared the ball away it was coming straight back at them and Terry Eviston decided to replace David Ward with Anto Reilly so Dundalk would have a taller outlet to aim for when clearing the ball. Reilly was not effective in that respect but in his time on the pitch, he squandered an opportunity which could have put Dundalk into the next round. Again Tony Izzi was involved, getting a rare chance to have the ball at his feet in the second half. He slotted a through ball to Reilly with 10 minutes left but the striker miscontrolled when he only had Forde to beat and allowed the keeper to come out and win the ball. Kilkenny forced several corners in the final minutes but the Dundalk defence cleared them all and had time to make some more breaks up field with one notable burst forward from David Hoey eventually ending up with a wild Brian Morrisroe shot that was way off the mark and ended up closer to the corner flag than the intended target. The game was destined to end in a draw and with honours even, both teams will have to do it again in Oriel Park on Wednesday

This was definitely a game of two halves, Dundalk should have had the game sewn up by half time but when they let that opportunity slip away Kilkenny got back into it and should have turned possession into goalscoring chances in the second period although were it not for the Dundalk defence, Whelan in particular then maybe the second goal would have been scored. John Flanagan was the best Dundalk midfielder on the night while David Hoey made some good forward runs and may score more goals like he did in this match if his form continues. Izzi, while tiring later on in the match showed he is the most dangerous forward in this Division when given a few seconds with the ball at his feet. This was a let off for Dundalk and another warning that complacency while in the lead can cost you dearly. If Dundalk create the same amount of chances on Wednesday and the chances fall to the right people then progression into the draw for the next round is definitely within the capabilites of this Dundalk side.

DUNDALK FC

1 Brendan Murphy 6

2 Paul Campbell 7

3 David Crawley 7

4 John Sharkey 6

5 Paul Whelan 9

6 Noel Melvin 8

7 David Hoey 7

8 John Flanagan 8

9 David Ward 5

10 Tony Izzi 7

11 Brian Morrisroe 5

SUBS

13 Padraig Gollogley 7 for Campbell

17 Anto Reilly 5 for Ward