EIRCOM LEAGUE DIVISION ONE

10th October

Dundalk 2

DAVID WARD 67

BRIAN HONAN 76

Home Farm Fingal 0

David Ward has taken plenty of criticism from Dundalk fans in the past year. On this site I have been scathing in my comments towards him at times, especially in the latter half of last season and the first five games this season. Much of this criticism was aimed at Ward because he was such a capable player who just didn't seem to be interested or maybe just wasn't physically strong enough. However in his last four games he has finally begun to show his full potential. He was by far the best player on the pitch today and lifted a stuttering Dundalk to a 2-0 performance against Home Farm. His power and touch up front gave Home Farm problems for the whole 90 minutes and certainly had his critics eating their words. It all stems from confidence. After scoring 3 goals in 3 games he felt that no-one could stop him today.

It was to be the same team that started against Bray that would line out on this typical October afternoon in front of a smaller crowd than the crowd that turned up for the Athlone game. Home Farm had signed Kevin Brady prior to this game but he was not involved in proceedings.

The first half was dull and non descript. Dundalk were taking it easy. There was almost an arrogant air about them. Sure they tried things that didn't work and at times they were a bit ropey in defence but it never really looked like Home Farm would score. It just seemed like Dundalk were waiting to get that goal which would kill of the game. David Hoey was the most prominent Dundalk player in the first half but for reasons he would like to forget as he had plenty of the ball but was wasteful when he had it. Hoey does not look to be fit yet. On his day he is one of our more influential players going forward and has the talent to go past players with raw strength and pace. However his lack of fitness takes that quality away from his game so he ended up looking totally jaded out on the wing and was eventually replaced in the second half by Delaney. Morris-Roe had a poor first half on the left while Brian Honan was trying without success up front. Ward, however, was full of enthusiasm and gave the Home Farm defence plenty of problems. Chances were few and far between in the first half. Ex-Dundalk trialist Paddy Doyle had a half chance for Home Farm while Dundalk's best chances came from corners and set pieces and a scramble on the edge of the box towards the end of the half saw Whyte, Ward and Hoey all having chances to shoot but having their shots blocked.

As was the case in Bray, Dundalk started the second half very brightly. They came out looking for the kill and had their best spell of play soon after. Home Farm's physical central defenders Brendan Place and John Costigan had to cope with the aerial threat of Honan and the trickery of Ward which led to some late challenges. Both were lucky not to be sent off and both ended up being substituted with self inflicted injuries. Dundalk were camped in the Farm half and Tom McNulty had several long range efforts in the half which did not unduly threaten the Home Farm keeper. One cross that did though was when a Whyte cross from the right was coming towards the six yard box where Honan jumped with the keeper and bundled the ball into the net but was adjudged to have fouled the keeper. Rather like the earlier games where the ball just wouldn't go in Dundalk had plenty of corners and free kicks. Home Farm nearly scored an own goal when Costigan nearly turned a Honan header into his own net in clearing it away from the onrushing Melvin. Inevitably the goal came from a set piece. A free kick from Crawley was fired into the penalty box and onto the head of Padraig Gollogley who headed with power and past the keeper but onto the crossbar. The ball came back off the bar to David Ward who on the volley fired it through the legs of Honan and past the unsighted Farm keeper to make it 1-0. Just like against Athlone ; Ward had opened the scoring on 67 minutes. Farm could not press forward for an equaliser because they were pressed back by Dundalk who wanted more goals. Ward was prominent as usual being the link between midfield and attack while Honan, who lacks pace has a deft touch when it comes to passing and richly deserved his goal on 76 minutes after all the setting up he has been doing for the past 3 weeks. This time it was Ward who returned the favour by tigerishly holding off and then rounding two Home Farm players in a seemingly impossible situation on the endline. He made his way into the box and pulled the ball back for Honan who had the simplest of tasks in sidefooting it high past Whelan and into the top corner of the net. His shot actually hit the stanchion and caused confusion for a nervous few seconds as some thought it may have hit the bar as it came back straight away. It was a deserved goal for Honan but all the work of Ward. Dundalk had half chances to make it three. Sloppy passing in the last third by Dundalk was the reason for this but by now Dundalk and Farm knew that Dundalk had it in the bag. Connolly hadn't much to do in the ninety minutes.

Dundalk's best performers aside from Ward were again the back four who dealt well with any threats from Home Farm with Melvin particularly impressive. McNulty and Flanagan again did well in midfield in the second half while Honan who had a frustrating opening hour making up for it in the last 30 minutes. This win was Dundalk's fourth in a row and first two goal victory in Oriel since October last year. Things are certainly looking up for Terry Eviston and his players as winning is becoming a habit and his men did not have to be at their best to win.

However the star of the show was Ward who has a new found confidence about him. Goals in four consecutive games will only increase this confidence and one wouldn't bet against him keeping this up against St Francis next Friday night.

DUNDALK FC

1 John Connolly 6

2 John Whyte 6

3 David Crawley 6

4 Tom McNulty 7

5 Padraig Gollogley 7

6 Noel Melvin 8

7 David Hoey 5

8 John Flanagan 7

9 David Ward 9

10 Brian Honan 7

11 Brian Morrisroe 6

SUBS

13 Derek Delaney 6 for Hoey

14 David Martin

15 Michael Gahan

16 Paddy Quinn

17 Ollie Ralph