EIRCOM LEAGUE DIVISION ONE

4th September

Kilkenny 1

DAVID WALSH [PEN] 72

Dundalk 2

DAVID WARD 1

BRIAN MORRIS-ROE 20

Dundalk wins lately have been something of a rarity. Despite our great and illustrious history this win will have come as something of a suprise to a lot of people. Not least the Dundalk travelling supporters. Looking at the fixture list at the start of the season you would have thought that Kilkenny would be the first serious challenge. How wrong we were. They now sit below us, we move up a couple of places and back into the pack, oh the glory of mid table obscurity. If we can take the three points against Monaghan next Sunday this could be the start of the charge, but lets not get ahead of ourselves, we did that last February and ended up where we are now.

Dundalk made two changes from last Sundays team, Paul Whelan who will be out for six weeks with broken ribs joined Mark Reid in the stand as Tom McNulty returned into midfield with Melvin dropping back to defence. Brian Morris-Roe came into the left wing position to replace Michael Harte. Gavin Moore and David Ward kept their places up front with new signing Terry Kavanagh on the bench.

Before having time to adjust to the surroundings Dundalk were 1-0 up. As the ball was headed about in midfield as usual the ball fell to David Ward who from 35 yards hit a speculative shot which sailed over Robert Forde and went into the net. Home and away fans were stunned alike. It is not known whether the player meant it or not but as far as Dundalk fans are concerned, what does it matter. Dundalk had all the play for the next 20 minutes with Sharkey dangerous down the right and numerous chances created. Morris-Roe got in behind the Kilkenny defence at times and caused problems as well with McNulty and Hoey coming forward. This concentrated spell of pressure would culminate with a superb second goal after 20 minutes.

It all started with a Dundalk throw inside their own half, the ball was thrown to Hoey who laid it off to Whyte who picked out Ward inside the Kilkenny half with a superb low pass, Ward turned and slipped the ball past the last line of Kilkenny defenders with a lovely pass into the path of Brian Morris-Roe who on the run hit a superb twenty yard cracker which went quite beautifully into the top right corner of the net. Heaven for Dundalk fans.

However Dundalk had to come down to earth pretty soon as Kilkenny awoke and had some good spells of pressure, in fact they could have made it 2-1 soon after when Trevor Vaughan headed a Davy Walsh cross past the stranded Murphy but Melvin headed off the line. Murphy also made a great save soon after from Vaughan as Dundalk rode their luck. John Sharkey left the fray on 36 minutes, apparently injured and to be replaced by new signing Terry Kavanagh, a tall striker who had to start on the right wing. He put David Hoey through soon after with a deft header but Hoey like last week took the ball too wide and left himself with an impossible angle. He put the ball wide. Kilkenny had more of the play after this but half time came with Dundalk 2-0 ahead.

It wasn't that Dundalk were letting it slip, they just relaxed on their lead which could have been a fatal error, Melvin and Staunton were outstanding at the back despite Melvin giving away some dangerous free kicks. Kilkenny started to spread the ball around and get crosses in. Dundalk attacks became all the more scarce and neither Moore nor Ward could hold onto the ball up front, in fact both were ineffective in the second half. Kilkenny could have scored when Murphy made a fine one handed save from Vaughan while Kilkennys best chance before their goal was when a cross from the left evaded everyone and came to Paul Scully who with a clear chance shot over. Kilkenny weren't long getting back into it. Murphy came too far and was judged to have fouled the Kilkenny attacker as he made his way into the box after a hopeful long ball . The volatile Davy Walsh who was lucky to be still on the pitch at that stage made no mistake from the spot sending Murphy the wrong way. For the five minutes after the goal Kilkenny threatened but after that they left spaces at the back for Dundalk to break forward and Dundalk really should have made it three.

Dundalk replaced Moore with Flanagan and Delaney. Flanagan moved into centre midfield with Hoey out on the right and Kavanagh moving up front alongside Ward. Kavanagh did well up front, holding onto possession well. In fact after he held the ball up and gave it to McNulty his pass put Morris-Roe clean through on goal but Forde advanced and made a wonderful save at his feet from 10 yards. Kilkenny punted long balls forward but it was now Noel Melvin stood out at the back with Staunton backing him up and Whyte and Crawley doing well on either side. Number three could and should have came just on 90 minutes when indecision between defender and keeper saw Ward nip in between the two, tap it past Forde but was clearly tripped by the Kilkenny keeper, blatant foul but remarkably a goal kick was given. A disgraceful decision which incensed the tense Eviston so much that he walked all the way up the touchline to castigate the linesman. The linesman reported the comments to the ref who sent Eviston from the dugout. However this was to be Dundalks' day. They held on for the three minutes of added time and secured their first three points of the season

For Dundalk the keeper and back four were all good, with Melvin standing out. Morris-Roe showed some exciting touches but again Moore disappointed and Kavanagh looks a better player. McNulty did well in midfield with Hoey prominent at times. Flanagan was lively on his debut and got involved. The crucial thing is that Dundalk won, the goals were memorable was well and leaves all Dundalk fans with fond memories of Kilkenny. This result will send out a signal to the other First Division clubs that Dundalk are on their way. It's about time too.

DUNDALK FC

1 Brendan Murphy 8

2 John Whyte 7

3 David Crawley 7

4 Tom McNulty 7

5 Padraig Staunton 9

6 Noel Melvin 9

7 John Sharkey 6

8 David Hoey 6

9 Gavin Moore 5

10 David Ward 6

11 Brian Morris-Roe 7

SUBS

13 Terry Kavanagh 6 for Sharkey

15 John Flanagan 6 for Moore