EIRCOM LEAGUE DIVISION ONE

23rd October

Dundalk 2

BRIAN HONAN 9

BRIAN MORRISROE 69

Limerick 0

Dundalk chalked up their sixth consecutive win against Limerick in Oriel Park tonight. This was revenge for the 2-1 defeat Dundalk suffered at the hands of the Shannonsiders early in the season. The two goalscorers for Dundalk tonight hadn't signed for the Lilywhites at the time of the Limerick game but must have known what embarassment it caused to Dundalk at that stage of the season.

Once again Dundalk were unchanged, sticking with the same side which defeated St Francis last Friday. Limerick came to Dundalk on the back of a 1-1 home draw with Home Farm.

Dundalk fans, quite large in numbers , didn't have to wait long for a first goal. A long ball from goalkeeper John Connolly deceived the Limerick centre back and hopped over him to leave Brian Honan clear on goal. As the keeper advanced Honan steadied himself and cleverly dinked it over him to make it 1-0 to the home side and this after only nine minutes. The first half was fairly uninspiring stuff. Limerick threatened only briefly on the break with their star player Bobby Ryan quite dangerous and at one stage forcing Padraig Gollogley to pull off a wonderful last ditch tackle. Apart from that though Dundalk had the majority of possession but did not pass the ball around enough and any long balls forward were easily dealt with by the physical Limerick centre halves. David Ward had a half chance saved and some dangerous crosses were put in but at half time Dundalk deserved their lead despite not asserting their superiority over their opponents.

The second half was more lively. Dundalk found spaces behind the Limerick defence as the visitors tried to be more adventurous. John Flanagan and Tom McNulty failed to stamp their authority on the game in midfield while David Hoey was quiet on the right wing so any Dundalk attacks were started with a ball up towards Ward or Honan. Morris-Roe had a poor first half but found more space on the left wing in the second with Crawley trying to get forward at every possible opportunity. Melvin and Gollogley were again outstanding at the back, ensuring Dundalk kept their fifth clean sheet in six games.

Derek Delany replaced the ineffective Hoey not long into the second half but it was around this time that Limerick got some chances to get men forward. Ironically Limerick's best attack led to Dundalk's second goal when a dangerous right wing cross caused confusion in the Dundalk defence and in the end the final shot was tame. Connolly got possession of the ball and booted it upfield where David Ward won possession and advanced into the Limerick half. Taking two defenders with him the space opened up for Brian Morrisroe and when Ward passed the ball ahead of him he took it in his stride and fired an unstoppable right footed shot from outside the box past Anthony Fyffe.

This spurred Dundalk into life and for the last 20 minutes Dundalk started to show who the promotion chasing team on the pitch was. Morrisroe and Ward who were quiet for the first 70 minutes were dominant in the last twenty with Ward causing numerous problems. The referee D Hanney was absolutely diabolical and his linesmen were no better. A terrible decision by the linesman stopped Dundalk making it three soon after when David Crawley broke through after a wonderful move but was adjudged to have been offside. Ward made four or five dangerous forays into the Limerick half in the last ten minutes as Limerick rung the changes. On one occasion he was left one and one and teased the Limerick defender before taking it past him but had his right footed shot well saved.

Ward was instrumental in the move that led up to miss of the season with two minutes left. He again darted down the left side before turning past two Limerick defenders and hit a right footed shot which was saved by Fyffe but straight into the path of Tom McNulty who unmarked somehow contrived to put the ball past the post from three yards. Ward was exhausted by his exertions and was replaced by David Martin who had very little time to show what he could do. One would worry about what will happen when Dundalk start to get injuries and suspensions if many of the squad players have not yet tasted first team football this season.

However the 2-0 win was in the end comfortable and could have indeed been much more. If McNulty had converted his chance then Dundalk would have moved up to second on goal difference but next week in Longford the Lilywhites can move out of third place if they reproduce the performance they put up against Bray. Kilkenny face Bray next Saturday night as well so it is a big night in the First Division next week. What is most important though is that Dundalk are now up there and well poised for a serious promotion challenge. It all looked so unlikely when we travelled home from Limerick earlier on in the season. This win will go some way to erase those terrible memories.

DUNDALK FC

1 John Connolly 6

2 John Whyte 7

3 David Crawley 6

4 Tom McNulty 6

5 Padraig Gollogley 8

6 Noel Melvin 8

7 David Hoey 5

8 John Flanagan 6

9 David Ward 7

10 Brian Honan 6

11 Brian Morrisroe 7

SUBS

12 Derek Delany 5 for Hoey

15 David Martin [not on long enough ] for Ward

13 Ken Larkin

14 Michael Gahan

17 Paddy Quinn