Andy Boyle keen to improve Dundalk's poor away form

Andy Boyle says Dundalk FC must improve their away form this season, ahead of tonight’s SSE Airtricity League visit to Bohemians at Dalymount Park (kick-off, 7.45pm).

Only champions Shamrock Rovers picked up more points on their home patch than Dundalk last term, but The Lilywhites didn’t quite enjoy as much success on the road, as they recorded five losses, along with seven draws from their 18 away fixtures in 2022. 

Dalymount did, however, provide a happy hunting ground last year for Dundalk, who collected four from a possible six points there; drawing 2-2 exactly one year ago, before narrowly defeating The Gypsies 1-0 last August – a game in which Boyle was red-carded.

Bohs now have a new manager in Declan Devine, and were the only Premier Division side to win over the opening weekend, as they beat Cork City 2-1 away from home.

“It’s a good result, a good start for them,” Boyle said to The Democrat after Dundalk’s 1-1 home draw with UCD last Friday.

“It’s a long season. It’s one of them things. It’s a disappointing night, but we’ll get to sit down and we’ll be ready to go for next Friday. I’m sure it will probably be a sell-out and stuff like that, so it will be a great game to play.”

The Lilywhites do come into this fixture on the back of winning their two most recent away matches, dating back to last season against Finn Harps (2-1) and Derry City (1-0), and Boyle would love to see his team carry that same momentum into the new campaign.

“It’s something we spoke about as a group,” he added. “We want to lay down a marker. It’s a great chance for us to go there and get going for the season away from home.”

With head coach Stephen O’Donnell already publicising his aims of qualifying for Europe once again this season, Boyle refused to be drawn into any talk of a potential title charge.

“Internally, we’ve set our own aims, but we’re not going to go shouting them from the rooftops. We’ve got a good group there. We’ve seen it in bits and spells tonight, it’s marrying it all together.

“There’s a lot of new players getting used to the gaffer and the coach’s way of playing, but I think we’ll be fine. We’ll be there or thereabouts.”

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New signings Archie Davies, Louie Annesley and Hayden Muller all made their full debuts in the back four alongside Boyle for the UCD game, while Connor Malley and substitute Cameron Elliott also got their first taste of League of Ireland football.

And the one-time Republic of Ireland senior player Boyle, 31, who should surpass 300 appearances for the club in 2023, has been heavily impressed with their output since arriving.

“They’ve all settled in really well, even off the pitch and stuff like that. They’re good characters, which helps. They’re willing to work hard, and they all got bright futures.”