The Commentary Box: Lilywhites need to look at why results are poor on the road

It was Dundalk’s 16th unbeaten home game last Friday night when they beat Drogheda United 2-0 in the 171st Louth Derby at Casey’s field, a first league win in five games. It was also a rare clean sheet, as in the previous five games they had conceded 11 goals.

Yet despite their good home record, Dundalk have only won four games away from home all season. I asked Stephen O’Donnell after the game had he discovered why his team had such a poor record away from home.

The Dundalk manager turned to me and said he did not know, but it was something he and his team will be closely looking at.

There are many possible reasons, such as being without Pat Hoban in recent games, or the club deciding not to pay the required money asked by centre half Mark Connolly when his club Dundee United decided to release the Clones man and not extend his loan contract.

Dundalk’s failure to meet the money it would have taken to keep Connolly at Oriel torpedoed the club’s chances of staying in the league race and also put at serious risk their chances of making Europe.

The huge number of injuries crippled Dundalk as well, that all contributed to the poor away form. The Galway native also got his team selections wrong away from home.

His team selection and changing the shape now and again in a match contributed greatly to Dundalk’s exit from the cup in Waterford. The failure to play Ryan O’Kane in the first 60 minutes of that game was also a mistake.

The team’s confidence away from home had also started to drain since the second part of the season. Even at home the Lilywhites could only muster a draw against Shelbourne at the start of September. Friday night’s win was Dundalk’s first league win since 12th August.

But to be fair to Stephen O’Donnell he has done a good job overall this season when one looks at the fact the club nearly went out of football completely last season. But for me the new local owners must bear the responsibility for Dundalk not getting Connolly.

It was not Stephen O’Donnell’s fault. The owners must be prepared to spend bigger than they have done on players who could be key such as Mark Connolly.

The win in the 171st Louth Derby on Friday night keeps Dundalk in 3rd place and on course for Europe. It’s amazing with their slump in form that they have still got the destiny of their road to Europe in their own hands.

Pat’s defeat to Derry on Friday night brought their five-game winning streak to an end and left them five points behind Dundalk with six games to play.

Dundalk play the Inchicore men in Oriel tonight. A win for the Lilywhites would see them sew up the European spot. A win for Pats would leave them two points ahead of Dundalk, if they won their game in hand last night.

But even if Dundalk finish fourth, they can still make it into Europe. But Derry City must win the FAI Cup.

The Oriel Park men will be without Paul Doyle and Daniel Kelly for the rest of the season through injury. Pat Hoban still has a chance of making it back for the run in. He was in the UK in the past week or two getting treatment. He got fluid drained from his injured calf muscle.

Stephen O’Donnell looking to positives despite Dundalk's growing injury list

Strong finish decisive as Dundalk Gaels retain Senior status

The Louth Derby

Drogheda were the better side in the first half but did not take their chances. They also finished the game with 10 men when Ryan Brennan was involved in an incident after only being on the field for a short period. Three minutes on the field and he got a straight red card.

Dean Williams nearly scored for Drogheda after just three minutes of the first half, shooting over from eight yards. It was the visitors who again came close five minutes later when Adam Foley’s flick in the box caught Dundalk completely flat footed. Darragh Leahy cleared off the line.

Drogheda came close midway through the first half when an Adam Foley effort crashed into the side netting. They were getting through the home midfield and defence with little difficulty.

But the game swung Dundalk’s way when Runar Hague cut through the Drogheda defence. Doyle Rooney took him down in the box. Hague converted the penalty no problem.

To rapturous applause from the large home support, they got the goal that sealed the game in injury time when Greg Sloggett’s cross from the right was turned in to his own net by Dane Massey for an own goal. Dane is of course a Dundalk legend, winning eight major honours with the club.

The second half was a non-event bar two players. Ryan O’Kane had the Drogheda defence in tatters with his skilful play beating players at will. He would coast past three players and such was his skill he would cheekily go back and take the ball around them again.

He is a terrific player, and he reminds me of a young George Best at his supreme best with Manchester United in the 1960’s.

Keith Ward also raised attention late in the game when only on as a sub. His delightful 40 yard chip in the 5th minute of second half injury time saw Drogheda keeper Colin McCabe scramble back to tip the ball over the bar.

There were nine minutes injury time in the second half as there had been a glut of substitutions in that period. The game had also been held up when a supporter took ill in the shed.

Play was held up in the first half when Evan Weir was stretchered off following a collision. Dayle Rooney replaced him. Thus, there were 13 minutes of injury time in the entire game.

John Mountney

Dundalk full back John Mountney, who has only just been coming back from a year-long injury was happy to reveal that he is now all but fully fit. He says Friday’s game was tough and was a typical Louth Derby.

He felt the team really wanted to put a stamp on the game. And in front of a great Derby attendance of nearly 2,400, Dundalk had sent the vast majority home happy.

John says he felt he slotted in very well at full back. He revealed Stephen O’Donnell had played him in this role last season with Pat’s.

The Mayo native noted that with just five games left he wants to contribute as much as he can at such a vital time.

John said it was hard to come back in for the Drogheda game after the side were knocked out of the cup two weeks ago against Waterford. The team really did have an eye on going to the cup final for the fans and the club.

John says training was ramped up last week and that it was very good. The full focus following the club’s exit from the cup was on Drogheda.

John confirmed that Stephen O’Donnell had the team in training over the two weeks since the cup defeat. He said they did have a couple of days off. However, bar this they concentrated on training, as everybody in the team demands high standards of themselves.

John said that the whole team were gutted after the Waterford result. It was one of those nights in the dressing room when players spoke and of course management spoke. Everybody had their few words, and that John says was what they needed to do.

John says they then came back to Oriel and trained hard with a positive mindset. He believes they will hopefully finish the season well by working hard and getting results.

Cooley Kickhams finally end 32-year championship drought

Sideline abuse motivated Cooley's Brian White into action

Cooley take the bragging rights in All- Peninsula Ladies Senior Final

Ryan O’Kane

Man of the match Ryan O’Kane says the team had trained very hard since the Waterford game. He said the quality showed and Dundalk got the points. Ryan says the team had a debrief after the Waterford game and when they returned to training in the following few days after the defeat.

The group just talked the defeat out. He says it was kind of just about getting together. Ryan says the first 30 minutes of the game on Friday was always going to be hectic.

The 19-year-old felt Dundalk handled the game very well and he himself did not have many chances. He says the team waited for the game to die down after the first half hour. That he says is when they went looking for goals.

Ryan put in a stunning display in the second half, so much that he reminded me of a young Georgie Best. Ryan said he knew who Georgie was and had seen many clips of him. He just been told to go out and express himself and that’s what he does.

He believes Stephen O’Donnell made the right decision not starting him against Waterford. Ryan says this despite the fact when he was finally brought on, Dundalk were 2-1 down. The young attack stressed that Stephen O’Donnell knows best and always makes the right decisions.

Final Thoughts

Overall, this Louth Derby was very poor. Dundalk were fortunate to get the breaks when they got the goals. But play like this for the remaining five games then they won’t be picking up many more points.

There were 2,400 people at the game on Friday. There was a good crowd down from Drogheda. The gate money will be a big help to Dundalk, as they have only had two games at Oriel in the past 2 months.

Dundalk have problems at midfield and defence. There is just not enough physicality in either area. They must correct this for next season.

Dundalk and Drogheda United fans let off flares on Friday night. The disgusting smell from the poisonous fumes was felt all round the stadium.

I was hit by the fumes the Drogheda fans let off, as the smoke blew right into the main stand. Dundalk fans let their flares off in the shed, with poisoning air spreading all round that area.

I am a very bad asthmatic. The fumes from the flares deeply affected me. When I got home I got a very bad asthma attack. I used my Ventolin Inhaler. It was only partially helping.

Luckily, I had a nebuliser which pumps the Ventolin straight in to the lungs. You have to put a mask up to your face and over your mouth to allow the ventolin bring your breathing back under control.

It took me three hours to get my breathing back to normal. People with respiratory illnesses like asthma could die from the toxic fumes billowing in to their lungs.

The people who let these flares off don’t care who they poison. The Drogheda and Dundalk clubs have to know who they are. If they do not, they can be caught fairly quickly. They must be issued with bans from both Oriel and United Park.

I got a horrible fright and severe breathing difficulties as a result of the flares. Are we to wait for someone to die before direct action is taken not just by Dundalk and Drogheda, but by every League of Ireland club in the country?

Have a safe week. Be careful out there and please look after each other.