The Commentary Box: Football put into perspective on sombre night in Donegal

Dundalk got three precious points with a 2-1 win over relegation threatened Finn Harps at Ballybofey, Donegal last Friday night. It was a good night’s work done by the men from Oriel, as they fought to keep their European aspirations on trek.

But it was a very sombre night, as Donegal remembered the 10 victims of the Creeslough tragedy which happened exactly seven days before.

I could feel the sense of mourning that the county was going through as soon as I got out of my car to get something to eat in Stranolar, just a mile from Ballybofey.

The town to a large extent looked as it always was. But you could see the sadness etched in the faces of the locals. And this became even more apparent as I spoke to the locals about how this had struck the people of the entire county.

Creeslough is a good 40 to 50 miles away from Stranorlar and Ballybofey. But Donegal, one of the largest counties in the country, is a closely united one. And this unity in grief will continue to help relatives and friends of those lost in the tragedy for many years to come. They will never forget this awful tragedy.

The match programme had the names of the victims printed on the front with a person in black carrying a balloon shaped as a heart and the number 10 on the back of their coat. In small print at the bottom were the dates and details of who were playing in the game.

Before the match Dundalk captain Andy Boyle carried a wreath onto the centre of the pitch in front of the two teams, who stood sombrely together on the halfway line.

Republic of Ireland under 17 team manager, Donegal man Tom Mohan, along with League of Ireland Director Mark Scanlon carried a second wreath together and placed it also on the halfway line.

A number of local underage teams circled the entire event, representing the so many young people who died in the tragedy. President Michael D Higgins attended the game. But he oversaw the event from the stand.

The President spent the week in the county attending the funerals and trying to be whatever comfort he could be to the people of the county. There was a minute’s silence before the kick-off. At the end the crowd gave a last respectful ovation as the ceremonies came to an end.

There were also collections for the families of those who died. I passed the President as I made my way to the press box. I’m usually a very shy person on public occasions, no matter what people who know me think.

I stopped all of a sudden and caught in the emotion of the night I just put out my hand on and thanked the President for being with those people who had been so badly affected by the disaster at Creeslough.

The man does not know me. I don’t know him. But he just responded with a thank you and firmly shook my hand.

Speaking on the tragedy, manager Stephen O’Donnell who has strong connection with the county, says he told his players before the game to put everything into perspective and to feel fortunate that they were taking to the pitch compared to what happened the previous Friday at Creeslough.

Stephen said it was just terrible that people were killed going about their everyday life the week before going into a filling station and having their lives taken away.

He said the ceremonies before the game were very emotional. The Dundalk boss added it was very fitting to see the President at the game. Stephen said it put everything into perspective. He exclaimed how it was a beautiful ceremony.

The Harps Match

The result on the pitch was a massive three points for Dundalk. They played very well in the first half and went in at the break leading 2-0.

The defence was much better than it has been for a long time. Lewis Macari was brought back into the team and played at centre half. That’s his normal position with his parent company Stoke City. But he has played full back for Dundalk most of the season.

O’Donnell wisely put Sam Bone into the midfield, moving him from centre half. I could not get over why O’Donnell had not done this weeks before. Sam just has not found his best place at centre half and has made basic errors in some games.

He was responsible for the opening goal for Pat’s last Friday week. This is a goal that could yet return to haunt Dundalk.

Andy Boyle was top class at centre half, as were the two full backs John Mountney and Darragh Leahy. In midfield along with Sam Bone there was Alfie Lewis, Runar Hague and Joe Adams along with David McMillan up front. He played well in a first half where Dundalk were much better than the previous week against Pat’s.

Greg Sloggett is out for the rest of the season with a hamstring muscle injury. Greg has been immense for Dundalk this season and is a massive loss for the last three games of the season.

Alfie Lewis was immense in midfield. He was unlucky not to score from a long-range effort on 17 minutes. It crashed off the butt of the left post.

Finn Harps have not beaten Dundalk at home since the arrival of Ollie Horgan as manager in 2013. It did take Dundalk time to gain control of the game.

The frailties in the team were seen as early as three minutes when Harps midfielder Dylan Duncan burst through the Dundalk defense. His shot was narrowly wide of the far post.

Lewis Macari got his first league goal when he opened the scoring on 18 minutes. He launched a speculative lob from the edge of the box. It looped over keeper James McKeown.

Despite his best efforts, Harps midfielder Barry McNamee, who was back on the line, could not stop the ball sneaking in under the crossbar. Darragh Leahy had created the goal for Macari.

Ryan O’Kane was buzzing on the pitch and twice during the game was taken down in the box in what looked certain penalties. Dundalk got their second goal three minutes from the break when Ryan O’Kane sent in a great cross on the left.

David McMillan’s close-range effort was parried by Harps keeper James McKeown. The ball came off Harps defender Rob Slevin and crossed the line for an OG.

The second half was awful as Dundalk went out of the game completely. Rob Jones had a glancing header go narrowly over on 74 minutes. The substitute got a cracking goal six minutes from time. His powerful effort hit the net.

But unlike last week when Dundalk should have run the clock down against Pat’s, this time they did. Robbie Benson, on as a sub, was fabulous at doing this. He took the ball over to the Harps corner flag and he and others just ensured the Donegal men could get nowhere near the Dundalk goals.

It was a massive three points. Dundalk ensured they can’t be caught for 4th place; just in case that’s where they finish and have to depend on Derry City to win the cup to ensure they get Europe. But the Lilywhites just lead fourth placed Pat’s by a single point.

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Injury Woes

Dundalk play Bohs and Sligo at home with Derry away on the last day. They are going to struggle badly with all their injuries. Stephen Bradley is the latest and may not be back next Friday. Pat Hoban also now looks set to be gone for the rest of the season.

So depleted is Dundalk’s squad that only five senior outfield players sat on the bench in Balleybofey. One is Robbie Benson. He is being used by O’Donnell even though he has a pelvic injury. Robbie McCourt is also injured, despite appearing on the bench.

John Martin and Keith Ward were the only two outfield senior players injury free. There were two under 19 players on the bench. But O’Donnell would not use these. The other two subs were keepers Mark Byrne and Peter Cherrie.

Thus, Dundalk are totally depleted player wise. Six of the team that beat Shamrock Rovers in mid-summer are injured, the 7th is gone to Derry.

Next weekend Shamrock Rovers play Pat’s at Inchicore while Dundalk face Bohs in Oriel. If Rovers beat Pats and Dundalk beat Bohs, the Lilywhites would go four points clear again, with just two games remaining.

A win over Sligo the following week would mean Dundalk could not be stopped and would get the European spot. But Pat’s are in top form, and I think they can beat Rovers.

If Dundalk have to go into the last game against Derry away looking for three points, I can’t see them getting anything in the Brandywell.

O’Donnell Reaction

O’Donnell summed up the game by saying the first half Dundalk were as good as he has seen away from home this season. He said in the second half his team had to dig in and the players saw out the game very well.

Last week I asked him why he was not using Lewis Macari at centre half. On Friday night, I suggested to Stephen that he had listened to me. He said he would not go that far.

The Galwegian stressed that to a man it was a terrific performance. He agreed his side had slowed things down towards the end of the game, unlike the previous week when a draw would have done Dundalk and kept their four-point lead over Pats.

The Dundalk manager slowed things down on Friday night as they were on the cusp of three precious points. He recalled how in the Pat’s game they did not do this, as they were only drawing and had to go for the win.

I can’t understand the manager’s take on this, as a draw was as good as a win as it would have left Dundalk stayed four points clear of the Dublin side.

Stephen O’Donnell made it quite clear that when Dundalk are playing, they will always go for the win. The manager would not accept my point that they threw away the three points by looking for the winner against Pat’s.

Stephen says he will go for wins and that this is the way they will always be. His policy of going forward will always be there, as he wants wins embedded in the Dundalk psyche as they are in their first season under him.

Applying the Dundalk managers theory, he could be drawing 1-1 with five minutes remaining and heading to the champions league final. Instead of slowing play down, he would quicken it as he would be going for the winner.

Stephen got his 2nd yellow card of the season on Friday. I asked him what the story was and that I had never seen this happening so often. The Dundalk manager was not happy with the question. He said I was some man to take a negative twist.

He said he had enough of negative questions. But the question was a perfectly positive one. All I wanted to know was how come he has been sent off or booked more often than any other Dundalk manager I have seen.

Stephen got very emotional on the sideline. But the club can ill afford to see him getting suspended, with so many players out through injury. He is a young manager, who if given time can do good things at Oriel.

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Final Thoughts

I was delighted to see the Louth County Board getting the finance needed to build a new county grounds near DKIT. 37 foreign investors have pledged €400,000 each to the stadium project that is based on the Inner Relief Road.

The investors are given Irish residency in exchange for the money. The money has come through the government’s Irish Immigration investment programme. Louth TD Peter Fitzpatrick is the man behind swinging the venture. He is also chairman of the Louth County board.

Dundalk FC should immediately seek finance from this investment programme. They should apply for the scheme in the normal way. Then need to contact local TD’s and Senators for Louth to go for this immediately. The money raised could be used for a new stadium at Oriel and also a brand new pitch.

Back to Friday night’s game. A win is a win against any team but be in no doubt that Harps look as if they are heading for automatic relegation. Dundalk’s last three games before the break will be very tough Indeed. Have a safe week. Look after each other and please be careful out there.