Dundalk edge closer to title as Cork have to settle for point
Dundalk 1-1 Cork City
Dundalk remain six points clear of Cork City at the top of the SSE Airtricity League table after the teams played out a draw at Oriel Park.
Stephen Kenny's side were looking to bounce back from their Champions League exit to BATE Borisov four nights earlier and they drew first blood when Richie Towell coolly beat Mark McNulty from the penalty spot after 11 minutes.
City, however, responded well to the early setback and Mark O'Sullivan got up to beat Andy Boyle to power a stunning header past Gary Rogers with eight minutes remaining in the first half.
A scrappy second half saw both sides struggle to create scoring chances and a tight encounter ended with a draw as the correct outcome.
The solitary point is the first that Cork City have taken in the border town in two seasons and keeps their hopes of reeling Dundalk in alive but the Lilywhites, with a six point cushion, will feel they are firmly in the box seat to retain their crown.
An absorbing first half threw up plenty of talking points. Dundalk, with their forceful pressing and zippy passing, showed no signs of fatigue from their European exertions and the high tempo start led to the opening goal after 11 minutes.
City were caught napping when Darren Meenan and Daryl Horgan played a short corner on the right and when Alan Bennett was penalised for pulling Brian Gartland, Richie Towell sent Mark McNulty the wrong way from the penalty spot.
Cork should have restored parity four minutes later. Gartland's weak back-pass was picked up by Karl Sheppard but his finish was weak and Gary Rogers saved with his legs.
The temperature continued to rise when Cork City manager John Caulfield was sent to the stands by referee Neil Doyle for disputing the awarding of a free-kick to Dundalk.
With Gavan Holohan and Liam Miller starting to get a foothold, the Leesiders settled into the game and they threatened on the half-hour mark.
Steven Beattie escaped from Dane Massey to deliver in a dangerous cross but Sean Gannon was on hand to sweep it behind for a corner. Bennett could only head the resulting delivery wide of the post.
The sides were level in the 37th minute. A bout of City possession ended with Chris Shields halting Steven Beattie's progress on the right and Kevin O'Connor's delivery was inch-perfect for O'Sullivan to guide a brilliant header past Rogers.
The travelling support were lifted by the goal and they were almost celebrating again three minutes later. Holohan tried his luck from distance, with Rogers relieved to see the deflected effort spin just wide of the post.
City's good work was almost undone on the stroke of half-time. John Dunleavy's back-pass caught McNulty on the hop, leaving the netminder with no option but to pick up the ball. However, Towell just couldn't find a way past the mass of green shirts parked in front of the posts with the subsequent 11-yard free-kick.
Quality football was a rare sight in the second half as both sides struggled to gain the upper hand.
Highlighted
Dundalk are expected to complete the signing of St Patrick's Athletic striker Ciaran Kilduff in the coming days and their need for reinforcements in the final third was highlighted when Kenny introduced midfielder John Mountney to play as a centre-forward for the final 36 minutes.
The Mayoman was involved in a major talking point in the 71st minute when he went down after a tangle of legs with Alan Bennett. This time referee Doyle gave the decision in Cork's favour, much to Mountney's frustration.
Dundalk looked the most likely to get a second and their best chance arrived in the 85th minute. Mountney delivered a cross from the right but substitute Stephen O'Donnell placeed his header wide.
Dundalk - Rogers; Gannon, Gartland, Boyle, Massey; Towell, Shields; Meenan, Finn (O'Donnell 61), Horgan (Kelly 83; McMillan (Mountney 54).
Cork City - McNulty; Dunleavy (McSweeney 64), Bennett, Murray, O'Connor; Buckley, Miller (Healy 89); Beattie, Holohan (Morrissey 74), Sheppard; O'Sullivan.
Ref - Neil Doyle.
Hard lessons to be learned after European campaigns fall short
Managers have to pick themselves up and move on
It is said that you learn more in defeat than in victory, so the respective managers of Dundalk, St Patrick's Athletic, Shamrock Rovers and UCD have had plenty to mull over following their exits from the European scene.
After UCD's gallant defeat to Slovan Bratislava last Thursday, manager Collie O'Neill agreed to give some thought to what he had learned, and duly phoned me back with his very honest conclusions.
"The three things I learned," he said, "were: 1, Our technical ability, physical stature and concentration when not in possession all need to be improved; 2, Our style of play is too predictable. We need to mix it up a little bit, otherwise we make it too easy for teams coming to play us; 3, I've realised that I have a really good bunch of players, who would go through a brick wall for me. I'm fortunate to have the players I have. They don't need a manager, because they have it in themselves to want to be successful."
With a team which included three teenagers, two 20-year-olds, and has an average age of 22, no wonder O'Neill said that he would like to "keep this bunch together for a couple of years," in the belief that they can progress back to the Premier Division and, ultimately, another shot at European football.
UCD qualified through the Fair Play Award, but UEFA have closed this avenue now, which doesn't surprise anyone who has taken note of the governing body's behaviour in the Vitali Rodionov case.
Rodionov is the BATE Borisov player who headbutted Dundalk's Dane Massey in the first leg of their Champions League qualifier. As the incident wasn't spotted by the referee, Dundalk followed the disciplinary procedures laid down to report the incident.
"It was a clear-cut headbutt," said Dundalk manager Stephen Kenny. "Looking at the video, you can see that it was premeditated, very cynical stuff. I don't know how he was allowed to play in the second leg. He even apologised in the hope of limiting his suspension. There was no way he should have played."
Obviously, Fair Play is a foreign concept to UEFA, and courtesy doesn't rate much higher there either. Dundalk received no notification regarding Rodionov's position before Wednesday's game, and had to rely on information that was posted on the BATE website. No wonder PA announcer Michael Duffy wryly commented, as the game ended: "Thank you for your support, and we'll be back for the re-fixture."
Unfortunately, UEFA doesn't admit to its mistakes - and neither does it ensure that the participants in their Champions League are guaranteed a level playing pitch.
The importance of Rodionov to BATE can't be overstated. Belarusian Player of the Year, a top international, he was the pacey striking option that they needed, as their alternative was a slow 6ft 3ins target man, who would have been more easily contained by the Dundalk defence.
Kenny's problems, though, largely stemmed from BATE's decision to pressure Dundalk high up the pitch. "Europeans don't usually do that," he said, "but they did, and we coughed up possession a little bit too cheaply."
As a result, the supply line to lone striker David McMillan didn't function too well. He only had one clear-cut chance, with Ronan Finn putting him through one-on-one, but his effort was too close to the keeper.
Kenny acknowledged their need for another striking option. "We didn't replace Pat Hoban (now with Oxford) and we'll try and have someone by next week. It would have been easier if we had won," he ruefully admitted.
With a big game against Cork City, leaders of the chasing pack, today in Oriel Park (6.0), Kenny hopes to add Ciaran Kilduff (St Patrick's Athletic) to his attack. The former Shamrock Rovers and Cork City striker hasn't had a happy time in Inchicore and a change of scenery might suit all concerned. "I think he has something," said Kenny. If he signs, he will be the first player Dundalk have had to pay a fee for in Kenny's reign.
With his players deeply disappointed at drawing a match they felt they could have won, they have to pick themselves up quickly for this league game against their closest rivals. Kenny has no doubts they will rise to the occasion. "The players are very level-headed," he said. "It's a big game and they know they need to perform again."
Incidentally, UCD also face one of their closest rivals in the race for promotion from the First Division, when they entertain Finn Harps in the Belfield Bowl (7.0). Manager O'Neill is also keen to add to his options in the transfer window. "We need a couple of experienced players who can help manage the team on the pitch," he said, adding that a number of ex-UCD players want to come back.
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