The Commentary Box: Not the result Dundalk wanted or need

A 71st minute goal by Athlone Town sub Aaron Connolly put what could be a serious dent into Dundalk's hopes of getting the automatic promotion spot from Division One last Friday night.

The game ended in a 1-1 draw after Dundalk led in the 8th minute with a wonder goal from Declan McDavid.

READ NEXT: Kilduff refuses to blame weather as Dundalk drop points

Dundalk could have won the game, 15 minutes into the second half, when Aodh Dervin saw his thundering effort come back off the butt of the Athlone post.

But in truth, this was also a game that Ciaran Kilduff's side were lucky in many ways to come away with a point.

Norman Garbett missed an opener late in the game, and Eoin Kenny was unlucky too when his effort was saved by Stuart Traynor in the Athlone goals deep in stoppage time. But this game was played in almost monsoon conditions.

The gods were smiling on Athlone as Storm Amy huffed and puffed. She puffed in the first half when Dundalk had the wind in their favour. Dundalk just never took advantage of getting a second goal in that first half.

On the turnaround, Storm Amy considerably strengthened again. The gusts of wind gave the bottom side a distinct advantage in a way that it did not give Dundalk in the first half.

In the end, Amy or no Amy Athlone deserved their point. They were the better side in the second half as a result of substitutions. They always looked to be the team that were going to get a winner, not Dundalk.

The result hands Cobh a lifeline that looked to be gone three weeks ago. The basic facts are that Dundalk can still win promotion next Friday night at Oriel with a win over Finn Harps.

If they do not get all three points, then the game will go down to the last game in Cobh. That is not what Dundalk neither want or need. But their form has lacked edge in ways over the past eight or nine games.

In the end, the team that finishes the highest in the league are the best team. The league table never lies. At the moment, it suggests Dundalk are the better team.

Tell me that after next Friday, because if Dundalk have to go to Saint Colman's Park on Friday week looking for a result, Cobh will be red hot favourites to win promotion, not Dundalk.

Next Friday will be the most important game in Oriel for years. A win could mean millions for Dundalk in the long term.

It would guarantee a return to the Premier Division just 12 months after they were relegated. It would also be the perfect reward for manager Ciaran Kilduff and his whole backroom team, who have worked so much to achieve promotion this season.

I have covered all of Dundalk's games away and at home this season. I would be heartbroken for Kilduff, as I know how much energy he has put into Dundalk winning the First Division.

I would be heartbroken for the whole team as well, because I have seen the effort each player has put into winning the First Division this season.

Finn Harps will be very tough opposition. They have already beaten Dundalk at Ballybofey. They have also drawn with them at Oriel. They lost to Dundalk in the first round of the league in Ballybofey.

Ciaran Kilduff's plans have also been thrown into disarray as next week they will be without Eoin Kenny, Vinny Leonard, Sean Spaight and TJ Molloy.

All four are away on underage international duty. They will not return until less than 24 hours before the Cobh game. It is a disgrace that any First Division club are left without key players as these.

The Premier Division clubs have a week off. But there is no such luck for the First Division Clubs. But the same clubs, bar Dundalk, all went for this option by voting for it at the start of the season.

Personally, I can not get my head around such a decision. But it could eventually cost Dundalk top spot and the First Division title. Ciaran Kilduff had warned that the Athlone game was going to be a difficult one.

He was right. Athlone had already held Dundalk to a scoreless draw in their home ground during the summer. They were beaten by Dundalk on a one-nil scoreline at the start of the season. They also lost 6-1 at  Oriel only a few weeks ago.

Nobody gave Athlone a chance on Friday. I did, and I told members of the local media that it would be a tough game. I was laughed at. Athlone had not won a game since May. They said Ok, Athlone did not win, but they drew.

They were wrong about Athlone. They did Dundalk a lot of damage by getting the draw. Aaron Connolly's goal, nineteen minutes from the end, broke Dundalk hearts. It sent the fans home knowing Dundalk must beat Finn Harps to get promotion.

Storm Amy did play havoc with this game. I left Dundalk in the early afternoon last Friday. I wanted to give myself plenty of time to get to Athlone.

On the way, I came across two roads blocked by fallen trees. So I did have a little bit of a delay. Arriving into Athlone, I saw a tree had fallen on a merc.

The back window was smashed. But the car looked to be badly damaged. I got to the stadium, where I was greeted by what I would nearly call a tornado.

I got out of the car to speak to the ground staff present. I said I could not understand how the game was going ahead. This was three hours before kick off.

I said that the travel conditions were terrible and that this was a matter of health and safety. I said that in most top games in the UK, it's not the condition of the pitch that determines if a game goes ahead. It's the conditions away from the ground.

I was told that Dundalk had agreed to travel and saw no problem doing so. I was asked if I wanted to see the game being called off. I replied no.

I emphasised that this was none of my business. I said it was a matter for the clubs and the FAI. I said that I was just raising the point. Suddenly, as I spoke, a gust of wind from Amy blew me off my feet. It was unreal.

Only for the Athlone Town staff, I would have had a very bad accident. I was plucked to safety just as I was about to fall.
I would like to thank the ground staff of Athlone for saving me.

The last time I was blown off my feet was 12 years ago at the Cliffs of Moher. Well, it happened and was caused by Storm Amy.

Local weather forecasts for Athlone said that winds could gust to up to 140 kilometres an hour in the evening. But those gusts died down before kick-off and the game went ahead.

On a footnote to this, a number of League of Ireland games were called off on Friday night, not because of the conditions of the pitch but as a duty of care to fans and players travelling to games.

One such game was the Derry  City v Sligo Rovers game. It was decided that the storm posed a threat to both Derry and Sligo Rovers supporters, staff and players.

The game was called off and refixed for Sunday. Rain pelted down two hours before the game. So much so that puddles of water began to form on the astro turf pitch along a sideline near a corner flag.

It took about two hours to clear the water. Having said all this, the pitch conditions were excellent. Dundalk played with the wind in the first half, it was rather quiet in that half.

Amy came to life in the second half with a vengeance. Dundalk played into a severe gale in the second half and a monsoon of rain in their faces.

Dundalk had two changes in the team from the side that beat UCD 3-2 the previous week. Mayowa returned from suspension, while Harry Groome was dropped. Shane Tracey also started. Cherrie was in goals.

Two full backs, Conor O'Keefe and John Ross Wilson. Two centre halves, Vinny Leonard and Mayowa. Two centre midfielders, Shane Tracey and Aodh Dervin, two wingers, Eoin Kenny and Declan McDaid. Andy Paraschiv linked up with Gbemi Arubi.

Shane Tracey was replaced by Harry Groome on 68 minutes, as was Andy Paraschiv by Norman Garbett at the same time. Declan McDaid was replaced by Daryl Horgan on 75 minutes, while Dean Ebbe replaced Gbemi Arubi on 84 minutes.

Storm Amy was a help to Dundalk in the first half as they totally dominated. They led on seven minutes when Declan McDaid latched onto a ball just outside the box. He fired home a blockbuster of a shot to the net.

It was the start Dundalk needed. Despite all the possession, Dundalk were very disappointing as they failed to add to their first goal. Conor O'Keefe put in a good cross on 18 minutes.

Gbemi Arubi headed over when he should have scored. Two minutes later, Eoin Kenny found himself clear in the box. He ran on and scored. But he had handled the ball, and his goal was rightly disallowed.

It was Conor O'Keeffe again on 27 minutes who had his shot well saved. Three minutes from the break,  Shane Tracey had his shot well saved.

Right on half-time, Eoin Kenny was put through by Shane Tracey. His effort brought out a good save from Traynor.

Athlone made two changes in the second half. That changed the game. Jason Oyenega and Arron Connnolly came on as subs.
You might as well say they also brought on Storm Amy also, as it returned with a sweeping vengeance.

Former Dundalk player Dylan Hand saw his header go narrowly wide. Jason Oyenuga went on a great run down the left. His effort was saved well by Cherrie.

Athlone were attacking in droves. Zach Lawless's stinging shot was again saved by Cherrie. Lawless again had a super header saved by Cherrie.

In a rare lifting of the siege, Aodh Dervin went on a great run through the middle. His stinging shot from the edge of the box came crashing off the butt of the Athlone post.

But the inevitable happened on 71 minutes. Vinny Leonard conceded a free on the edge of his own box. Up stepped Arron Connolly to bend a screaming shot, helped by the wind of Amy, to hit the back of the net past the Dundalk wall.

There was nothing Cherrie could have done. Dundalk were unlucky not to snatch it in injury time. Sub Norman Garbett had a free header. It went narrowly over. Eoin Kenny then went close with a great effort, that was the last incident of the game.

It was the fairest result. Neither team deserved to win or lose. After the game, manager Ciaran Kilduff told me the result was a massive disappointment.

“The conditions were really against us. But we always said that storm Amy was never going to be an excuse. We took the lead and had a good start. We thought the early goal was a sign of things to come. But we were never able to build on that lead.

“They hurt us with the equaliser. Then we could have won it with the two late chances. But it never materialised. We had chances in the first half to win it.

“I felt that they could hit back as the game went on, and the way the weather worsened. And they did with Aaron Connolly's goal.

“We thought we would have gone on to win the game after Declan McDaid's goal. But nobody stood out or was creative enough for us to get a second.

“We gave away a silly free in a terrible area for their equaliser. But we really worked too hard to lose from a set piece. We were creating chances ourselves.

“The seminal moment of the game was when Aodh Dervin's effort in the second half came back off the post. Had it gone in, we might have felt a bit more comfortable.

“But they were always in the game. They got the equalizer. And we were just not able to find a winner, even though we did come close.

“On the injury front, Daryl is nursing an injury. Shane Tracey is the same. Hopefully, they will be okay. Sean Spaight is also injured.

“The following players have been requested for international duty. Eoin Kenny for Northern Ireland, Vinny Leonard for the Republic of Ireland under-19s, Luke Mulligan is on standby for the under-19s, Sean Spaight, and TJ Molloy are also needed.

“Vinny and Owen start and play for us every week. We have to go into the last home game potentially without them. That might change.

“I have been harping about this all season, having to play games without key players when the International games come around.”

I was interested in the manager's words when he said the players had been requested for international duty. He also said that the situation might change.

Well, it's my understanding that both Eoin Kenny and Vinny Leonard will be available to play for Dundalk on Friday night.

Vinny has not been selected for the Republic of Ireland U19 squad. Eoin has been selected for the Norths U21s but I understand he will play for Dundalk.

The two players are needed so badly by Dundalk. It would be great news. I'm sure both players would also want to be with their club when they have a massive chance to get promotion in front of a home support.

The manager confirmed that Daryl Horgan picked up an injury against UCD.

“We are just at a desperate stage of the season, even where a key player has to play coming back from an injury. We put Daryl on tonight more in hope.

“He can not be faulted. He put his body on the line for us even though he was carrying an injury. He is a powerful asset to have in the team and has been all season.”

One of the best centre halves ever to have played for Dundalk, Andy Boyle, has announced his retirement from League of Ireland football. Andy moved from Dundalk at the end of last season to Waterford.

On Saturday and on social media, Andy announced he was leaving football. Andy issued a detailed statement. He ended it by saying, “It's been a fabulous journey, thank you.”

Andy was born in the Palmerstown area of Dublin on 7th March 1991. He played for Shelbourne, UCD and Dundalk. He also played for Preston North End, Doncaster Rovers, Dundee and Ross County.

As captain with Dundalk, Andy was part of the first Irish side to reach the play-off round of the UEFA Champions League. Andy also played in the qualifying stage of the Europa League in 2016,2020, and 2021.

Andy joined Dundalk for the first time in 2013 when Stephen Kenny was just starting as manager of the club. He was there until 2016. He made 129 appearances and scored 7 goals for Dundalk on his first stint with Dundalk.

Andy left for Preston North End in 2017. He played for Doncaster, Dundee and Ross County over this time as well.

Andy returned to Dundalk in 2019. He made 131 league appearances for Dundalk in his second spell with them. He also scored four goals.

On the international front, he played for the Republic of Ireland under-15s and under-18s. He made four appearances for the under-19s. Andy played for the Republic of Ireland senior team in 2017. He made one appearance.

He won the league with Dundalk in, 2014,2015, 2016 and 2019. He also won two FAI Cups with Dundalk in 2015 and 2020.

He moved to Waterford in 2024..Andy also won two President Cups with Dundalk in 2016 and 2021. He won the Leinster senior cup in 2015 and the Unite the Union Championship in 2019.

He also won the EA Sports Cup with Dundalk in 2014 and 2019. He made 41 European appearances with Dundalk.
Andy Boyle is truly a Lillywhite super legend.

Have a great week. Make sure you are in Oriel Park to support Dundalk against Finn Harps. Look after yourselves and those around you. And be careful out there.