Youthful Dundalk undone as St Peter’s claim emphatic cup win

Dundalk FC began the defence of their PTSB Leinster Senior Cup crown on Sunday afternoon, but endured a sobering start as they were comprehensively beaten 5–2 by St Peter’s at McCarthy Park in Athlone.

A Dundalk side managed by Shane Grimes, made up largely of U20 players but bolstered by the experience of Enda Minogue, Luke Mulligan, Norman Garbett, Sean Spaight and TJ Molloy, found themselves 4–0 adrift by the hour mark against opposition drawn from the Combined Counties Football League.

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It proved to be a particularly difficult outing for first-team goalkeeper Minogue, who conceded three goals before seeing red on 66 minutes, referee Declan Toland producing a second yellow card to end his afternoon prematurely.

Exactly 11 weeks on from their last competitive outing — a 2–1 victory over St Patrick’s Athletic at Richmond Park in last season’s final — The Lilywhites, sporting their new black away strip, fell behind on the half-hour when Jonathan Kiernan converted after being teed up by Gary Kelly.

Minogue’s first booking, two minutes before the interval, preceded a penalty which former Athlone Town and Elgin City striker Dylan Gavin duly dispatched to double the hosts’ advantage.

Dundalk were offered a lifeline nine minutes into the second half when an own goal from St Peter’s goalkeeper Darcy Lawless reduced the deficit, but it was short-lived.

The hosts quickly reasserted control as 38-year-old defender Niall Scullion restored the two-goal cushion from a Cormac Hannan assist.

The visitors rallied once more on the hour mark, captain Mulligan finding the net after good work from Liam O’Leary to make it 3–2.

Any hopes of a comeback were extinguished soon after, however, when Minogue was dismissed following a second penalty award of the afternoon.

With no goalkeeper among the substitutes, Mulligan assumed emergency duties between the posts, but Gavin calmly sent him the wrong way to convert his second spot-kick and extend the lead to 4–2.

St Peter’s completed the rout nine minutes from time when Dylan Sumner finished confidently after being set up by McCarthy.

Dundalk will look to put this disappointing opening behind them in their next Group A fixture of the Leinster Senior Cup, with a more experienced line-up expected to face Shelbourne at the Muirhevnamor Sports Centre on Tuesday night.

St Peter’s: Darcy Lawless; John McCrossan, Adam Dowling (Cormac Hannan HT), Niall Scullion, Nenad Lazic, Jonathan Kiernan (Samuel Oliveira-Da Silva 80), Luke Kelly (Kevin Daly 80), Dylan Gavin, Cameron Keighery (Tadgh Heavin 80), Gary Kelly (J. McCarthy 61), Dylan Sumner

Subs not used: R. Carberry (gk), Ian Malone

Dundalk FC: Enda Minogue; Rhys O’Hare, Liam O’Leary, Conall Alfred (Jordan Vocella 80), Shay Casey, Max Ferguson (Patrick Ibikunle 70), Luke Mulligan, Norman Garbett, Sean Spaight, TJ Molloy (Oisin Smyth 70), Tom McLoughlin

Subs not used: Leon Laban, Tunde Anunlopo

Referee: Declan Toland (Roscommon)