Inside Track: Dundalk’s campaign on hold as Ireland go for World Cup glory

If they had a choice, there’s little doubt all with an interest in Dundalk FC, board, management, players and above all, supporters would want to see League of Ireland action continuing this weekend.

Their team is on a roll, and when that’s the case, games couldn’t come up quick enough. But with the Republic of Ireland team taking on Czechia this Thursday night in a crucial World Cup qualifier, domestic competition has been put on hold.

A draw in each of the first three games on their return to the Premier Division won Dundalk many plaudits. Two of the games were against teams expected to make a bold bid for honours this season, league title-holders Shamrock Rovers and Derry City.

The other was against Drogheda in the ‘new’ Oriel’s first game, spoiled by the thuggish element among the travelling supporters.

That was the positive – the negative was the loss of six points. When the next outing resulted in a 4-0 defeat away to St Patrick’s, Dundalk found themselves in the table’s lower reaches, the spectre of relegation beginning to put in an appearance.

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Less than a month on from the Inchicore eclipse, the picture is much rosier. There have been four matches since, and with two of them yielding victories – a rout of Waterford included – and the others ending in draws, the combined eight points have

Ciarán Kilduff’s team fourth in the table, chasing Bohs, Rovers and Pat’s, and clear of Derry, Drogheda and Shelbourne.

Last Friday night’s game with Bohs was at Dalymount and ended with the sides level, one goal apiece. It was shown on television and made good viewing for those at home, and better for the travelling party, judged by their reaction to the final whistle.

Dundalk’s equaliser has been credited to Bohs defender Chorazla, but it wouldn’t have come about had Gbemi Arubi not made his presence felt around goals when a centre came in from Seán Spraight.

The commentator got it right when he said Kilduff had more to regret over the loss of a point than his counterpart, Alan Reynolds. Dundalk were the better team, turning in a powerful second-half performance after conceding an early goal. There were chances to grab the winner, and that’s what probably most of all irked Kilduff.

IRELAND’S BID FOR VITAL WORLD CUP WIN
Attention now turns to Thursday night and the game in Prague. Like Dundalk, Ireland would probably have preferred had this game come up immediately after the defeat of Hungary.

It seems so far away since the night Troy Parrott pieced together a hat-trick, the third of his goals coming deep into injury-time. Hungary, group leaders from early on, seemed satisfied they had done enough to earn a trip across the Atlantic this summer.

The players were stunned by Troy’s sidefoot to the net, but maybe not as much as the thousands surrounding the Puskás Aréna pitch. They’d been celebrating, a bit like the Bohs boys at Dalymount, but then had to lower their banners.

The win was the climax to a campaign that had Ireland struggling early on, but then hitting form at just the right time. A quick return to the green jersey would have been welcomed by the players and manager, Heimer Hallgrimsson, who himself was under scrutiny soon after coming in as Stephen Kenny’s successor. He has been given an extension of his contract up to the end of the Euro 28 campaign.

The Icelander would, we’re sure, be delighted to have Evan Ferguson available to him, forming a partnership up front with Parrott. But the North County Dublin lad is on the injured list along with Josh Cullen, while Celtic’s Liam Scales is out through suspension.

You know there’s a buzz about the place when you’re being invited – ordered even – to be present for a Thursday night get-together in front of the telly.

If there’s a win, the place for aficionados to be on March 21st is the Aviva for the match with either Denmark or North Macedonia. Win that one, and Hallgrimsson takes his troops to either America, Canada or Mexico in a few months’ time.