O’Donnell critical of Dundalk's set piece defending

A bewildered Stephen O’Donnell lamented his Dundalk FC side’s inability to defend set-pieces, which cost them three SSE Airtricity League points against Bohemians last Friday night.

The Lilywhites looked set to go level with third-placed Bohs last Friday night after Patrick Hoban’s header, along with a James Talbot OG, put them 2-0 ahead at the break.

However, their failure to deal with the dead ball proved costly, as Krystian Nowak and Jordan Flores both popped up to score for the visitors within the last 15 minutes of play.

“The overriding emotion is disappointment,” said the Dundalk head coach afterwards.

“We just didn’t deal with aerial balls, obviously set-pieces, long throws too. I think that’s all Bohs kind of brought to the game second half and we weren’t great at dealing with it.

“But first half, I thought was a terrific performance. I think it was 10 shots to one. We should’ve had a penalty. It was as dominant a home performance as you could get.”

The 2-2 draw with Bohs, and the previous Monday’s 3-0 defeat at Derry City, perhaps provided Dundalk, who had won four consecutive games beforehand, with a reality check, with O’Donnell reminding critics of where the club lies in the current landscape.

“It’s disappointing in what regard? Where are we judging ourselves at the minute? Where do you think realistically it should be from an expectation point of view?

“We have one defeat in eight. We had a disappointing night on Monday. We played good stuff tonight. How many injuries do we have?

“My point is, all right, where we are, a new group of players. I count this time last year the whole back four, and how many of the midfield weren’t at the club? Seven, so I think we’re doing well.

“I think the young players are doing very well, all right. After Pat (Hoban), I think our oldest player today was 25 maybe, and we just need to manage the games better.”

O’Donnell agreed that the club should be looking to qualify for Europe again this season, making this Friday night’s trip to St Patrick’s Athletic (kick-off, 7.45pm) a must-not-lose.

Dundalk are level on points (26) with O’Donnell’s former employers, as both teams look to make up ground on Bohs, who currently occupy the last guaranteed European berth.

“All the games are important,” he added. “All the games are tight. We have a four-game spell now till the June break. We play obviously Pats, Rovers, UCD and Cork, so that’ll take us into the mid-season break. We’ll have 21 games under our belt by then.”

O’Donnell is currently without seven injured first-team members, a number that could rise to eight after Wasiri Williams picked up a knock towards the end of the Bohs match.

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Williams, who is on loan from Swansea City, will not be returning to his parent club in July, with the English Championship club confirming that he was to be instead released.

“Come the June break, hopefully we’ll see more bodies back on the park and more options. Andy Boyle and Greg Sloggett are making progress. Louie Annesley as well.”