Hoban really proud to equal Dundalk goal scoring record

Pat Hoban equalled Joey Donnelly’s the all time goal scoring record when his three goals against UCD last night saw his goal tally reach 142.

Dundalk ran riot at Oriel to end their streak of no wins in four games. Basement side UCD went ahead on seven minutes when an Andy Boyle’s back header in his own box allowed UCD striker Jake Doyle to get in for a well-taken goal. 

Dundalk were level on 23 minutes when Johannes Yi-Koko was taken down in the box. Pat Hoban scored from the penalty spot. Hoban’s great skill saw him turn provider on 41 minutes when he headed the ball down in the box andDaniel Kelly fired home from ten yards.

Dundalk totally dominated the game with Hoban on fire. He got Dundalk’s third goal eight minutes after the break when he headed home a great Archie Davis cross. Hoban equalled the record on 69 minutes when he burst through the UCD defence. There was a standing ovation for the Dundalk skipper and proud  Galway man on equalling the the record.

Pat Hoban says it was a great achievement for himself. He said he told Stephen O’Donnell before he signed back with Dundalk last season that making history at one club is something special.

He says he has done that now by equalling the great Joey Donnelly record and he wants to go on now and beat it.

The Dundalk skipper says that records can not be broken unless you have good teammates around you giving him service throughout the years. He says he is thankful to them also.

Pat says even though the side went behind, he was sure they would comeback and win it. It was Hoban’s leadership that drove the comeback.

He says it was a nice way to equal the record as he gets to take the ball home with him as well. He says he noticed that he was being subbed just before he got the 3rd goal. Just before that happened, it was Darragh Leahy’s cross into the box on 68 minutes that allowed him to head the ball home and get the hatrick. He said that all the players were coming over to him and saying that now he could go try to break the record. Pat said to them that he would not be doing that at this game as the manager was subbing him.

Pat says he is really proud of what he achieved. He said that his family were too and added that people in Dundalk would also be proud of him. He says his friend’s family were also proud.

He says it was really something special and told me at this point he did not want to get too emotional. The Dundalk skipper says he wants to set a new record which would hopefully encourage other players in the future to try to break it. He added he would love to see someone in his lifetime break his record .

He says it was the players he had around him, down through the years that allowed Dundalk to break records in the Kenny era. He says that he also had to have good management around him to allow him to achieve his aims.

There were special players he says who really helped him down the years who made it easy for himself up top and that these are the kind of players you want to play with in football.

Hoban says he has also been lucky enough to win so many leagues and some cups in his career with Dundalk. But he says equalling Joey Donnelly’s record is so special and that he was going to cherish the moment.

Pat says he loves Dundalk FC. This is his seventh season at the club. He added that he loves the town. He says that he loves living in Dundalk. He will live in the annals of club history with such icons as Jimmy Hasty, Danny Hale, Derek Stokes and so many more.

Pat was very happy with the result. He says no team can be taken for granted in the league. Dundalk must go on a run now. With Cork City getting their fourth win in a row, they are gaining ground from the play off spot. They will lift themselves out of that position and a lot of teams could be dragged into the play off zone.

Dundalk head to Cork on Friday. It will be a very tough game. But Pat Hoban is well able to break the record in Turners Cross. It will be very hard for Dundalk to get the win. But they can do it.

So Pat Hoban is now in the history books. Let us hope that he will be able to add more success in the next couple of years.