Extra Magpies info will play it's part as Dundalk look to continue Euro run

Dundalk FC head coach Stephen O’Donnell insists his players will have a better knowledge of Europa Conference League opponents FCB Magpies ahead of Thursday night’s first qualifying round second leg tie at Oriel Park (kick-off, 7.45pm).

The Lilywhites drew 0-0 in the first leg against the Gibraltarian Cup winners last Thursday in Victoria Stadium, with the heat of the Iberian Peninsula taking its toll.

“It was very, very tough conditions,” O’Donnell told The Democrat afterwards.

“We put a lot into it from a physical output point of view. We knew very little about the opposition. We have a much better feel now. We’re none worse off from a scoreline point of view. So we’re looking forward to the game next Thursday, but our recovery starts now for the second leg, because we would’ve lost a huge amount of obviously fluid and energy.”

He added: “We dealt with (the heat) quite well. Their biggest threat obviously was being direct and on the counter, which we need to be a little bit more secure in that department, but I thought we dominated the game from a possession point of view and we were the ones looking, I felt, stronger with 15, 20 minutes to go.

"The game’s still in the melting pot. It’s level pegging. It’s a draw away from home in Europe and as I said, we look forward to getting in more familiar surroundings next Thursday.”

Dundalk’s best chance of a goal came on 23 minutes, when Ryan O’Kane and Daniel Kelly forced Magpies goalkeeper Jaylan Hankins into what was a superb double save.

“They had a chance on the counter,” recalled O’Donnell. “I thought first half, we had a lot of good chances. Their keeper has pulled off a brilliant double save. I felt, if the game was going on towards the back end of the second half, I thought we could have nicked one, but it is what it is.

"On the flip side, on the counter, we gave up a couple of chances. It’s a draw with all things being equal and we go back level pegging to Oriel.”

Magpies signed 10 new players throughout their off-season, while ex-Sevilla full-back Alfonso Cortijo came in as manager, making research material for O’Donnell limited coming into the first leg, but the Galwegian feels his side have since gained perspective.

“We have a much better feel for them now. They have a new coach, a lot of new signings. I think they announced all them yesterday. We had one game to go off, against Preston. It was hard to know was that the team that was going to play, or did they play a different game in between the Preston game and us.

"We have a much better feel now and we’ll do our homework on the first leg, and we’ll prepare right for the game on Thursday.”

One player who caused considerable problems for The Lilywhites in the first half was ex-Birmingham City man Jack Storer, who was the subject of two big chances for the hosts.

“I thought he was (causing problems). They were trying to hit him direct, and with a bit of miscommunication, a couple of launches, but I don’t think they had any sort of decent possession where they played up through us, or he was getting it and rolling our centre-halves.

"It was more off direct balls and just little mix-ups more than anything. He is a big athletic player. He obviously came off at half-time. He’s had a British pedigree, played at a lot of clubs, so they do have threats on the counter that we need to guard against.”

Cameron Elliott remains a doubt for the second leg, while Robbie Benson and John Mountney are long-term absentees; Keith Ward is also facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines after sustaining a knee injury in the SSE Airtricity League defeat to Bohemians. 

“Keith will be out for an extended period,” confirmed O’Donnell. “We didn’t get great news on him. He’ll be out for the foreseeable future anyway with a knee injury. It’s very frustrating for him and for us.

"I still brought him over, because he’s just such a really, really good influence around the place, and he’ll never outwardly show his disappointment or carry that, and he still can have a massive influence on the group.”

Darren Brownlie, who recently moved to Oriel on a free transfer from Partick Thistle, didn’t feature in Gibraltar, but could make his debut in the return leg this Thursday.

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As a result of Ward’s absence, The Democrat understands Dundalk are on the hunt for a midfielder, with ex-Dinamo Zagreb player Robbie Burton believed to be on the radar.

Burton, a 23-year-old former Welsh U21 international, began his career with Arsenal before moving to Croatia with Dinamo Zagreb, who loaned him out to Sligo Rovers, where he made 12 appearances in the Premier Division towards the end of last season.