The Commentary Box: Hard fought away win showcases Lilywhites title credentials

Dundalk were fully deserving of their 1-0 win against Bohemians at Dalymount Park last Friday night. This was a night when many of Stephen O’Donnell’s younger players came of age.

They and the more senior players put a top-class performance in to battle through 48 minutes of continuous second half attacks by Bohemians, after Andy Boyle was sent off for taking down Ethan Varian on the edge of the box.

Boyle was the last man back as Varian was in for a certain goal. He had no other option but to take one for the team and hope Dundalk would still collect the points. They did; but had to be at their very best to get the win.

The loss of Pat Hoban after just 10 minutes following a heavy challenge by Bohs defender Jordan Doherty prompted fears the Galway man may have suffered a recurrence of the quad injury that had him out for three weeks.

Hoban emerged from the Dundalk dressing room after the game with his foot in a boot. But when I asked Stephen O’Donnell in his post-match press conference about Hoban, he said first assessment was that it was a calf muscle injury.

I felt very strongly that Doherty’s tackle on Hoban should at least have merited a yellow card. Referee Adriano Peale took no action.

The victory gave Dundalk their first win in the league in Dublin all season. It was only their third away league win of the season. But it was such a sweet win. With Shamrock Rovers being held to a draw in Derry, the Lilywhites are now only four points off the top, though Rovers have a game in hand.

Next Sunday Dundalk take on Rovers in Tallaght. They are well capable of getting something from this game, even a win.

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The Bohs Game

Alfie Lewis started for Dundalk on Friday. He was top class. Sam Bone once again produced a top-class display while John Martin, who came on as a sub for the injured Hoban was once again a revelation.

Martin was instrumental for the Dundalk winner, as was Darragh Leahy. If it was possible, Darragh’s performances keep getting better by the week.

Stephen Bradley’s rediscovery of his early season form is like the finding of the holy grail. Stephen has been playing champagne football in recent weeks. He tormented Bohemians for much of the game.

This was clearly so in the second half, as he lifted the siege Bohs laid on the Dundalk goal with his darting runs on the wing. Bohs came out huffing and puffing looking to get an early goal that just never came.

For the second week in a row, the Dundalk defence showed that they won’t miss Mark Connolly in the way I thought they would. Connolly’s departure has left no gap in the defence.

The visitors were top class throughout the game. They were the better team in the first half. Some of the Dublin papers said how good Bohs were in the first half. But they were not. They said Bohs pushed the self-destruct button for the win.

They did not. It was the rise and rise of a new Dundalk team that won this game. The winning goal came just before the break. Darragh Leahy pumped a great lob into the Bohemians box .Tadhg Ryan and John Martin went for the ball.

The Dundalk striker did get a head to the ball. Tadhg Ryan stood still waiting for a free that never arrived. Had he played to the whistle he could still have got to the ball. But he made a serious misjudgement. And as he stood motionless looking at the referee the ball wrestled in the net.

Some of the Dublin media mentioned the next day in their papers that it was a foul on the keeper and that the goal should never have been allowed. The referee got it right. It was a perfectly good goal. Freak goals are often how leagues are won. This goal kept Dundalk’s chances alive.

With O’Donnell’s troops down to 10 men when Andy Boyle was sent off early in the second half, Bohs laid siege. But Lewis Macari, Darragh Leahy Sam Bone and Alfie Lewis were just out of this world.

And Nathan Shepperd as well was having a great game, having now learnt how to slow a game down better than I have ever seen. There was nobody near Nathan when he went down looking for assistance.

Well, he got his assistance from the Dundalk medical team. I asked him afterwards was it a recurrence of his old injury or if it was time wasting. He said no to both questions. But it was gamesmanship ship of the highest standard and I take my hat off to him.

Finally, as a member of the Dundalk medical team were leaving him, he asked for water. The Bohemians supporters were baying for blood. But the Lilywhites did not care. They were rightfully running the clock down.

Bohemians, for all their possession, failed to create any real clear-cut chances. Anytime a Bohs player threatened, Dundalk had two players around them.

The Dubliners had seven new signings on display in their team. They failed abysmally to penetrate the Dundalk defense. Other Dundalk players went down just like Nathan Shepperd had done. I was worried the time wasting would cold back to haunt them.

But it did not, instead they stood firm. This team has a quality in them that others in the past, including some of the Kenny teams, did not possess. They will die with their boots on for their manager.

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Fighting Spirit

Like a boxing match, Dundalk slugged it out with Bohs and no matter what the Gypsies threw at them they just kept coming back at them. It’s as if this Dundalk team are powered by Lithium, the ingredient needed for the batteries that power the new electric cars.

A significant amount of Lithium has been found by a Chinese company searching for it over in Wicklow. This Dundalk team look to be e-powered. They get their strength from somewhere. And it’s special, as is the self-belief and the intelligence these young players have. It’s real quality.

The only time Bohs came close to scoring was when Republic of Ireland under 21 international Johnny Afolabi came on as a sub and fired a pyle driver from the edge of the box. The ball beat Nathan Shepperd and was heading for the net.

Somehow the ball changed course and hit the inside of the post. Dundalk must have developed a force field in their goals, as the ball spun on the line and came out.

John Martin lifted the siege and got in with a great chance. But he turned the wrong way and Bohs recovered. Martin got in agajn minutes later in stoppage time. His 25 yard snap shot went narrowly over.

As the game headed in to the eight minute of injury time, it was only then that 10-man Dundalk looked to have used up all of their energy. They were dead on their feet. The final whistle was greeted with total relief. 

As Dundalk trooped off the pitch, the Dublin media were heading for only one dressing room. That was Dundalk’s, as now the same media realize the Oriel Park team may just give Shamrock Rovers a run for their money in the chase for the title.

Stephen O’Donnell’s side play in Tallaght this coming Sunday. It should be a cracker. Whether Dundalk can win the league or not, they look certs for Europe. But they must keep on getting the results to ensure they get second place and the automatic place for European Football now.

Nathan Shepperd

Nathan Shepperd told me he felt it was a magnificent performance. The Welsh Wizard says the performance was great, from those on the bench to the whole team. He says they were under extreme pressure when going down to 10 men.

He stressed that everybody had to put in an unbelievable shift, as the team had to withstand all the pressure in the second half. Nathan says he felt at half time Dundalk would push on for the second goal.

But Andy Boyle’s sending off changed all that. He says Dundalk showed the team spirit that shows they can grind out results when required.

Nathan denied he was time wasting when he suddenly went down on the ground in the second half. There was a delay of about five minutes, as he received attention.

Without a doubt it completely disrupted Bohs rhythm as they launched attack after attack. Nathan says the wrath of Bohs supporters was just part of the game and that he was well used to dealing with situations like this.

To me Nathan showed a brilliant skill in the art of gamesmanship. He was not in a hurry to get on with the game. The delay helped to frustrate and stop Bohs from scoring. Nathan dominated his penalty area all night.

Going into Sunday’s game against Shamrock Rovers in Tallaght, Nathan says there is no pressure on the team, despite it being a huge tie away to league leaders Shamrock Rovers. He exclaimed they just need take every game one at a time.

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Ryan O’Kane

Ryan O’Kane hit it on the nail when he said Dundalk could have been two or three up at half time. He himself came very close to scoring just before half time.

He says the Dundalk display in the second half was top class. And it was. Ryan is only 18 and has been the subject of speculation already that English and Italian clubs are chasing him.

Praising John Martin, Ryan said that for the goal Darragh Leahy put the lob in. The Dundalk youngster said John Martin got his head to the ball and it ended up in the net. He says he contested the ball at a times, when other players might not have shown such courage.

Ryan says Martin was superb when he came on for Pat Hoban. He noted how he held the line superbly and worked so hard. He nearly got a second near the end.

Ryan had a terrific game on Friday. The youngster tormented the Bohemians defence through his darting runs. Ryan says Dundalk can push on and win the league. He feel 100 per cent sure Dundalk can beat champions Shamrock Rovers in Tallaght next Sunday.

Asked about the speculation that he was now a transfer target for a number of British and European teams, Ryan smiled and says he has heard nothing. Reading between the lines, I think Ryan is fully aware that foreign clubs are keeping a very interesting watch on his progress.

There were over 3,000 people at the game last Friday. I would say there will be considerably more than that at the Tallaght Stadium next Sunday. A Dundalk win would really blow the title race wide open.

Finally, I would like to see representatives from the club to speak to supporters in an open forum to just give an insight into what exactly their future plans are for the club. Have a safe week. Look after yourselves and please be careful out there.