Inside Track: Finish-line in sight but Dundalk still have work to do

Surely Dundalk are not going to do a ‘Devon Loch’ or a ‘Crisp’? The finish-line is in sight in the First Division, and Ciaran Kilduff’s side are in its shadow.

But there’s still work to be done. An Oriel Park win over Finn Harps this Friday night will do the trick, but if there’s a defeat or even a draw, and Cobh Ramblers win their game, then everything will rest of the away match with Cobh on the following weekend.

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Devon Loch and Crisp? They were racehorses who looked assured winners of the greatest steeplechase race in the world, the Aintree Grand National, but were denied very late on.

Devon Loch looked certain to win the 1956 race for the Queen Mother when he led only a matter of yards from the line. But for some unknown reason, the horse did a belly-flop, losing all chances of victory.

ESB took advantage to bring up many bets for those working with the electricity supplier at its headquarters in Dundalk’s Chapel Street.

Devon Loch was ridden by Dick Francis, who, when he retired from racing, became a prolific writer of mystery novels, all of them centred on racing. Even at his post productive, he couldn’t have written an outcome to match what happened at Aintree.

Like Dundalk in the league, Crisp led from flagfall in the 1973 National, and at one stage was well over 20 lengths clear. He was still in front at the last jump, again at the elbow in the home straight, and with the only yards remaining.

But gaining all the time, the great Red Rum had still time to collar the frontrunner. It was the start of a great run in the race for Red Rum, but agonising for Crisp’s connections, among them jockey Richard Pitman.

There were times over the past few months when it looked as though Dundalk would win the title with their mouths open, just as Cork City did last year. They were always around six points clear, but when there was a chance of going further clear, they faltered.

As luck would have it, on some of the days Dundalk failed to pick up three points, or even one, closest challengers, Cohn Ramblers, also had a poor result.

The dividing margin is now down to four points, and while it’s advantage Dundalk with just two series of matches remaining, a performance similar to the one turned in at Athlone last Friday night could leave everything hingeing on the visit to St Colman’s Park a week later.