Dundalk FC preview: The Lilywhites must 'focus on one game at a time' says Horgan

The international break put a halt to Dundalk FC games last week as they prepare for a busy schedule of games when they will play three times in seven days.

First up for the Lilywhites is a trip to Drumcondra where they will take on league leaders Shelbourne tonight, before hosting Drogheda United in the Louth derby on Easter Monday, Derry City will then be the visitors to Oriel Park on Friday, 5th April.

Stephen O’Donnell’s side are still searching for their first win of the campaign and look to move off the foot of the Premier Division table where they have two points from an opening day draw away to Shamrock Rovers, and most recently at home to newly promoted Waterford.

Lilywhites attacker, Daryl Horgan, described the season to date as “very disappointing” when reflecting on the opening five games.

“I feel we've got a really, really good team put together and we just haven't quite hit the levels we need to hit and we want to hit.

“Some good things sprinkled in and around it, but not enough consistency and not enough getting over the line and being solid, so that's something we really have to look at” said the 31-year-old.

It was an improved performance from Dundalk in their last league game when they played out a scoreless home draw against Waterford, 19-year-old Zak Johnson impressed on his debut on loan from Sunderland.

Horgan felt his team played well enough to win the game but couldn't find a way to score. He said: “We dominated large spells, but unfortunately couldn't get the ball in the back of the net.

“There were some very good performances in that. Zak, obviously making his debut, was very, very good in that game. Only a very young lad but performed very well. Ross (Munro) made a couple of very good saves. In the game itself, I thought we had the better of it.

“We had the better opportunities, and we should have really won the game. But from how we had started the season, it's a point where we can go right. We've stopped the rot.”

Shelbourne come into the game in good form after winning five of their opening six games. Damien Duff’s side currently sits at the top of the Premier League table with 16 points.

When anticipating the trip to Dublin, Horgan said: “It is a big three game week for us now when we start at Shels. They've obviously hit the ground running at the start of the season, they're at the top of the table and kind of picking up from the good work they had done last year.

“It's going to be a very, very tough challenge for us, but we know that when we're on our day, when we're at it, that we're more than a match for anybody in the league as well. They've a good team, good manager, there's a lot of good going there for them and we need to go down there and just disrupt that party hopefully,” he said.

Local rivals Drogheda make the short trip up the M1 on Easter Monday to take on their Louth counterparts. They are one place above Dundalk in the league table with two points more. Horgan expects an exciting derby game.

“It is difficult really in a sense because you want to focus on one game at a time, take every game as it comes,” said the Galwegian.

“The Louth derby on Monday will be a good game – it always is. It is always exciting. We will be playing back at home, and it is a big opportunity for us to right a few wrongs that have happened, that we have allowed to happen at home.

“We can go out there now and we can show everyone what we are about. Obviously, there are absolutely no guarantees of anything but that’s the aim. We want to go down to Tolka and win, and then come back to Oriel and start pushing up that table, and working towards getting ourselves back where we want to be. Contending at the top end of that table.

“Everyone is absolutely hurting at the moment, and we want to be the team that is really competitive in every single game we play. Then when we are that we will be in a great position to win every single game we play.

“The fans have had a couple of tough weeks coming to the games and I completely understand that. But it is great when you get that noise, especially when Oriel is rocking – it is an unbelievable place when it gets going.

“That comes from us as well. We need to give people something on the pitch to really get behind if we can. Then we can all bring that kind of unity as a club and a community then we can hit the ground running and really create something special again up here.”

In team news (for Shelbourne), Andy Boyle, Jamie Walker and Dara Keane miss out but George Shelvey returns to the squad after missing the last three games with a knee injury and Jamie Gullan is making good progress after limping off in the 0-0 draw with Waterford FC two weeks ago with an ankle injury. Assistant manager Patrick Cregg serves a one-game touchline ban.

Shelbourne vs Dundalk FC – Friday, 29th March. Kick-off at 7.45pm
Dundalk FC vs Drogheda United – Monday, 1st April. Kick-off at 1pm