Grimes: We were delighted to get the Glenmuir anniversary invitation

Shane Grimes praised the togetherness of the Dundalk FC 2016 side after the Lilywhites legends rolled back the years at Hoey’s Lane on Saturday afternoon.

The former Lilywhite defender was reunited with manager Stephen Kenny and many of his old teammates as part of Glenmuir United’s 50th anniversary celebrations.

And there were plenty of familiar names on show as Dundalk edged an entertaining game 3-2 as current club captain, Daryl Horgan, created the opener after 15 minutes, delivering from the left for Paddy Barrett to power home a header at the back post.

Horgan almost added a second following good work from Darren Meenan before David McMillan made it 2-0 on 29 minutes with a deft finish from close range.

Glenmuir had their chances before the break, with Dundalk goalkeeper Gary Rogers denying Edgar Britians before Robbie Killian flashed a snapshot narrowly wide.

Dundalk went in 2-0 ahead at half-time, but Glenmuir fought back after the restart when Dan Brogan pulled one back after Gabriel Sava spilt his initial effort.

Brian Gartland cleared off the line, but the ball fell back to Brogan and he made no mistake at the second attempt. Brogan then struck again, this time beating Sava from long range to make it 2-2.

But Dundalk had the final say when a nice move involving Patrick McEleney and Robbie Benson ended with McMillan finishing into the corner for his second of the afternoon and a 3-2 win.

For Grimes, however, the result was secondary to seeing so many familiar faces together again. He told the Dundalk Democrat, “Brilliant, it's a brilliant day to be here in Glenmuir, fantastic day.

“Obviously the occasion and what it's for and everything. So you have to say, very well done to Glenmuir for laying on and looking after us. And inviting us as well to take part in such an occasion.

“It's great for us and again, as you said there, it's great for the reunion. A lot of us still keep in touch, but it's great to get our faces back together.

“And probably the best is getting the pitch back together again. Obviously some lads are still playing, but it was great to get back and pitch out a few familiar faces. And just get going on the pitch again.”

Special group

Dundalk native Grimes played his part in a remarkable period for the club and has no doubts about where that Dundalk squad ranks among the teams he played with.

“Again, it was the most special group I've ever been involved with, player-wise, manager-wise, everything. Obviously everyone knows we went through good times back then. But we were just delighted to be part of this today for Glenmuir.

“It's their day, it's their day, it's their occasion. We were delighted to get the invitation to come up and take part in it. It's a fantastic occasion.

“Just being around everyone, all the kids, you see all the kids, the excitement around. It's great, it's great. And that's what it's about, local clubs.”

Looking back at the class of 2016, Grimes believes there was something different about Kenny’s squad.

“I've often thought, in 2016, people often would ask me, that was some team you had back then, some squad you had back then, brilliant.

“And I would say that's, to a squad, to a man, to a squad, to a man, to me it was the best, the best, simple as. What we had in that squad, to a man, it was something special.

“I think obviously we show back then how successful we were, obviously with Stephen (Kenny) and Vinnie (Perth) and all, everybody. It was a fantastic squad with so much of everything that you need to be part of a special squad.”

Pinch me moments

Those years also brought European nights Grimes will never forget and one in particular gave him a moment to reflect on how far he had come.

“I remember times before I played for Dundalk, I would have been at Drogheda, and I often remember coming, shooting down the motorway, down the M1 from training, on a Tuesday or Wednesday evening, to try and get back to the house to maybe get the last 20 minutes of a Champions League game.

“And then, for me, I remember standing over in the Aviva for the Legia Warsaw one, and then over there as well, and I remember thinking, I used to be shooting down the M1, and this is real, this is real, and that's where it was.

“And again, that was a standout one for me, when you were listening to the Champions League tune, all that kind of stuff, it was just hairs on the neck.”

For all the quality in that Dundalk team, Grimes believes its greatest strength was the bond between the players.

“This team, I just think, one went to war, we all went to war. You looked around the dressing room, you knew everyone had each other's back and then there was dash, there was character, there was everything in the squad.

“There was character and I think, to me, I always sum it up and say I looked around the dressing room back then and I thought I don't want to be the one to let the rest of these boys down, whether that was a league match.

“Well, no matter what match it was, when I stepped over the white line with these boys, I did not want to be the one to let these down.

“I think that was throughout the squad, which made us so close together. It was unbelievable, along with, obviously, quality, talent, everything. I just think we had it all.

“I just think we had everything. I always say that we had everything as a squad that you would look for if you want to be successful, and that was there for me.”