The Commentary Box: Dundalk went at Shamrock Rovers from the start
The Commentary Box | The Gerry Malone Column
Dundalk won a sensational game at Oriel Park by one goal to nil against Shamrock Rovers last Friday night.
It was a game that kept the near 3,000 crowd stuck in a daze as the local side beat the champions in a game few gave them a chance to even get a draw.
But the Dundalk players had every belief that they would get the win, and that they got in dramatic fashion.
A sensational volleyed goal from Tyreke Wilson, 12 minutes from time, ensured Rovers were sent crashing to their third defeat of the season.
Dundalk went into the game, that had seen their form slump dramatically in their last four games. They had collected a single point and lost their last two home games.
They were short many first team players through injury. Yet somehow they got the win.
Home defeats to Shelbourne and Bohemians in a row at Oriel would not have inspired much confidence. A defence that was leaking goals also pointed to a comfortable win for Rovers.
Yet Ciaran Kilduff and Ken Kiernan built up an unbelievable spirit in a Dundalk side that believed they could win. And Dundalk went at Rovers from the start.
Signalling their sheer want to win the game, Dundalk played with just three at the back. This would have taken Rovers by surprise from the start.
Enda Minogue's display took me by surprise. I have been a critic of Enda's this season.
Yet the young Dundalk goalkeeper threw all that back into the faces of his critics with a display of such Cherriesque magnificence that there is no doubt that he will make the position his own, if he can continue with displays like this.
Once again, Dundalk finished with ten men, with JR Wilson getting sent off by referee Robert Harvey. Once again, the standard of refereeing was terrible.
Wilson conceded a free to Rovers on the edge of the penalty area. On review, the decision was debatable.
But having already been given a yellow card earlier in the game, most refs would not have produced a second yellow and sent him off. But Rob Harvey did.
Last week, Ciaran Kilduff was sent off for getting a second yellow for nothing. That was never going to happen last night.
However, at one stage when the game was at a critical phase, the referee gave Rovers a free instead of it going to Dundalk.
Such was the Dundalk manager's despair that he got down on his knees, holding his two hands together in a prayer-like manner.
He pleaded to the fourth official, Neil Doyle, that Dundalk should have been given a free. The official ignored him. I was surprised at Kilduff for doing that.
He would do much better to just vent his anger at Doyle rather than plead like that to them. But I do not blame the Dundalk boss. Nearly every decision went Rovers way.
Referee Rob Harvey gave Dundalk nothing when they quite clearly should have been given much more.
But the poor refereeing just built up the Dundalk players' resilience to win the game, and that they did.
It was terrible to see the flares return to Oriel, for the first time since the Drogheda game. But it was not the Rovers fans who had the flares.
It was Dundalk fans in the shed. Dundalk will as a club have to review their security as to how these pyrotechnics got into the ground, given what happened against Drogheda at Oriel two months ago.
Whoever these people were in the shed, they are not true Dundalk supporters. Dundalk will now face a hefty fine.
If these so-called fans appear in Drogheda and display their pyros, Dundalk will have a supporter ban imposed, given what happened to Drogheda after the last game in Oriel.
It was also sad to see the new away fans' toilets badly vandalised. Graffiti was sprayed on walls and toilets intentionally blocked. This was hardly the work of Dundalk fans.
Shamrock Rovers should launch an inquiry into who was responsible for this. Dundalk, for their part, need to launch an inquiry as to how their fans got flares into Oriel.
They also need to ensure they identify the fans who had the pyrotechnics and that they are not allowed to go to Drogheda next Friday.
Enda Minogue was my man of the match. I am giving him ten out of ten for his sparkling night that kept Rovers at bay. The three players at the back were so good.
JR Wilson deserves a 7 out of 10. Harvey Warren. Declan McDaid was outstanding at the back, also. He deserved an eight out of ten mark.
Blackrock youth Sean Spaight replaced Harvey Warren on 85 minutes. He deserves 6.
Keith Buckley and Eoin Kenny were in midfield. They merited 7 out of ten marks. They were replaced by Harry Groome and Shane Tracey on 59 minutes.
Sub Shane Tracey gets a 7 while Harry Groome gets 6. Danny Mullen played as a striker when he replaced Gbemi Arubi. Gbemi gets 6 marks while Mullen also gets 6.
Daryl Horgan and Aodh Dervan also played in midfield. Both get eight marks. They were top class. Gbemi was a little bit below his usual self.
This outlines how key it is for Dundalk to look for a striker in the window. Gbemi is often asked to do too much.
Rovers came into the game having won just six of their last twenty games at Oriel.
With Pats losing in Dublin, this was a great opportunity for the league leaders go even further ahead at the top. It did not, as Dundalk threw the form book out the window.
Tyreke Wilson and Declan McDaid were outstanding. McDaid was excellent in attack and coming back when he was needed in defence.
Tyreke Wilson was also marvellous on the left-hand side. He raided into the Rovers' half when needed.
It was one such raid that saw him get the winner with 12 minutes remaining.Daryl Horgan gave Rovers a hard time with his great runs on the flank and his moves through the centre.
It was his pass for Tyreke Wilson that set up the goal. Dundalk were the better team in the first half.
Rovers did have the best chance in that half when John McGovern's shot from the edge of the box was turned round the post by Enda Minogue.
Gbemi Arubi and Eoin Kenny did have half-chances. They caused a lot of problems for Rovers in that first half.
Then, as in previous weeks in Oriel, the game swung open in favour of Rovers. The Hoops totally dominated the second half.
17-year-old Victor Ozhianvuna tore through the Dundalk defence on 52 minutes. His effort was parried out for a corner by Minogue.
Jack Byrne went close for Rovers. Harvey Warren headed the ball away to safety. Arron Greene was played in as the Hoops continued to come at Dundalk.
His effort was just wide of the Dundalk post. Harvey Warren lifted the siege temporarily. He went on a solo run through the Rovers defence.
His effort seemed to be bound for the net. It swerved just slightly. This allowed Ed McGinty to push the ball around the post for a corner.
Dundalk were dramatically in front on 78 minutes. Daryl Horgan got a cross in from the right in the box. His pinpoint pass found the unmarked Tyreke Wilson.
His volley nearly burst the net. This took me back to a time when Rovers scored into the same goals about 25 years ago.
The ball went through a hole in the net at the side and went back out on the pitch. The referee on that occasion gave no goal. He thought it was wide.
But there was no doubting Tyreke Wilson's effort was a goal. Ginnity had to lift the ball out of the net with disappointment etched all over his face.
Three minutes from time, Rovers won a free on the edge of the box. JR Wilson was adjudged to have made a lunge on Rovers player Matt Healy. on the edge of the box.
With this being JR's second yellow, he was sent off. Sean Spaight came on as a substitute with Harvey Warren coming off injured.
Dylan Watts free was saved superbly by Enda Minogue. Minogue saved again right on 90 minutes when Arron Greene's header was destined for the net.
Once again, Minogue produced another Cherrie esque save as the ball was going in at the far post. How he got to it, I will never know.
Dylan Watts struck the Dundalk post with a superb header deep in stoppage time. Minogue saved the follow-up. It was a terrific win for Dundalk. Oriel erupted in joy.
Dundalk were in dreamland.The man of the match, Enda Minogue, said that everything went according to plan and that each member of the team had done their job.
"Everybody has to go into a dark place when they are playing Rovers. We had to do that tonight. But we came out the right end and won the game.
We pride ourselves on our work rate. We worked so hard out there tonight. We were chasing everything.
When teams are on the front foot like that, it gives them a chance to win the game, and that's what happened with us tonight.
We were fully in the game as much as they were. Then up stepped Tyreke to shoot home a blockbuster. But it was the type of goal we have come to expect from Tyreke.
I did not see the incident that saw JR being sent off. There were so many bodies around the edge of the box. Someone went down screaming.
We had another sending off as a result. But look, we will just have to regroup and get ready for the Drogheda game.
"Rovers did come close in the last ten minutes. I did have to take off some saves. But look, it's just something you work on every day.
It's all the work you put in during the week for those moments when Rovers nearly scored, that worked out for us. I have a great team behind me.
Peter and Conor have been fantastic. My role on this team is that when we are on the cosh, that I am the shot stopper. It's my job.
There was a ball that nearly went in during injury time. That's one of the ones that you jump for and say a prayer.
But we work on that kind of an effort week in and week out. It's taken me time to settle into this team and league. But I am settling in fine.
"Peter Cherrie has played such a role in my learning. Peter will never be gone. He has been great in coaching me and also to keep pushing me to improve game by game.
"I grew up about living just ten minutes from Tallaght Stadium. All my family and friends are Rovers fans.I am different. I spent most of my time
living out in Bray. Anyway, we play Drogheda next week. We must prepare and concentrate for that game next Friday."
Dundalk boss Ciaran Kilduff says he was delighted with the performance.
“I am really happy with the way my players approached the game. Enda was magnificent in goals. He made save after save.
He said that before the game that this would what was going to happen, and it did. The back three were excellent, as were our two wing backs, Decky and Bobby.
Some of Enda's saves were top drawer and world-class. To get a clean sheet in the manner he did, I am so proud of Enda.
I knew one hundred per cent before the game that we could win it. That's that group. I would be doing them a disservice had I not believed that.
Do not get me wrong, the only way we were going to win that game was to go toe to toe with them for as long as we could. Rovers are a top top team.
They are the five time champions of the past six years. They are top of the table and are European regulars. They are so far down the tracks.
Yet we found a way to beat them. We now have taken four points out of six from them in two games. It was not easy. It was not easy.
We are going to lose games this year. That's for certain. But we have been very competitive this season and have shown that on any given night, we can take points from anybody.
"I did not see what happened for the sending off. I looked back at it. JR did not handle the ball. He lunged to block it.
He was not going to waste so many red cards. We are getting brave. We are going one-on-one in tackles players.
It's the way we are playing that's causing us to get so many yellow cards, and some are turning to reds.
There is an honesty about the way we play. But do not get me wrong. I am sick of the suspensions. I was suspended for getting two yellow cards a few weeks ago.
I was frustrated with one particular decision. I know the one you are on about. The fourth official and the linesman knew that the referee had got it wrong.
It was my frustration that had me on my hands and knees appealing the decision. But look, tonight we won such a competitive game. It was great.
“The winning goal we got came from technique. Tyreke has already scored goals for us this year. I spoke to him before the game to get into the area where he scored when possible.
I told him he would get joy there, and he did. There was nothing easy about the strike for the goal. I was right behind it. I really celebrated it.
I was running up and down the sideline when the ball hit the net. We were always going to catch them on a one-to-one with our quality.
Daryl's ball for the goal was great. The storm of rovers going after us once we went in front was always going to come.
Once we were in front, we were always going to need fight, grit and determination to get the points. Aodh Dervin put his body on the line for us tonight.
I do not know how he did it for the 90 minutes and the system we were playing. Daryl, Aodh and the rest of the players went to the well. The victory was so sweet.
"We have Drogheda next Friday in Sullivan and Lambe Park. It does not get any bigger, does it? Obviously, we all remember the game here, which was infamous.
We will be going up there for the win. I want to appeal to our fans not to have any flares at this game in Drogheda next Friday.
Some of the fans had them here in Oriel tonight. I do not want to see them here or in Drogheda next Friday.
We have to go there and play a game against a team in our division. They are like ourselves. Drogheda can beat any team on any given night, just like ourselves.
This division is unforgiving. Dundalk supporters will have a lot of satisfaction and pride from tonight. The game next Friday in Drogheda will be a sell-out.
"Jr is suspended for next week's game, after getting sent off tonight. Ronan Teahan will be missing as well.
He has a quad issue. Eoin had a bit of a groin issue during the week. It eased off thankfully on Thursday. He will be fine for the Drogheda game.
Eoin never misses a training session. Rob Cornwall will return. He only got the one match suspension. So we get one back and lose one.
Vinnie Leonard did a bit of running yesterday. I do not think he will be back next Friday. It is too soon. There is a chance he may be back in two weeks.
Vinnie wants to come back. He has reached out to me a few times. We would, of course, love to have Vinnie back now.
But we do know what is coming for him in the summer. The sooner we get Vinnie back, the better.
"I have my eye out on signing a couple of players for the window. We will have to see who is coming back from injury.
And I will obviously, of course, be having an honest conversation with the owner who is just standing over there from us now.
The club will be very supportive if we have to delve into the market. But I honestly have not yet identified any targets just yet.
Danny Mullen's coming back will resolve our need to go searching for a striker. I am confident he will be able to play for us without sustaining any other serious injury.
Danny carries a heavy load for us as well. He is a top professional. The quality will come out in the weeks ahead. Danny and Gbemi will make sure we have a very strong strike force.
"Sean Spaight is a young man who is seen to have a great future in the game. The 17-year-old will play for the Republic of Ireland in the U17 World Cup Finals in Qatar next November.
Sean came on as a sub after JR Wilson got a second yellow card with about seven minutes remaining in Friday's game. Sean is a grandson of former club director Ted Kierans.
"I really enjoyed playing the last 15 minutes of tonight's game. I also enjoy training for these moments with the First team squad.
Every week you want to get playing on the pitch. I was very happy to come on and show what I can do. Tonight was a great experience for me.
But it helps to have all the players around, such as Daryl Horgan and Bobby Burns. It's also great to have a chance when I can to have JR Wilson around me.
All these players and others really help me. I know it's not easy. But it makes it a lot easier to have the senior players around me when I am in the team.
"It's important to play games and be ready. It has been a good year so far for me. But hopefully there will be a lot more to come.
It is a massive jump to move from the Academy to the First Team. I am really starting to get used to things. But it really helps me to have all the senior players around me.
It helps. It goes a long way. On the international front, the U17 team Republic of Ireland team qualified for the finals in Qatar in November.
All going well, we will be getting into camps, getting ready for that competition. It will be a massive experience.
I was involved with the squad that qualified for the finals. I have been there. I have seen it. I am looking forward to it now.
“To get called into the Dundalk first team more and more will go a long way to help me. Training and playing with senior men all the time will really help me.
It's great to see teams all over the country now adapting to incorporating players from their academy system into the senior setup.
It's only a recent thing in the League of Ireland. But it's great for the teams and, of course, for player development. So it's a winner all round for everybody.
Victor Noonan, playing for Rovers tonight, is a very good player. He is my age and is part of their academy set up.
And Michael Noonan also played for them. He is just a year above me. A lot more younger players are now part of our senior teams. It's great.
We really fought very hard against Rovers tonight. We had Enda Minogue making those great saves there at the end.
It was tough out there, you know. Even at 11 men, it was tough against these, never mind ten.
Playing Drogheda in the Louth Derby is going to be another tough game. But we are just going to take every game as it comes.”
Dundalk skipper Daryl Horgan says the win over Rovers was so good.
"We were really, really strong and we showed a lot of quality. We have a lot of players out as well. There were a lot of players in makeshift positions tonight.
The work we put in and the quality we showed was very good. We all drove each other to the win. It was not a case of me being captain who did that.
Enda was magnificent in goals. Shane Tracey, coming on along with Harry Groome and Sean Spaight, made a huge difference. It really was a 16 or even 20 player effort.
Rovers had more possession in the first half, but we always looked more dangerous. We had to manage with the strong subs they brought on, such as Graham Burke.
But we were able to deal with all that. We got the goal. That is all that matters. I put the ball into Tyreke's goal. I had one thing on my mind.
And that was to find space. I managed to find Tyreke. He made no mistake with the volley. It was just great."
Enda Minogue was sensational, especially the saves at the end. The one he made from the free. He was just out of this world.
He blocked Graham Burke in a one-versus-one situation. The saves were just incredible. Enda's attitude in training is always superb.
But so is the attitudes of all the players. The game against Drogheda will be another good one.
Despite the defeat to Bohemians tonight, they have had three wins out of four of their last series of games. They are on a decent run. They seemed to have picked up.
It's just the way the league is. Every team in this league have had their peaks and troughs. Sullivan and Lamb Park is not an easy venue to go to.
It's going to be very difficult for us. But we have to be ready for them.''
There was a minute's applause as a tribute to the late Gerry Gover, the Honorary President of the Dundalk Schoolboys League.
Gerry passed away last Friday week. There was a large turnout for his funeral on this day last week. Have a great week.
Please look after yourselves and each other. And always remember to be very careful out there.